Today is the national observance of the attack on 9/11 of the Twin
Towers in New York City in 2001. While remembering the grief of that
attack, we are also grieving over the tremendous losses due to Hurricane
Katrina. An amazing amount of support has been pouring out from people
all over the United States for those effected by Katrina.
I have heard some ask, “Was this the judgment of God?” I have to reply
that I don’t know, but I do know this is an opportunity for people to
turn to Christ. In a letter from Jim Darnell of Liberty Fellowship, one
Liberty pastor, Glen Ellerbe, said they had Sunday service under a big
oak tree with most of their congregation there and a number of visitors
in attendance. Perhaps a continued outpouring of grace will stir all
of Louisiana, Mississippi, and the rest of America!
However, I was a disappointed to hear one of the New Orleans officials
say his one big goal was to have enough of the city rebuilt so they can
celebrate Martigra this coming February! According to all accounts that
I have read, Martigra is primarily a celebration of sin … not a celebration
thanking God for His supply!
In times like these we need to ask the question, “What does the Church
have to offer the world we live in?” Read with me the charge given to
Timothy:
1 Tim 1:3-5
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia — remain in Ephesus that you
may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed
to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than
godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment
is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere
faith.
The goal which Christ gave to the Church was that we would reach our
dying world with the Gospel of Christ. “Go into all the world and preach
the gospel …” Preaching will include being involved in feeding the hungry
and clothing the naked, those are good things, but the message of God’s
grace and forgiveness is what gives mankind hope in difficult times!
When Paul gave instructions to Timothy about Ephesus, it wasn’t a battle
ground, it wasn’t flooded from a storm, but it was embroiled in a storm
of controversy which was keeping the Church from doing the work which
Christ had called it to do. Paul gave Timothy the responsibility of getting
the Church of Ephesus back on track!
5 … the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a
good conscience, and from sincere faith.
The work of the church, in good times and in bad times, is easily framed
in this sentence. We are to share love from a pure heart, a good conscience,
and from sincere faith. Our help is needed now but the flood victims
… but not any less now than it was in the days before the hurricane.
One of my thoughts was … “New Orleans has had people dying from starvation,
people have been shooting at one another, a number of women have been
raped … and then they had a hurricane.” People didn’t begin being needy
because of a hurricane … the hurricane just made it more visible to all
of the rest of us!
As the Church, we need to be people who show love for God and for one
another by giving and helping others at all times! When the world outside
of the church building sees us being involved in helping others it opens
the door for us to share the love of God! At all times … not just in
times of national distress!
Through the ages, the Church often gets bogged down in a lot of side
issues: Should we baptize for salvation or is baptism an act of obedience
after salvation? Should one Christian denomination fellowship with another
Christian denomination who believes a little bit differently about some
points in the Scripture? Should we allow people to speak in tongues or
should we not? Should we immerse or should we sprinkle? Should we …and
on and on goes the controversies!
And the world around us says, “Who cares?”
We live in a needy world! This week it is a hurricane. Last week it
was a problem marriage which was ending in divorce. Next week it is a
teenage girl who is wondering if she should get an abortion. There are
those who attempt suicide. There are those who numb their pain with alcohol
or drugs. There are children growing up with violence in their home.
We live in a needy world!
We can do something about it! While reading about church ministries
I heard of one church who accepts old cars that are in good working order,
gives them a tune up, and then donates them to single mothers so they
can get back and forth to work. One church finds people who cannot afford
to paint their home and they paint it for them. Our local United Methodist
Church built a house for one of their ladies who could not afford to
rebuild her termite damaged home.
The Salvation Army is always involved in helping people … at times
of national disaster and in continued local assistance. If you are looking
for a viable place to donate towards disaster relief … that is a good
place. Serenity House in Mountain Home helps battered women and our Hand
Maiden ministry has been reaching out to them, attempting to find ways
to help. The Community Free Clinic is a place a number of volunteers
have found a place to serve, as well as those who volunteer at Baxter
Regional Medical Center, or serve as a Hospice volunteer.
One of Liberty Fellowship’s ministers, Larry Ransom, his wife Kendrah,
and their children, lost their home in Chalmette, LA. Liberty has made
a commitment to help them … and you can be a part of that! Cheryl and
I spent several hours visiting with Larry and Kendrah at our last Liberty
Fellowship meeting. They are a great couple!
The Children’s Ministry of Emmanuel Church reaches into homes in our
community and brings children to church on the van. The Nursing Home
ministry and the Hospital ministry are reaching into the community and
encouraging people. The Angel Food Program will be a help to many of
our community who need help with their food budget.
Ministry is “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from
sincere faith.”
If the only thing we do for God is what we do within the four walls
of this building … we have failed the commission which Christ gave to
the Church. We must be involved in giving, helping, healing, and restoring
lives! But what the world needs most … is Jesus. This is where they too
can find a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
After the flood waters subside and the homes have been rebuilt, will
those people involved have pure hearts? Will they have a clean conscience?
Will they have a sincere faith in Christ? The food and shelter they receive
is a definite benefit to them and they should be taken care of, but life
is more than eating and drinking!
Jesus is the only one who can change the heart, change the emotions,
heal the deep inner hurt, cleanse the conscience, and give hope for tomorrow.
This is the message of the Church! But they won’t hear us speak it in
here. We have to show it to them with our giving … demonstrate it by
our living … and then we must lovingly tell them the story of Jesus.
The difference betweens the Lodge and the Church is the message of
Christ! The Clinton/Bush Contribution campaign may help a lot of people
but they will not be sharing Christ with those who receive their help!
The Church has been given that responsibility … but unless we couple
our preaching with valued help … we won’t be heard! We must go beyond
our walls!
I believe God can give all of us creative minds and we can find ways
as individuals, as small groups, as a church, or as a group of churches
… that we can help people on a regular basis and be able to share Christ
with them at the same time.
|
