First Baptist Church’s roots can be traced back to 1869 when the church was “officially” organized. That makes us 141 years old. There have been a lot of saints who have passed through the doors here. A great many Sunday school teachers, song leaders, accompanists, deacons, trustees and Christian education board members as well as pastors and missionaries. All of this is to say that it is no accident we are here today, but because of the work and foundation laid by others.
We do not exist as a community of faith in isolation and because of our own work. We exist because of the work of others and we exist with a time line and history and with other believers.
Paul has been working at spreading the gospel for quite awhile when he writes his letter to the believers in Rome. He has started quite a few churches, baptized quite a few saints but notice how Paul tells them how, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.” I suppose it would be easy for Paul to feel jealous of the church in Rome or of its leaders, because its fame is being spread all over the world. I’m guessing that it is a fairly large church simply because Rome is a large city and the capital of a good chunk of the world at that time.
In our day and time there are some fairly large and famous churches. Willow Creek Community church, and Saddleback church, both of which have 5 locations, closer to home we might think about Prairie Lakes church. It is tempting for us to look at large churches like that and be jealous. But Paul shows us by example that we should not be jealous of other churches instead we should be thankful for them, remember them in our prayers and look forward to an opportunity to visit with them so that we might be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
This part of Paul’s letter is a reminder that we do not exist in isolation. As Christians we are not individuals, who follow Christ, we are not even individual churches that follow Christ. We are instead one, there is one Head that is Jesus Christ our lord and then He has one body which is made up of all believers, past, present and future including other denominations. Too often we erroneously believe that we can be a Christian by yourself, that we don’t need others. But Paul shows us that is not true, that it is important to belong to a caring community of believers.
Paul has long wanted to go to Rome but he has been prevented from doing so for one reason after another. His reasoning for going to Rome is not because it is a large and famous church but so that the Roman Christians and he may mutually encourage one another. I’m sure that Paul will teach and preach to them once he arrives and they will be Spiritual enriched and strengthened by Paul’s visit, but Paul makes it clear that he too will be spiritual enriched by his visit it to them. Even though Paul is an apostle and has much experience in preaching the word he expects to gain something from the visit too.
Something mystical happens when we gather together in Jesus’ name to worship together. The Spirit flows through each one of us stronger; we sense one another’s faith and are encouraged by it. We see a brother or sister struggling, and we go to them and lift them up but at the same time we see God at work in their life supporting them, we see that while they may be bowed down they are not crushed, and then our own faith is strengthened. Or maybe we are the one who is struggling who is being bowed down by the weight and troubles of this world and when we come to worship we feel the love and support of our brothers and sisters who come beside us to walk with us shouldering the burdens that we carry.
In gathering together we also witness answered prayers, see God’s mighty works in one another’s lives, and we look and see the how the saints who have died and gone to heaven have impacted our very own lives and the life of our church here in Plainfield.
Traditionally Memorial Day has been a day to recognize our service men and woman who gave their lives in the defense and service of our nation. We should continue to do so, it is important to realize the sacrifice that those men and woman gave defending the freedom of our nation and other nations. But I challenge us to also start using Memorial Day as a day to remember those who have given their lives in the service of Christ especially through the service of our church. The names I read this morning are our brothers and sisters who have given their entire lives to Christ’s service and the service of this church let us remember them, honor their memories, give thanks for their gifts that have helped us to know Christ and most importantly let us continue the work that they started so that some day our spiritual descendants can remember our service to Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment