The Church has Left the Building Day 14

 DAY FOURTEEN John 7:25-52

Barry Vannauker,  

First United Methodist Church of Fairless Hills

 

 

The Church Has Left the Building           

In 1972 Richard K. Avery and Donald S. Marsh wrote, We are the Church: 'The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people. I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together. All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we are the church together.'

 

Musicians and poets grasp the message. One song writer questions "Art Thou the Christ?' While another counters with "God sent his son", "they called him, Jesus". The crowd described in John 7:25-52, the Pharisees, the elders, and the temple guards when face to face with Jesus had great difficulty dealing with the messages of Jesus. Verse 28: "you know me and where I'm from", "but you do not know him who sent me?" Many believed. Verse 35: "I am with you for a short time; then I go to the one who sent me." Are you really the Son of God? More believed.  

 

Verse 38: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. "Whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within you." The Holy Spirit indwells believers. The people questioned, is this Christ? The leaders allowed the teaching to occur. Did they believe or could they really do nothing about it? The temple guard reacted to what He said; ignoring their charge 'to capture Him and bring Him in'. The scriptures tell us, "no man cometh to the Father except through the Son." Believe! Receive!

 

Action Step: Let us go forth in Jesus' name with conduct that represents you in a constructive way for the world, so that they know us by your name, "Christian."

 

Prayer: Almighty God, aid our belief. We are the church. Amen.