The Church

That’s our church building.  By September, it won’t look different from the outside, but if all goes well the segment on the left will look very different inside following a remodel.  We’ve grown in many ways and need to adapt the space we have to our current needs. 

It is not an easy, nor quick, process to change the physical building that contains a church.  It is our belief the church really is made of all the believers who come here when the doors are open to both worship and serve the Lord they’ve publically acknowledged.  Not everyone who enters is a part of that church.

There is a ‘remodel’ that must go on inside a person when they come to serve Him.  Jesus addressed that when He was talking with Nicodemus in John’s third chapter:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (John 3:3 KJV)

That change, that conversion, makes us part of the body of Christ:

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:5 KJV)

We are required by His command to love one another.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  (John 13:34 KJV)

Sometimes that’s not so easy, just as it is difficult in the most closely knit families.  Jesus knew this, so He repeated His command.  I think of it as a reinforcement.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (John 15:12 KJV)

Just when we think we’re not supposed to hear this one, we’re told again.

These things I command you, that ye love one another. (John 15:17 KJV)

I would run out of space if I quoted all of the other New Testament references calling us to love one another.  Besides, we know it – we just don’t always follow the instructions, do we?

Just as our building needs adjustments and remodels, we need to be aware of the ones that will benefit our growth in following our Lord’s commands.  Those commands are all based on the continuing, on-going, not to be changed commands given by God and confirmed by Christ.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

All law.  All prophecy. Everything in God’s design.  Doubt it?  Check it out.