What would Jesus Christ tell our churches today?

Semi-fictional arguments given by today’s churches…

“We need a larger church building.  To do that, we need to take on debt…”

“God wants us to grow, grow, grow…”

“We can serve God better by being a larger church…”

“With more members, we can offer more programs…”

“It’s an unfortunate reality of today’s times that to grow, we need to take out a mortgage…”

“We can’t meet the needs of the community unless we grow…”

“More members, means more income so we can offer better opportunities…”

“People won’t come to church unless it looks like a church…”

What would Jesus Christ tell the leaders of our modern church?

Would He look at the large buildings and the debt and say, “Well done!”

OR, more likely, would He be aghast that we spend money [that isn't ours!] on things that will pass away??

IF God wants your church to grow, DON’T YOU THINK that He will provide the means for it???

How often does the Bible teach about going into debt?!   Would Jesus say it is “ok” to go into debt because you are serving Me?

OR, would He instruct us in the feeding of the hungry, and the clothing of the poor and disadvantaged.

You decide.

“Mommy, You Promised…”

Matthew 18:2-3  2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,  3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:13-15  13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.  14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  15 After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.

In June 1993, a child named Cubby went to be with God, yet his story continues to impact others..
Read the story here:

Cubby’s Story

Because of who God is, not because of what I’ve done….or NOT done!

We’ve been born into the kingdom of God through faith in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

I often find myself trying to “please” God, as if He is “unpleased”.   I often find myself trying not to “disappoint” God as if He could be disappointed.

Can God be disappointed?  Isn’t disappointment based on expectation, and expectation based on the unknown?

Did I come to my Father to escape Hell?  Or, did I come to my Father because of who He IS.

Why do I keep trying to change myself, when God loves me in SPITE of my self?

God doesn’t need me to be perfect.  He desires for me to be who He made me to be I think.

He made me to have a relationship with Him as I am.

He made me to be a part of His kingdom with Jesus of Nazareth as my Lord and King.

Jesus calls us into the kingdom of God.  The kingdom of NOW and the kingdom to come LATER.

Jesus is my brother.  I am now a son of God through Jesus’ death and resurrection and through the Holy Spirit of God.

The kingdom is here, now, around us and in us and through us….

Do I do the actions that I do out of fear/respect, instead of doing them for who God is and for who Jesus Christ is?

God has declared through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the coming of the His kingdom – and that with power and authority.

I think the good news is that God says come into the kingdom – be welcome and be forgiven.  Then bring others into this kingdom of grace and mercy that we cannot earn but is offered freely.

What IS the “Good News” of Jesus Christ?

I’m just curious what your view of the “GOOD NEWS” of Jesus Christ is??

Looking forward to hearing any comments, good..bad…ugly … etc.

Have a blessed day!!

Chris

Summary of Paul’s Message from Paul Himself

Stumbled across this today while studying something else.

Kind of jumped out at me for some reason.

Read on…