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So much has changed about the church since her early days. A quick sail through the book of Acts will bring a few of those changes to your attention. God had a Church in those days that was literally on fire for Him, and the result was an explosion of growth that simply could not be extinguished by the oppressive forces that wanted to squelch it. Just think about it . . .
What a love! These early Christians were people of love! They loved each other, they loved the church, they loved those in need, they loved all people, and they loved God! Today’s church loves, too:
We love our favorite sports team or personalities!
We love our recreation!
We love our vacations!
We love our fancy houses and cars!
We love our favorite TV shows and the actors that make them so great!
Seems slightly different than how it once was . . .
What a passion! These early Christians were so passionate about Christ! They met DAILY, ended their meetings when God was finished speaking and moving, and shared Christ constantly with those around them!
The church of 2022 is passionate, too. Well, that is, as long as God is finished speaking and moving by noon on Sunday. After all, most church folks have other things to do on Sunday afternoons, nights and Wednesdays.
Our reputations are too important to talk about Jesus all the time, especially if it would be offensive to those around us. Seems just a bit has changed since those early days . . .
What a sense of awe! These early Christians lived with a sense of “awe” according to the Word, because God was doing such God-sized, unexplainable things among them! The church of today has a sense of awe, too:
We are awed by our “professional” speakers and singers.
We are awed by our multimedia presentations.
We are awed by our drama and such a magnificent use of the arts.
After all, if God were to move too much it might make us look too undignified. Seems our sense of wonder is focused a bit differently than so long ago . . .
Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not bashing sports or recreation or vacations or TV shows. I’m not running speakers or singers or multimedia or drama or worship arts in the ground. I’m only asking the obvious question that lingers in my mind so often in my own life: What ever happened to the early church and her love, passion and awe for the things of God?
Only you can answer that for yourself, but I think I’m slowly discovering the answer for myself. Where is my true and godly passion for the things of God? Where is that zeal for people to know Jesus?
If you don’t know what Jesus did on the cross or think that Christians are a bunch of hypocrites, you may have been burned by church. Understood. Completely. Because I am a person who has been forever changed by the grace of Jesus . . . but also a hypocrite. The good news? He loves me anyway, and he loves you anyway. He’s calling you today. Don’t feel it? He’s there, I can testify to it. He made you, after all, and he offers you the free gift of salvation today, so give up on doing things your way and accept it.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
Copyright © 2021 by Blake Martin @https://pastorblakeman.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/now-and-then/ No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.