Scripture
21So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you— 22whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Observation
Turns out the culture of celebrity in the Church wasn’t just a 21st Century problem. The members of the Church in Corinth were rallying behind their favorite minister and this was causing division in the church and a poor witness to the culture. It was time to grow up and grow past the petty idolizing of persons and personalities, the shallow comparisons of styles and sayings, and to focus on what mattered most- Jesus! Paul used the metaphor of an infant to illustrate the need to mature and the dangers of normalizing a failure to launch. Paul used the metaphor of agriculture to illustrate Jesus is the only One who can make the Church grow. Paul used the metaphor of architecture to illustrate there can be no other foundation but Jesus. To build on anyone else is to see that structure fall. To build with anyone else is to use cheap materials that have no eternal value and won’t last the test of time. The Church belongs to Jesus- not Paul, Apollos, Peter, or any one else. It doesn’t matter what name is over the door as much as The Name over our hearts!
Application
It was about two years ago that I attended a prayer meeting for pastors and leaders in the San Diego area. A local pastor had just returned from the Asbury Outpouring where a sovereign move of God was taking place on a college campus. Thousands of people lined up for all hours from all over the world for what could only be described as a simple unplugged worship and prayer meeting. Yet, what happened with this pastor happened with so many others who attended. He was surrounded but the love of God inside and out and was reminded in a profound way that God doesn’t need a show to show up. He responds to the humble heart. In the midst of this gathering in the school chapel no well known worship teams led epic guitar solos, no celebrity speakers were allowed to wax eloquent, the cameras from all the news networks were kept outside. They wanted this to be holy ground set apart for one thing- a place for God and His people to meet. When this pastor prayed for me I felt overwhelmed with the love of God and began to cry on the floor for the next 30 minutes. During that time I heard Him whisper a profound challenge to my spirit: “Give Me My Church Back And Watch What I Do With It.” This is exactly what Paul is challenging the Corinthian church to do and what I believe He is calling us to in these last days. It’s interesting to me that this fresh move of God started on a college campus and it’s been continuing on college campuses over the past two years. In other words, this isn’t something that a person, personality, or church location or denomination can put in the proverbial box. I knew when God spoke those words to me that it was going to be a challenge to remember that this isn’t about me, it’s not about my reputation, it’s not about me getting credit. What matters little is who gets the credit. What matters most is who gets Christ!
Prayer
It’s all about You Jesus! You’re doing so many good things around me right now! I want to get out of the way and let You have Your way Lord! I love what You are doing in reaching a generation where they are at! They don’t want to go to Church so You are meeting them at their school campus. I want to give it all back to You over and over again so I don’t miss out on what You’re about to do. Forgive me for the pride, insecurity and immaturity that needs to be seen when really all people need to see is You! Im looking for the Kingdom partnerships that will lead to Kingdom expansion and bring You the glory alone!
Kommentare