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You know, there’s a stretch of Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City, that has been called “Tornado Alley.” On the Weather Channel, a lot of spring and summer days show that part of the country colored in the bright red that indicates severe weather is for Oklahoma! The most powerful tornado America ever had so far even roared through the Oklahoma City area just a few years ago. When my friend Ethan drove through that particular area on a spring day between storm systems, he couldn’t help but be impressed with what he saw as he drove by a church. Right in front of the church you could see an open door sticking up out of the ground. The church actually had a storm cellar right out on the street, and the door was WIDE OPEN!
And if you think about it, that’s exactly how EVERY CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP should be – A STORM CELLAR WITH THE DOOR WIDE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY TO ENTER! Sadly, too many churches turn out to be a place where you find more storms than storm cellars. However, the church is meant to be the safest place in town, especially in the midst of storms!
Truthfully, we’ve got a lot to learn from the original template of how God’s people are supposed to operate together. It’s described for us in Acts 2, beginning with verse 42. These were the original Christians and they showed us how to do it right. The Bible reads, “They devoted themselves, to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” First of all, there’s the key to being Jesus’ kind of church – STAY FOCUSED ON THE MAJORS AND DON’T GET MIRED IN THE MINORS. The majors are studying the Word of God together, celebrating your common ground in Christ, remembering His cross, and waging war on your knees in prayer. Not majoring on personalities, buildings, budgets, music styles, or putting people in categories that you see fit to put them in.
This powerful blueprint goes on to say that “all the believers were together…they gave to anyone as he had need.” They focused on needs, not programs, pulpits, pews and pettiness. No, “every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” Well, of course they won the favor of all the people! How could they miss when they provided a place where you could count on being loved, count on having people care about your needs, and count on finding a safe place. That’s the storm cellar so many people are looking for in our stormy world.
Listen to Acts 2:42-47 in the Amplified Bible: “And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers. And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers). And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common; And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death].” (AMPC)
The Message Bible reads it like this: “That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.” (MSG)
Can you image if today’s church responded like the Acts 2 church? If we assembled in prayer, reading the Word of God, sharing the Lord’s Supper together, studying, meeting the needs of all, with no ownership or competitiveness involved, just unconditional, sacrificial love, kindness and selflessness!
So, how did we let God’s safe place deteriorate into just another stormy place? Let’s be honest about it: Egos, personal agendas masquerading as God’s agenda, making small issues into big issues, developing an unofficial caste system that effectively has one group of people who are the insiders and the rest who feel like the outsiders, judging people by their outward appearance instead of by their heart, or treating people as categories instead of as individuals, just to name a few. Somehow, the church has become a place where we’re known for something other than the one characteristic Jesus said would draw people to Him… “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. The Message Bible says it like this: “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (MSG) Did you catch that? We, the church, Christ’s disciples, are to love others and one another, “…IN THE SAME WAY I LOVED YOU…” And how did He love us? “No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] THAN TO LAY DOWN (GIVE UP) HIS OWN LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.” (John 15:13 AMP) The Message Bible reads like this: “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: LOVE ONE ANOTHER THE WAY I LOVED YOU. This is the very best way to love. PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE FOR YOUR FRIENDS. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father. (John 15:11-15 MSG); John 3:16-17, “For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that HE [EVEN] GAVE UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN (UNIQUE) SON, SO THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN (TRUSTS IN, CLINGS TO, RELIES ON) HIM SHALL NOT PERISH (COME TO DESTRUCTION, BE LOST) BUT HAVE ETERNAL (EVERLASTING) LIFE. For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.” (AMPC) The Message Bible reads like this: “THIS IS HOW MUCH GOD LOVED THE WORLD: HE GAVE HIS SON, HIS ONE AND ONLY SON. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” (John 3:16-18 MSG)
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit loves in such an unconditional and sacrificial manner, and WE, the CHURCH, are called to love likewise!
Think about it, in the midst of a storm, do you think people want to be yelled at because the storm messed up their home or their lives; or be yelled at because they are struggling in the storm; or that they can’t come back to the church until AFTER the storm has passed! No, we are to LOVE people IN the storm! And truthfully, storms make an absolute mess of things! They knock down power lines; tress; throw garbage and recycling cans around; snow, sleet, leaves and dirt are flying all over the place; they can cause black outs and accidents; and if you’re caught outside in it, your hair and clothes all take a severe beating! Does that sound like something people are smiling through? No, those are times when people need sympathy, concern, help, and most of all LOVE! So, how are you doing as a storm cellar? How’s your church doing as a storm cellar? Or are you both simply a place where storms kick up more mess?!
Listen, we represent the welcoming Savior who said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The Message Bible reads like this: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG) This is how people can come to Jesus, but can they come to us, the church, the same way? Are we adding to people’s storms, or are we taking away the burden of it so they can gather strength and rest?
The One who was called “the friend of sinners” and who sought out the lostest (my word) of the lost, and who sought out those the religious people rejected, is the same One who told us to “…LOVE THE SAME WAY HE LOVED US…” Question is, are we doing it? That’s a welcoming Savior, that’s a loving Savior! We’ve got to be His welcoming representatives, providing one place where anyone and everyone can feel safe in this storm-ravaged world. We are the open door through which people can find the sanctuary of the love of Jesus Christ.
Listen to this: A ‘storm shelter or storm cellar’ is defined as ‘a type of underground bunker designed to protect the occupants from violent severe weather, particularly tornadoes; a cellar or covered excavation designed for protection from dangerous windstorms (such as tornadoes)’. Church, this should describe us and the House of God! The Lord’s House should be that place of shelter where people can use as their refuge and help, to come into and regain strength and peace. After all, that’s where the Bible says strength resides! Read Psalm 20:2,
“MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM HIS SANCTUARY and STRENGTHEN you from JERUSALEM.” (NLT) Jerusalem is “THE CITY OF PEACE”
“MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE HOUSE OF GOD, and give you STRENGTH from ZION.” (NLV) Zion is “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN”
“MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY and GRANT YOU SUPPORT FROM ZION” (NIV)
“God answer you on the day you crash, The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm’s reach, Send reinforcements from Holy Hill, DISPATCH FROM ZION FRESH SUPPLIES, Exclaim over your offerings, Celebrate your sacrifices, GIVE YOU WHAT YOUR HEART DESIRES, ACCOMPLISH YOUR PLANS.” (VSS 1-4 MSG)
“MAY HE SEND YOU AID FROM HIS SANCTUARY IN ZION” (TLB)
“MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY AND SUSTAIN YOU FROM ZION” (HCSB)
“MAY THE LORD SEND HELP FROM HIS TEMPLE AND COME TO YOUR RESCUE FROM MOUNT ZION.” (CEV)
“SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY AND SUPPORT, REFRESH, AND STRENGTHEN YOU FROM ZION;” (AMPC)
“MAY HE SEND YOU HELP FROM THE SANCTUARY (HIS DWELLING PLACE) AND SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN YOU FROM ZION!” (AMP)
Church, let’s not just GO to church, but let’s BE the church! And apart of that BEING the CHURCH is US being a place of strength, shelter, hope, help, rescue for people fighting to survive the storms of life. Some people are struggling to endure physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual storms. They need GOD not GOSSIP. They need COMFORT not CRITICISM. They need SHELTER not more STORMS. They need LOVE not LONELINESS.
Today, if we and our churches are storm shelters, let’s work even harder to do and be more. If we’re not, let today be the day that we are encouraged, empowered and inspired to exemplify the church of Acts 2. Let today be the day that we love as Jesus loved us!
Psalm 27:5, “For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His SHELTER; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock.” (AMPC)
Psalm 55:8, “I would hasten to escape and to find a SHELTER from the stormy wind and tempest.” (AMPC)
Psalm 57:1, “[To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Do Not Destroy.” A record of memorable thoughts of David when he fled from Saul in the cave. ] Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds SHELTER and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed.” (AMPC)
Psalm 61:3-4, “For You have been a SHELTER and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary. I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the SHELTER of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” (AMPC)
Psalm 71:3, “Be to me a rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a SHELTERING stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have appointed to save me, for You are my Rock and my Fortress.” (AMPC)
Isaiah 4:6, “And there shall be a pavilion for shade in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge and a SHELTER from storm and from rain.” (AMPC)
Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “The Healthiest Takeout Orders From Every Cuisine”
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