The Church is in the melting pot (We are the Church!)

What is going on?

It is the beginning of a new year, and the nation continues to be challenged by the fallout from the worldwide pandemic. There are wars and rumours of wars around the globe. Unexpected under sea volcanic eruptions in the east, with cyclones and weather storms continuing to be blown from west to east across the Atlantic. A Europe wide energy crisis is brewing. The on-going unsolved issues with Brexit continue to challenging the politicians and negotiators. Nationally we hear of a breakdown of trust between government and the people, This barely scratches the surface of all the issues that prevail. The world is in God's melting pot! See Matthew 24:6-13

What is at stake for the UK?

In a word - Priorities. What seems to be evident in the nation is that many people are their own thing, regardless of boundaries that have been set and the social consequences of breaking out of those.

This piece is not so much about what everyone else is doing, but about what we am doing, what the Church as a whole is doing. This quote encapsulates what I have been feeling over the last few weeks as I have interrogated God about all that is going on in society:

“We are the Bibles the world is reading;

We are the creeds the world is needing;

We are the sermons the world is heeding.” Billy Graham

God has chosen to use the weak things of this world to confound the wise to address the issues we are facing. That means us! See 1 Corinthians 1:27

What is God saying to His church?

I've been really challenged about what I say and do. Do they align with each other? I strongly believe that before we point our fingers at the government, politicians, society, other people, we need to have a good long look at ourselves, and at the Church as a whole.

You may disagree with me, but I firmly believe that in everything our words and lifestyle need to match up. We may bemoan the state of our society, but what about the state of the Church? We might have very strong views politically and morally, and we are quite within our rights to do so, but what is the Church doing about it?

Believe me, I don't have all the answers, and I am trying to get to grips with the implications of what I am writing, but there are some keys in scripture that help me to put my thinking into perspective.

Paul the Apostle writing to the church at Rome was concerned about its tendency to want to conform to the lifestyle of the society of the day. He started in verse 1 by emphasising the need to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God as a priority. He then goes on to say this:

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

This verse gives me some answers to my heart's cry at the moment. God is challenging me to ensure that what I say and what do match up. In the past I have preached and stated this saying:

"It's not what you say, but the way you say it. It's not what you do, but the way you do it. That makes what you say and do believable and something I can respond to and respect!" Of course I need to apply this myself. That is integrity! What you preach you need to live out otherwise we are hypocrites. That was the main issue Jesus had with the religious leaders of His day.

The only way to influence our nation is to live as Jesus would have us do. We need to allow God to challenge us. This scripture also helps explain what I feel God is saying, and challenging the Church about right now.

1 Peter 1:7 NIV These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

In Summary

Church, we need to lead by example. We cannot expect our national leaders to lead lives of integrity if we don't lead those kind of lives. Let us pray for our leaders, and pray for one another. Pray that we will live lives of holiness that are pleasing to God, and thereby shine a light into the darkness.

Refiner's fire, My heart's one desire

Is to be holy Set apart for You, Lord

I choose to be holy Set apart for You, my Master

Ready to do Your will

(Chorus of the song Purify my Heart written by Brian Doerksen)

God bless you richly - Roger Grassham

February 2022