Church is Messy (Part 4)
It shocks me that "The Church of Jesus Christ" has not gone out of business. And no, I'm not talking about the Mormons. I'm talking about the unstoppable force of mobilized Christ Followers around the world. Think about it. Every year, since the Church was launched, it has faced an endless amount of obstacles. But nothing has ever stopped it.
Not scandal. Not persecution. Not theological differences. Not poor leadership. Not cheesy Christian films. Not mean-spirited Christians. Not doubts or tough questions voiced by some of the world's most brilliant thinkers. Not the dumb stuff I say or you say. Nothing has ever stopped the advancement of God's Kingdom on this earth. This is amazing.
And yet, it's just the unfolding of a promise that Jesus gave to his disciples 2,000 years ago, "I will build my church and nothing will be able to stop it." (Matt 16:18)
I recently watched two documentaries on Rome and heard another pastor give a talk that brings life to what I'm saying. These pictures are the summary:
Pictured above is the Colosseum. For almost 400 years this was the scene of incredible brutality. Christians would be martyred by stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake or being thrown alive to wild animals because of their faith.
Today, above the "Emperors Gate" at the Colosseum is a cross. Instead of representing torture... it represents hope, healing and forgiveness. Persecution did not wipe out Christianity. It fueled it.
So if you ever read articles, hear commentary or see statistics that predict the death of the Church of Jesus Christ. Don't believe it. It's not gonna happen.
Comments