The Comfortable
Church
Matthew 28:16-20
I think itˇ¦s fairly evident that the society we live in is very
self-centered, and this same characteristic can be present in a church.
Whenever a local body of believers develops an inward focus, its fruitfulness
in ministry begins to decrease, and each memberˇ¦s Christian walk is hindered.
Many believers want their church to be cozy and comfortable.
They come to listen to a nice sermon, fellowship with friends, and have their
needs met. But God never intended for the gathering of His people to be like a
country club; He calls us to join an army that will bring the gospel into
enemy territory.
An effective churchˇXone that poses a real threat to the EnemyˇXis
a body of disciple people who have been taught the truth of Scripture, trained
for service, and helped to mature spiritually. But all this is accomplished for
the purpose of going out into the world, not for becoming a self-contained
sanctuary of Christian comfort.
The urgency of the Lordˇ¦s command and the desperate condition of
humanity should motivate us to leave the safety of our Christian fellowships
and deliver the message of salvation through Jesus. To avoid this
responsibility is to miss the Fatherˇ¦s plan for your life and the opportunity
to help build His kingdom.
None of us want to waste time or energy on trivial things and
thereby miss the exciting fulfillment of Godˇ¦s will. He has called us, not to a
life of comfortable tradition, but to an adventure of obedience. Answer His
callˇXyouˇ¦ll help fill His kingdom with people from every tribe and nation.