Recently I had to attend the funeral for a close friend of my wife's family. I have never really liked going to funerals but I must say, this one was very well done. Unfortunately, that's not what the blog topic will be today. The whole time I was in the church, I couldn't focus on what was going on. I was honestly blown away by what was going on in my head. The church was actually causing me to sin. As most people know envy is one of the seven deadly sins. This church was causing me to be very envious.
I couldn't help it honestly. Everywhere I looked in the church, all I could see were big screen televisions, huge speakers and some of the most beautiful decorations.
That's when it hit me. I've seen many churches like this around our area. My mind then posed a very serious question…. Why would anyone buy this much stuff for a place that is meant to teach humbleness, good will towards men, and most of all charity to those who are not as well off?
It just really blew me away just to think that maybe for the price of two of those speakers we could bring the Lord to starving children in Africa; for the price of two more we could build a school for them and probably feed the whole village. Let us not forget the hundreds of people who are starving here in America.
I also thought about some of the self righteous stuff I've heard in the past. “The reason we don't help certain people the reasoning being that they don't believe what we believe.” Honestly, I want someone to show me in the Bible where it says we should not help people because they don't share the same belief. If I remember correctly the Bible says we should show good will towards all mankind, not just the ones who believe what we believe.
Matthew 9
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
I know I have said in the past that I honestly believe that some of what the Bible says is the way that the people reading thought it was supposed to say however; I believe that this part is the truest thing in the Bible. The Bible doesn't say that Jesus didn't help someone because that person didn't believe what he was teaching. If I am correct it says that he cared for them the same or more.
It seems that I may have strayed from my main point. I am by no means saying that because a church has really nice things doesn't mean that I think that the church is wrong that the church is any less a place of worship.
Luke 15:3-7:
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
What I am getting at is I believe better things could have been done with this money I think if they would at least put half of it on to spreading the Lord’s name and our beliefs that just maybe more people would come to know God. I also understand that just because we go out there and spread the word that not everyone is going to change their beliefs I honestly don't care if the majority doesn't come to God because I believe that if we get just one person to believe that it was money well spent.
Please remember: I'm just sharing my beliefs with you so as always I am going to end this blog like many others: if you don't share my beliefs my opinions please feel welcome to share that with me. I honestly do want to hear them.
God bless
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3 comments:
First, welcome to the blogosphere, and I am subscribing.
Second, you and I are on the same page about the churches with their big screen TVs and such. One around here actually has a Starbucks inside, and it has TVs so you can drink your coffee and have your sermon too. Wicked, right?
I haven't been in a church like that before but I'm sure there are many of them. It's the hypocrisy that turns so many people off.
In fairness, what does a church need with a big screen telly? The money that paid for it should have been directed at the needy instead. No matter what the needy believe. Good works do a lot more than preaching and judgements.
I've seen this too, Al. Eastwick is the land of mega churches. We have one that I refer to as Big New Church. They have everything, and it is big and new. Most of the people I've met seem to go there just for networking reasons. On the other hand, there is a small church in Eastwick that is always doing community service. You see the congregation at every Eastwick community event, and they are always collecting items or money for a specific cause. Those churches make me still believe. :)
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