Take it Outside

Have you ever heard a song in church that was so powerful and beautiful that you just wanted to cry?  Well, I had that experience last Sunday, but for entirely different reasons.  As I sat and listened to this huge choir sing along with a massive orchestra about the power in Jesus' name, God really stirred something within me.  I began praying that this wouldn't just be another pretty song sung in a church on a Sunday morning, but that it would be lived out as the truth it is!  There is power in the name of Jesus and there are literally millions of people who have never heard or experienced that power . . . including some within the walls of the church.  The cry within in spirit was simply this, "Let's take it outside!"

I was talking with someone later about a sermon a pastor did on mission using verses from Matthew 5:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  ~ Matthew 5:14-16

The message this pastor conveyed was that too often the church becomes that bowl Jesus speaks of in His sermon on the mount.  We hide the light of Christ within the four walls of that building, forgetting that we were called to bring the Good News to others who are lost and dying.

Another pastor, who amazingly enough spoke on the same day as the previous pastor mentioned, put it this way:  We sit in church and yell, "Amen, pastor!"  We ask God for more giftings, power, and authority so we can sit in church and yell, "Amen, pastor" with more giftings, power, and authority!  What's the point in having all that God has given us if we only use it each week to encourage our pastor on Sunday morning?  We're missing the point!  This same pastor went on to say that people question why we don't see miracles in the church today like we used to.  His answer was that we don't see miracles because we're too busy sitting on the church pews to go out into the world and be the vessels through which these miracles are brought!

It's time that we began to realize that we can be affective ambassadors for Christ wherever we are sent.  Some people are called to the mission field, while others are called to teach, work in business, answer phones, be a stay at home mom or dad.  God doesn't only use the pastors and missionaries to reach the world.  In fact, many pastors and missionaries can't reach a person in the same way that you can sitting at your cubicle in your office.  It reminds me of what Paul said:


Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.~ 1 Corinthians 9:19-22

My prayer for you is this, that you would bring the light of Christ with you into every situation and not keep it hidden within the walls of the church building.  Realize that you are the Church, an ambassador for Christ, and that God has divine appointments set up for you today with people who desperately need to hear about the unconditional love of God.