Thats Luke 11:33. I read this and I think instantly, the majority of American Christians. So career driven and future oriented and let's go to church every Sunday morning and start the week off by hiding what light they have under a roof. With fancy walls and busy parking lots. So devoid of real faith and Holy Spirit it makes real believers want to go in there and turn those places upside down with truth. They call it worship. Singing some trendy Christian hit with other middle uppers not realizing how far down this train will go. Lets buy 5 dollar coffee and give Jesus and God and all that some face time. Giving just enough time and money and resources to make a difference, but metrics and cost driven. The Holy Spirit does not need a branding strategy and catchy slogan on Sunday to render God his due. Get the hell out of church already. The harvest is great. Your light's are all together doing little good on the Gospel's reality for the lost and where these people can be found today. They are everywhere and all around in places you avoid and not, in your church
It took almost 300 years for the first known church building to be built. We call it that while they did not. They ate there often together and hung out talking life and love and all things Jesus. No bible yet. That would be another 100 years and in a different language anyway. There were equal economies between members, all without want...far cry from that when most the popular Christians today seem to be in Mega-churches that fundraise for Christ somehow. Give your money to someone else to do something for Gods Kingdom? Where is that in the Bible as a church model? There is more happiness in giving...and doing. In the 300 years real believers did not build a church, Americans have built over 400,000. That is more than all the hotels/motels and restaurants and convenience stores combined!
What did early believers know that these Joel Osteen loving pastor driven, itchy eared Christians do not? Its who they do not know. The Holy Spirit. Without it, it is not church. It's a social event for those seeking to appear faithful, but not having, real faith. Here is why. It's not a relationship with a Savior who they know as if there was not a single building called a church ever to attend. I Wonder where those 5,000 and then 3,000 who believed and got baptised went the following Sunday? I wonder if they all hid their lights under a roof somewhere and gave their 10%? What they did do was minister. Being called out of the world, to be the light and salt and Jesus here when He was not.
What is church? Technically:
1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2564 /kaléō, "to call") – properly, people called out from the world and to God, the outcome being the Church (the mystical body of Christ) – i.e. the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls out from the world and into His eternal kingdom.
[The English word "church" comes from the Greek word kyriakos, "belonging to the Lord" (kyrios). 1577 /ekklēsía ("church") is the root of the terms "ecclesiology" and "ecclesiastical."]
Who is it? Accurately. Two or more in His name. He said that and built the church with bodies and not bricks, with ministry and not masonry. It is living and breathing and only by The Holy Spirit is empowered and driven.
Where is your personal light shining? When is the last time you approached a stranger, being led by God to do so? When is the last time you went out of your way to go find someone in need? Where is your light shining on Sunday?
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