Things Found In Hell That Belong In The Church
Jerry Watts
Luke 16:19-31
Let’s talk for a time tonight about 2 very important institutions. One is called the church and the other goes by several name, Hades, Gehenna, or Hell.
What do you think of when you hear the word “Church?” Most think of a brick building or some place you “go to”. Yet, in point of fact the church is a group of baptized believers, joining together to fulfill God’s mission and ministry given to them. Jesus said, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” So it is fair to say that the Church of the Lord Jesus was conceived, designed, instituted, and empowered by Christ himself to impact this world. Yet, the Church’s impact in the American culture is seemingly less and less as days goes by. Why is this? The answer to this question evokes many questions;
Why are many Churches not having a more profound impact on this culture?
Why do building sit empty and/or congregations dwindle?
Why is there so much strife in the church?
What has changed the church?
Where has the power gone?
One pastor was rather disappointed with the lack of spiritual and numerical growth in the church he was attempting to lead. So he asked the Chairman of the Deacon body, “What is wrong with this church? Is it ignorance or apathy?” Sadly the man responded, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
We used to play a game with our hands, “Here’s the church, Here’s the steeple…” It seems like when we crack open and look inside the church in America today, sadly too often, we discover some things which don’t belong. We can find strife driven by pride, or selfishness, or self-centeredness, satisfaction, or even unconcern for others. From a Bible point of view the picture is ungodly and ugly. I submit this is not what Jesus died for.
To look inside the modern day church is to see some things which do not belong and then to look into hell is to see some things which better fit inside ...
Jerry Watts
Luke 16:19-31
Let’s talk for a time tonight about 2 very important institutions. One is called the church and the other goes by several name, Hades, Gehenna, or Hell.
What do you think of when you hear the word “Church?” Most think of a brick building or some place you “go to”. Yet, in point of fact the church is a group of baptized believers, joining together to fulfill God’s mission and ministry given to them. Jesus said, “I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” So it is fair to say that the Church of the Lord Jesus was conceived, designed, instituted, and empowered by Christ himself to impact this world. Yet, the Church’s impact in the American culture is seemingly less and less as days goes by. Why is this? The answer to this question evokes many questions;
Why are many Churches not having a more profound impact on this culture?
Why do building sit empty and/or congregations dwindle?
Why is there so much strife in the church?
What has changed the church?
Where has the power gone?
One pastor was rather disappointed with the lack of spiritual and numerical growth in the church he was attempting to lead. So he asked the Chairman of the Deacon body, “What is wrong with this church? Is it ignorance or apathy?” Sadly the man responded, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
We used to play a game with our hands, “Here’s the church, Here’s the steeple…” It seems like when we crack open and look inside the church in America today, sadly too often, we discover some things which don’t belong. We can find strife driven by pride, or selfishness, or self-centeredness, satisfaction, or even unconcern for others. From a Bible point of view the picture is ungodly and ugly. I submit this is not what Jesus died for.
To look inside the modern day church is to see some things which do not belong and then to look into hell is to see some things which better fit inside ...
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