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Follow Means Follow

Posted by Erik Hall on

I did the math real quick yesterday…   there are 168 hours in each week.

As I gave the benediction when worship services ended yesterday, I reminded all of us at St. Andrew about this simple fact: as we closed the hour of worship there were still 167 hours remaining until this same time next week.

‘church’ is NOT the hour we spend in worship. ‘church’ is not the building we go to. ‘church’ IS the people of God, the community of faith.

Let me say that again: ‘church’ is the people of God, the community of faith. It’s who we ARE. It’s not what we do for an hour on Sunday. Its not where we go to do ‘Christian things’.

So, what makes the people of God, the community of faith, stand out in such a way that collectively we are called the ‘church’?

We follow Jesus.

Let’s let that sink in.

We FOLLOW Jesus.

We don’t just study about Jesus, memorize Scripture verses about Jesus, sing songs about Jesus. We set our priorities and commitments and live our lives each day in a way that closely resembles Jesus.

Or, at least that is what we SHOULD be doing. ‘church’ is a lifestyle…   the JESUS lifestyle. We wouldn’t call someone a football player if all they did was watch the game on Sunday. What is required is a commitment to practice and play…   as part of a team, not just a few hours one day a week, but every day as a priority, a commitment, and a way of life.

Being a Christian…   being the ‘church’ is not only about the hour we spend in worship on Sunday, it’s about living a Jesus lifestyle all of the other 167 hours as well.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)