Ncdataman
Member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,831
"But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful."
— Luke 12:45–46
Did you know that church can be a dangerous place? It can be dangerous if you come to church with a chip on your shoulder and a hardened heart full of bitterness and criticism, because the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. And that is where church can be dangerous.
But if you come to church with a heart that is open to God, with a desire to worship and to pray and to hear God's Word and apply it, if you come to church and want to be a part of the body of Christ and want to serve the Lord, then church will be an oasis for you. It will be a place of refreshment. It will be a place of blessing.
Jesus told the story of the faithful servant and the unfaithful servant who were put in charge while their master was away. Speaking of the unfaithful servant, Jesus said, "But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful" (Luke 12:45–46).
Does the idea of Christ's return fill your heart with anticipation, excitement, and joy? If so, it would indicate to me that you are walking with Christ. On the other hand, does talk of His imminent return fill your heart with anxiety, fear, and dread? If that is the case, then it would indicate to me that something is not right with you spiritually.
Like the unfaithful servant in Jesus' story, there are people in the church today who appear to be right with God but are not—and they are in a dangerous place.
From Harvest
— Luke 12:45–46
Did you know that church can be a dangerous place? It can be dangerous if you come to church with a chip on your shoulder and a hardened heart full of bitterness and criticism, because the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. And that is where church can be dangerous.
But if you come to church with a heart that is open to God, with a desire to worship and to pray and to hear God's Word and apply it, if you come to church and want to be a part of the body of Christ and want to serve the Lord, then church will be an oasis for you. It will be a place of refreshment. It will be a place of blessing.
Jesus told the story of the faithful servant and the unfaithful servant who were put in charge while their master was away. Speaking of the unfaithful servant, Jesus said, "But what if the servant thinks, 'My master won't be back for a while,' and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful" (Luke 12:45–46).
Does the idea of Christ's return fill your heart with anticipation, excitement, and joy? If so, it would indicate to me that you are walking with Christ. On the other hand, does talk of His imminent return fill your heart with anxiety, fear, and dread? If that is the case, then it would indicate to me that something is not right with you spiritually.
Like the unfaithful servant in Jesus' story, there are people in the church today who appear to be right with God but are not—and they are in a dangerous place.
From Harvest
