Tag: The Dones

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Acts

Despising the body of the Lord

Acts

As I continue thinking about the “Dones” (see the previous two blogs), there is another issue I think that’s easy to forget: communion. And we forget it because we don’t really think about all that communion means and symbolizes.

It says in Acts 2:42,

They devoted themselves to…the breaking of bread.

You could make the argument, I suppose, that the breaking of bread just meant eating meals together as seen in verse 46. But if you look at 1 Corinthians 11, a lot of that dining together was an extension of sharing communion together.

What is communion? It is remembering the night before Jesus was crucified, where upon taking the bread and breaking it, he said,

This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:24)

And again, when taking the wine, he said,

This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:25)

Here’s the thing to note about this: communion was meant to be taken with other believers. The bread was meant to be broken and shared.

Why? I think one reason is it’s a sign that we all have a part in the body of Christ. He died for each one of us who believe in him, not just the Christians you happen to like, or enjoy being with.

One wonders. At the first communion table, how much did each of the disciples actually like each other right at that moment?

They had just finished arguing with each other about who was the greatest. They had refused to wash each other’s feet, leaving Jesus to do it.

Also think of the personalities. A person like Simon the Zealot trying to deal with a guy like Matthew. One person who had sought the overthrow of the Roman government, while the other had actually worked for the Roman government before they both dropped all to follow Jesus.

Such was the relationship between the disciples that he actually commanded them to love each other. Had all of them had the closest of relationships, would he have actually had to say that to them?

Yet by taking communion together, it was a reminder, “We all have a part in Jesus. We are all one in Christ.”

That’s why Paul got so upset with the Corinthians. There were divisions among them with people arguing about which leader they followed.

In addition, the well off among them despised those who were poor, and in so doing, despised the church of God. (1 Corinthians 11:22)

They were despising people who were part of the same body that they were in.

And so Paul said,

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:27)

What does it mean that they were guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Jesus? Basically, it means they were sinning against Christ, by despising the body and blood that he sacrificed for us.

They were saying, “I know that you died for this person. But what you did for them doesn’t matter to me. I personally have no part with them.”

And with that attitude, we sin against the body of Christ that is the church. Because other Christians, whether you like them or not, are part of his body.

When you are in a church with people that you are upset with, with people you don’t like, with people you violently disagree with, communion, taken correctly, forces you to reevaluate your attitudes toward your brothers and sisters.

For Paul wrote,

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. (1 Corinthians 11:28)

And primarily, in the context of 1 Corinthians 11, that means examining your relationships with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

The “Dones” don’t do this. If they take communion at all, they take it with those they like. With those they agree with. And they never examine their relationships with those they don’t.

They never make their peace with them. Instead, they simply avoid them. And in doing so, they despise the body and blood of Christ.

If you’re a “Done” that claims to follow Christ, here’s the test for you: Would you take communion one on one with each person you used to be in church with?

And as you take it, can you say to that person, “We are one as Jesus and the Father are one. We are in complete unity that the world may know that Jesus was sent by the Father.” (John 17:21-23)

Even if you’re not a “Done”, how do you take communion?

Are your relationships with those you take it with right? Are your relationships with your brothers and sisters at your local church right?

Or in your heart, are you despising the body and blood of the One who loved you so much that he gave his life, not only for you, but for those you despise as well?

Categories
Acts

Devoted to the fellowship

Acts

This is a continuation of the blog I started yesterday on “The Dones,” people who still follow Christ but have dropped out of the church.

I addressed the point of “being lectured to in sermons” and “having heard it all” yesterday. Today, I’d like to look at an issue that is probably even bigger.

I think for most people that are true believers, the sermons are not the reason they drop out. It’s the people in the church, whether it’s their fellow members or the leaders.

The article I mentioned (you can google it, I’m not sure if I’d be allowed a direct link — it’s actually a blog, now that I look at it carefully) is a little confusing to me as I read it.

The very first “Done” they mention says he didn’t leave because of a blowup with a church staff or member. Rather, it was long-considered, thoughtful decision. Based on what, we never find out.

That seems to minimize the relationship aspect of leaving the church. But ultimately as you read the rest of the article (and the comments below it by others), relationship problems are at the very root of many people leaving the church.

Sometimes it’s philosophical differences on the direction of the church. Other times it was how the leadership treated the members. And yet other times, it was a simple lack of love and brotherly kindness in the church.

And because of that, people leave the church and never come back.

But look at what the early Christians did.

They devoted themselves to…the fellowship. (Acts 2:42)

In short, they made fellowship with other believers a high priority. They were passionate about it.

Some of my friends say, “Well, you know, I have my group of Christian friends, and we are committed to each other for spiritual and personal growth.”

I hope that’s true. But what does that mean? You call each other once a week? Once a month? Once a year?

Are you making it a high priority to spend time with them, talk with them, encourage them, and if necessary, admonish them. Do you devote yourselves to prayer with each other? Do you share communion with them?

Or are these things down on the list after “real life,” work, family, school, etc?

The Christians of that day did make it a priority.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. (Acts 2:44-46)

The Christians were so passionate about the fellowship, they met every day in the temple courts. They spent time together in their homes. And when they saw each other’s needs, they helped each other.

The result?

The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)

Why did the church grow? It was a fulfillment of what Jesus told his disciples.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

Note that Jesus said, “By this all men will know you are my disciples if you love everybody.”

He said, “By this men will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”

Certainly it is important to love people outside the church. As Christ’s church, we can’t solely be focused inward and loving each other. We must reach out beyond our walls to a dying world.

But if the world looks at us and sees us fighting amongst ourselves, with unresolved differences, anger, unforgiveness, and bitterness, what will they think?

If a person you’re sharing Christ with says, “Hey, can I visit your church?” and you say, “Well I don’t go,” and they ask why, what are you going to say?

“Well, I had some relationship problems with people.”

Or, “I got into a fight with leadership over the direction of the church.”

What are they going to think? If we are disparaging the very church Christ loved and died for, will they still want to become a Christian?

Let me rephrase a verse from 1 John, and maybe it will hit home.

If anyone says, “I love God,” yet refuses to associate with his brother, he is a liar.

For anyone who cuts off his relationship with his brother, whom he has seen cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)

Can you really claim to love God if you refuse to associate with your brothers and sisters at your local church? Can you really claim to love God if you cut yourself off from a relationship with them?

It’s easy to love your friends. Do you love your family, warts and all?

Categories
Acts

Devoted to the Word

Acts

A friend of mine posted an article on Facebook talking about the “The Rise of the Dones” in the church.

It was talking about the “life-long believer, well-studied in the Bible, [who] gives generously, and leads others passionately,” yet who dropped out of the church.

They didn’t drop their faith, they just dropped church. This, though they were “among the most dedicated and active people in their congregations.”

There were a few reasons given for becoming a “Done,” and over the next few blogs, I’d like to address some of these things. Because to be quite honest, it’s troubling to me to hear people I care for say they’re feeling the same way.

And since the timing of my Bible reading just so happens to match the topic, I might as well work out my own feelings on the matter.

Among the reasons given for leaving the church was thinking they had heard it all after hearing countless messages, and a tiring of being “lectured to.”

But in this passage in Acts, we see a model of how Christians should live and what the church should look like. I want to focus on the first thing today.

They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching.

In other words, they had a passion for God’s Word. They desired to know it, and they desired to live it.

I suppose my first question for those that tire of being “lectured to” is how devoted are you to the Word?

Do you really believe it is God’s Word? Do you believe it contains the very words of God? And do you have the same passion for the Word that the early Christians had?

Or are His words to you just an outdated way of thinking that has little if any relevance to our lives here and now?

Now I can agree that there are pastors that can seem condescending to those they preach to. That act as if they’ve already “made it.”

And if that’s so, then I can understand people’s feelings. But is that really the problem?

So the question that you need to ask yourself is, “When I read the Bible, do I feel lectured to when I read the things that I don’t like to hear?”

The problem with many Christians is they have their favorite passages, and only read those in their quiet times, while avoiding those that make them feel “lectured to.”

And perhaps that’s why they feel that way at church. The pastor brings out passages they don’t want to hear.

But if we are truly Christians, we need to be devoted to the Word, whether it’s encouraging and comforting words we hear, or whether it’s words of challenge or rebuke.

As for the hearing of countless messages and thinking that you have heard it all, I suppose the same kind of question needs to be asked.

“When I read the Bible, do I feel like I’m getting nothing from it? Have I heard it all? Or is God still speaking to me?”

I have to admit, there are (many) times I do feel like I’ve read and heard it all. That being said, I would say two things.

First, after 35 years of being a Christian, I’m still learning. And every once in a while, God will bring something to light, either in my reading or in a message that I’d never seen or heard before. And that’s exciting to me.

Second, for all the times that you’ve heard something, are you practicing it? Has it gone from your head to your heart?

You’ve heard it’s important to forgive. Have you forgiven those who have hurt you the most? You’ve heard that you need to let go of anger and bitterness. Have you?

In short, is the Word of God living and active in your life, penetrating your heart, dividing between soul and spirit, joint and marrow, judging the thoughts and attitude of your heart?

Or is it just going through one ear and out the other?

Like I said, I can’t speak to your experience or the experience of the “Dones.”

If your pastor is speaking from his high horse, maybe you need to find another church.

But my question to you is this: is the problem really the sermons? Or is it your heart’s response to the Word of God?