Why We Can’t Abandon The Church

A church exodus. I see it all around.

Young people today are leaving God’s-house.  While statistics tell us, smaller churches will be
gobbled up in even greater proportions in years to come.

And I grieve at the disrepair and disrespect people have for His temple.

And though we are the residence of the living God. Our bodies, His temple.  There is just something about gathering with the multitude that drives our faith, our trust, our commitment, true obedience….deeper than we could without it.

In the book of Haggai things weren’t that much different.  People worked hard at building beautiful houses for themselves…but they neglected His church.

I mean, how much of our time is spent working on our own reputation, or building our bank account, or striving to look good in the eyes of other people?

But God is crying out to us, “Don’t abandon my church!”

The church is the representation of God at work.  It was a place His glory dwelt in the days of Solomon. It was a place of sacrifice, sacrament, and honor.  It was a place kept holy, and purified for His purposes.

And although, we (after the coming of Jesus) are the temple of the Living God, the residence for His Holy Spirit, scripture tells us to not forsake the fellowship of the saints, or the gathering with other Christians.

In the days of Haggai, people’s own homes become their focus.  As a result, they became increasingly discouraged and fruitless.  And isn’t that the way it is with us too today?  

When we start to turn inward, instead of working to grow a better Kingdom….we actually lose focus, start to spiral, and eventually find ourselves living wordly, misdirected, fruitless lives.

And scripture tells us to “judge by the fruit”.  We can test our own life, our own way, and the focus of our own hearts by what we are producing.

And doesn’t a orchard of trees reap greater eating than a single tree trying to survive in a desert?

In addition to being fruitless, discouragement became an epidemic in Haggai.  The elders started wishing His glory was felt fully, like in the temple of old, or like in days when His Spirit was powerful and more present.

But discouragement always leads to bitterness and bitterness is both poisonous and contagious.

Eventually the younger generation stopped working on the temple they were building, giving into the apathy, comparisons, and disappointment the older ones were feeling.

But Jesus is alive!  He is not like dusty furniture…trying to survive!  He rose from the dead…and shouldn’t we too?

We don’t need to make excuses for why we aren’t doing what God has called us to…like in the days of Haggai. For when God has called, He has equipped us too…and nothing good ever comes from discouragement and fruitlessness.

But this is the good part!  God didn’t give up on them, and He never gives up on us!  He didn’t say, “Well, you blew it.  You should have rose up and stayed working on my temple.  That’s it…I am choosing someone else.”

Instead, God unrelenting pursued them.

First God spoke through the prophet to them, “Be strong…Be strong…Be strong.  And work.  For I am with you.”

Then he addressed their discouragement, calling people to get their eyes off themselves and their own proverbial houses. He called them toward heaven and the promise of His glory.  And in that He assured them glory can’t be earned.  All good things are from heaven…regardless of what we do…

And I wonder if “expectations” is one of the biggest reasons we get discouraged with the church?  The church in a corporate setting, or the church, meaning His Spirit resident in all of us?

Could it be, we think that if we follow, if we go, if we do what He is calling…things should look a certain way?  Still, what about when our temple-of-works gets destroyed?  Do we think we failed, or become mad at God because our efforts didn’t lead to the result that we wanted?

God says His blessing isn’t seen in any earthly structure.  Blessing isn’t the tangle fortress we come to worship in.  It’s not a building. Numbers of people. It’s not how much we have.  Or how the world around us sees us. 

Blessings in the multiplication of His purposes.  It’s the security and stillness we can feel knowing He is here, He is with us…It is the ability to have faith and trust to walk in obedience even when (no especially when) we can’t see or feel Him.

For after all, aren’t we called to be servants not Ceasars?  And servants have no right to dictate to our leader how we want things to go.

And although God’s people hid in their homes, trying to survive by turning inward….God never let them go.  He was on their side.

Scripture tells us…

“According to my covenant with you…My Spirit remains among you.”
“Do not fear.”
“I am shaking the heavens…but once again I will fill my temple with glory.”
“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.”
“The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former.  And in this place I will give peace.”

So, I wonder, could this be a day that God is testing our maturity?

• Could it be a day that God says, “Will you follow me though it seems like everything is shaking?” 
• Is He whispering, “Turn child away from focusing on your own houses, your own works, your own attempts to save yourselves and tend to the temple both within you and My church.” 
• Do you hear God saying, “Be strong.  Be strong child, and work.”  

Is He calling you to fruit?  Is He calling us all to not abandoned both the physical and intangible church….

• Isn’t it time we press in further?  
• Isn’t it time we keep building, even when we don’t feel like it?  
• Isn’t it the truth that He is eager to display His glory through you?  
• Isn’t it the Holy Spirit who drives us to grace and that by Him and through Him and to Him are all things?  
• Don’t we get that if we satisfy our own wishes before we seek God’s…we will live a life time of discouragement and want?  
• Isn’t it time we stand strong…and set our focus on the coming glory?  

Isn’t it the hour, like in the days of Haggai, that we should be busy building…instead of abandoning what He came and died for…..the church?

Yes, I am reminded, Christ never gives up on us….even though we are not yet perfect?