“Going to church doesn’t make a person anymore a Christian than going to a barn makes a person a cow.” So said Phil as we loaded gallons of floor wax and cleaning supplies into boxes, weighed them and prepared them for shipping in the cleaning supply warehouse where we both worked. By “Christian”, Phil meant one who was a sincere follower of Jesus’ teachings; in other words, a disciple. I had to agree with him.
Phil was not arguing that the church was unnecessary for those seeking to follow Jesus. He regularly attended worship, financially supported his congregation, and assisted at its annual pulled pork, pit BBQ. Yet these activities would have fallen short of the mark had they not been grounded in Phil’s relationship with Christ. It was that relationship and the effort to follow Christ’s commandments which Phil believed identified persons as Jesus’ disciples. It’s easy to get so caught up in “doing church” that we forget to “be church”.
In Luke’s Gospel is a story of Jesus’ visit to the home of sisters Martha and Mary. Martha, the typical “worker bee”, focused on the many tasks needed to prepare for the visit of a distinguished guest while Mary spent her time listening intently to the charismatic Rabbi identified by many as the Messiah. Scripture tells us that Martha, “distracted by her many tasks”, came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” Jesus answered: “Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing …”
Jesus is not advocating sloth. He is not dismissing the industry of Martha. Home, church and society all need persons willing to complete the tasks necessary for their continuation. What Jesus is saying is that we cannot let activity, work, programs, upkeep, and the business of life and the church distract us from the one needful thing – knowing God through Jesus Christ and making that God known to others. A vibrant relationship with God is not only the key to discipleship but also the definition of eternal life. (Jn 17:3)
This summer may you find those precious moments to spend with Jesus to refresh your spirit. May you grow in relationship with God and commitment to be Jesus’ disciple. May a deeper communion with the Holy One guide your efforts so that your industrious labor on behalf of family, community and church will be not a distraction, but a witness to one thing which is needed.
A Question: How does this program, this fundraiser, this worship service, this time of fellowship, this committee meeting help those who attend know Christ and make him known?
– Pastor Derek French