I feel so blessed to be apart of the kingdom of God. It has been an exciting adventure. But what has made it the most exciting has not been the good fellowship at the local restaurant following a great service. Nor has it been the comfortable nights spent in different motels, some with great views. Plane rides are always an adventure that I look forward to, but even those moments at 30,000 feet have not been the most exciting.
Allow me to explain....
I will never forget walking to the pulpit of a great church in Florida pastured by my very dear friend. I had been invited to preach his anniversary service, and was honored to have been given the opportunity. I opened my bible and began to share, what I felt, the Lord had given me to say. I preached with everything in me.
When the service was over I walked to the back to exit when I was called out to by a young man standing by the door. He looked to be about 16 years old. I did not recognize him at all, but he seemed to know me very well.
"Bro. Davis," he said. "Yes Sir!" I responded.
That young man shook my hand with great emotion. He asked me if I remembered him at all. I regretted that I could not place him. The next words he said hit me like a ton of bricks.
"Bro. Davis, you preached at my church when I was 8 years old. In that service God filled me with the Holy Ghost. I just wanted to thank you!"
WOW!! I did not know what to say. I was so excited. Joy just overwhelmed me. I was speechless as my eyes filled with tears. Are you kidding me?! At that moment, the beautiful beaches of Naples Florida really meant very little. The afternoon that was planned on Marco Island was a distant thought. I cared not about the plane ride back home or the beautiful accommodations that I had enjoyed. The sermon that I had just preached meant so little. At that moment I felt fulfilled and totally satisfied.
While writing this even now, I am moved again thinking about that moment, and wishing for a million more moments just like that one. However, I find that often times, in order to experience THAT moment, the one where someones life has been forever changed by the power of God, I have got to wade through a mile of religious red tape. I have got to check and recheck that noones feelings are being hurt, and be sure that everyone around is OK with someone being delivered from drugs and set free from sin.
I sometimes feel like our PURPOSE has been lost in our attempt to grow "our" church. Sometimes I wonder where we get the idea that THIS church belongs to us anyway!
Come on people. There is a dying world out there. Come on!! People are hurting and abused. Right now at this moment, someone has ended their life because they have nothing else to live for. Right now, a mother has aborted her child and is feeling worthless and invaluable. Right now, drugs are being injected into the veins of some addict in your neighborhood and mine. Right now some young man holds a gun to the head of another for $20 so he can keep feeding his addiction.
Hey CHURCH - Let's awake from our sleep and focus on the mission. We have a world to reach for God. Let's tear down the invisible fences that we use to identify "our area of outreach." Let's just all get into the harvest.
Stop worrying about titles or positions! Let's abandon the "what's in it for me" mentality. GET IN THE FIELD. Jesus said... they are white already to harvest.
It is not my church nor is it yours. This is God's church. It is God's blood that redeems mankind. It is His spirit that sets men free.
Let me simplify. Jesus said it like this... "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
I still find that the greatest excitement to me, is when one lost soul... IS FOUND!!
