Scripture: Luke 4:42-44
When daybreak arrived, Jesus went to a deserted place. The crowds were looking for him. When they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s kingdom in other cities too, for this is why I was sent.” So he continued preaching in the Judean synagogues.
Though for the Day: I have always wondered if the church made a mistake when it came to building buildings and calling them churches. Jesus was always on the move. In the story prior to these verses, Jesus was in the home of Simon’s mother-in-law where he brought healing and wholeness. It would have made an excellent place for a shrine, maybe a statue that would become the centerpiece of a temple after the money was raised. Of course, that was not Jesus’ style. There are always “other cities” for those who follow Jesus. Now I do like having a sanctuary and office space, and a place for our children and youth to meet. There are benefits of having a building, but too often when we close the doors of the sanctuary at the beginning of worship, we become very inward looking. Our “other cities” might be the neighborhood a mile down the road or the apartment complex we pass every day or the elementary school that is needing more volunteers. The church building should be the place where we find respite and inspiration for the work of sharing the Good News of God’s Kingdom, and most of that sharing will happen outside the walls of our church building.
Prayer: Make me a witness for the Gospel of love. Create within me, O Lord, a passion for those in other cities, communities and neighborhoods. Encourage me as I do the work of your kingdom. Amen.
ALL CHURCH WORKDAY
Saturday, February 9, 2019
8:30 – 11:30am
