Do you remember the first time you used a microwave oven? I was at my parent’s home when Mom got her first microwave, and I was at my in-laws when they got their first microwave oven.
For both Moms, it was exciting, confusing, and a bit scary. What could you do with it? What cups and dishes could you put in it? How could it make popcorn so fast? One of the first things that my mom quickly learned was not to put plates that had metal trim in the microwave. Yikes!
For young people a microwave is as familiar as running water and indoor plumbing. For the young folks, their first microwave disasters were usually placing something in the oven that exploded or boiled over.
Regardless of whether you are young, middle-aged, old, or lying to yourself about your age, my guess is that you use a microwave oven regularly.
Over the last 150 years, ovens have been heated by wood, charcoal, gas, electric, and microwaves. Still, the intent and purpose haven’t changed. Ovens are designed to transfer (heat) energy from the oven to whatever is placed in the oven.
Methods Have Changed
Over the last 2,000 years, the local church has gone through many changes to its music, how services are conducted, how the Gospel is carried to distant locations and many other changes to methods. Nevertheless, the purpose of the local church has never changed.
Today, in America, as well as in most “first-world” countries, local churches are struggling to remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ while communicating their value to people.
Churches have found themselves in an unusual position where people can get sermons, praise music, and social activity without even setting foot inside a church. And, in most cases, there are ways to receive Christian media for free: no tithing.
Obedience
What these pacified Christians are missing is obedience. They are not obedient to God’s Word, and they are not obedient to membership within a real community of Christians.
You can take communion while watching a Youtube video of a communion service, you can sing along with praise songs on Pandora, you can give to good causes through GoFundMe, you can even go on Christian vacation to Alaska, but you can’t escape the Word of God:
Personally Attending a Local Church -Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Church Membership – Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Photo By Hardyplants at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21038162
You may also let:
https://rockexcavationservice.org/continual-believing/