Reflections from the Rector for the Week of Trinity 17 Hitting the news this week is the City of Houston’s attempt to have the Churches in the City that have organized petitions to repeal a recent Non-Discrimination Ordinance to submit their sermons to the city for review. Instead of venting about this only via online platforms such as Facebook, all the Churches, including our Church, should ALSO be in constant prayer about this attempt to quell what is said in worship. Moreover, to show our tangible faith that does rather than just says or posts on Twitter or Facebook in complaint, all the faithful should make a point to the City that our Churches are FULL on Sundays with all her members in fidelity to God and in uplifting all fellow Christians in the city in prayer through worship. People are complaining about losing religious freedoms in terms of what is preached behind the pulpit. Instead of complaining about it in word only, the best thing all Christians can do to support their freedom to worship is to show up for worship as much as they can, even sacrificing a bit more to make it, to exercise this right to worship. If we sit back like armchair quarterbacks (that is someone that tells others how to do things without actually participating themselves) in protest and complaint against those seeking to quell religious freedom without taking advantage of such freedoms; then we really have no leg to stand on when the freedoms begin to get attacked and chiseled away. It is a hollow complaint to say “you have no right to tell the Church how she can worship or that she can gather for worship” while only attending occasionally. Hebrews 10:24-25 states, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, [25] 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.” We must support our fellow Christians under duress for taking stands for the faith by meeting together in worship in order to encourage one another and pray for one another. As Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” If every member of every Church in Houston and the country that cares deeply for Holy Scripture made it a point to meet together for worship consistently to pray for each other and for the revival of our City and country to faith in Jesus Christ, we would be well on our way to re-establishing the Gospel in our City and Country. If we complain behind screens with half empty or nearly empty sanctuaries to back up our cries against losing the freedom to worship; we make no impact. If we respond to attacks on the Faith by faithful action to fill the Churches we call our spiritual homes consistently, we will make a most faithful impact and witness for Christ. Pray for the Gospel to spread. Pray for the heart to want to live in the liberty we have rather than to neglect it. Pray with your bodies and souls present on the Lord’s Day in His House for the repentance of our city and land … week in and week out.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 01:54:23 +0000
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