Pointing or Eating
The concept is incredible. If you could pray one prayer for the church that God would answer what would it be? This morning we filmed our message for the One Prayer series which begins June 8. We’re joining over 600 churches (and growing) around the world for this groundbreaking series. 4 weeks, 1 prayer. For me todays message was very personal. It’s the foundational prayer that my life and ministry is built on. It’s what birthed the transition and beginning of C3 Church. The one prayer - “God, make us love.” In June we’ll also be hearing from incredible pastors like Perry Noble and Craig Groeschel.
This morning as we talked about “Make Us Love” we looked at the life statement of Christ - “love God and love others.” The Pharisees spent all their time “pointing at,” while Jesus spent his time eating with. Who is it this week that God has called you to “eat with”? Who is it that, perhaps, you’ve been “pointing at” but the heart of Christ is that you “eat with”? Or, are you like those in the story of the “Good Samaritan” - you’re not “pointing at” you’ve just been ignoring those around you who desperately need to know the love of Christ?
If you were to ask someone who never attends church, “do you believe the church loves you?” - what do you think they would say? Or, if you asked them to give you one word that describes the church, do you think you would ever hear the word, “love”? Why not, when Jesus said it’s the main thing we’re to be about?
This week… not next week or next month or next year - this week who will you begin to show the love of Christ - who will you be “eating with”? How many more people would be drawn to Christ if we stopped “pointing at” and began “eating with”?
I love C3! There’s just something happening right now that is beyond words, beyond description… it’s truly a movement of loving God and loving others.
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I was able to identify with a specific person I need to be “eating with” in my life. I will be asking her to lunch tomorrow. The message was great and I’m amazed to be a part of a church where this “one prayer” of loving God and loving others is not just lip service but a part of our DNA.
The whole concept of loving God and loving others has been so lost in so many churches around the world. Ever since I read “The Great Commandment Principle” by David Ferguson, which was a required text for the Personal Discipleship class at New Orleans Baptist Seminary, that phrase, “love God, love others,” has almost never stopped ringing in my head. While I know that I have not always lived out those words, I know that now, more than ever, those words shape everything that I do as a minister, as a Christian, and as a person in general.
Thanks for this post!
Andrea and Steve,
Thanks for your comments - it really is the bottom line!
Yesterday the message made us think of people we work with, share with and invite to church but don’t necessarily love. We decided to just try to show love to these people.
Thanks for showing your love to us, especially as volenteers. It makes getting up at 5:00am
to come in to setup easier when you know you’re appreciated.
Colleen,
We really appreciate you and Jim - thanks!
I really want to thank you for your vision for the church. You will really never know how much of a blessing C3 has been on my life. The people I have encountered here, including your daughter Kayleigh and her friends, have shown nothing but love and kindness since I started coming. So thank you for being an example of “eating with”!
Karen,
Thanks for the encouragement! We’re glad you’re part of C3.
Great post Byron. Make us love. I can’t wait to hear the message. I will be preaching a message titled, Make us Thirsty.