We Cannot Stand Alone

Just as yesterday, in my reading for my exegetical paper, I came across a story that R.C. Sproul shared. He talks about a pastor who went to visit a man who had at one time been a member of his congregation but had since missed quite a few months of church. The minister asked the man why he was never in church. He knew the man had been baptized and made a profession of faith, but he was just simply never around. To which the man replied, “well, I don’t need the church. My faith is private and personal. I don’t need the rituals and trappings of religion. I can worship God all by myself. I can get by just fine on my own.”

They were actually discussing this at a cookout where there was a charcoal grill where the hamburgers they were eating had been cooked. The pastor got over and with the tongs, moved one of the coals away from the rest and put it off to the side of the grill and continued his conversation with eth congregation member. After a few more minutes, he pointed to the coal and said, “ten minutes ago that coal was white hot, but now it’s cold.” Once it was removed from the support system of the rest of the burning coals, it lost its heat, its capacity to be productive in the purpose for which it was made.

He the continued, “We cannot stand alone. We need each other. We need the support of the fellowship, the mutual encouragement, the strength, and the prayers of the community in which we are involved. When people join a community it strengthens who we are as a whole because now there are even more people to pray, encourage, and offer mutual support.”

Recently a friend of mine asked through facebook, the reason people go to church. This is such a beautiful description of the reason we should do so. It enriches our witness and provides a support structure to aide in our journey toward complete sanctification…all the while using our unique gifts, talents, and abilities to help others and to spread the Kingdom of God.