Saturday, June 28, 2014
Isaiah 57:14-15 And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way." For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."
CHURCH PREPARES THROUGH PREACHING
No person can honestly admit that he or she has it all figured out. One of the simplest truths of life is that there are, and always will be, things we just don't have the answers to in this life. Because of these unknowns, we spend time preparing ourselves to understand and learn as much as we can. This endeavor begins from our early years in grade school and continues to high school, college, and beyond. But we strive for knowledge in more than just secular areas like mathematics, science, and history. God calls for us also prepare ourselves spiritually to learn about Him, and church is a great opportunity to do this.
The way that God calls us to prepare through church is actually quite simple. We are to use the law to expose sin and the gospel to reveal the solution to sin. Our learning and study at church should always focus on these two pillars, just as the LORD instructed Isaiah to prepare His people. God told Isaiah that He desires to dwell with the one who is repentant and sorry for sin. God's plan for such an individual is to revive him according to His forgiveness.
To use this method of preparation, church services must contain the preaching of law and gospel. If any church service holds back or distorts either the law or gospel, its legitimacy must seriously be brought into question. Through the preaching of law and gospel, Christians are prepared to answer the toughest questions of life; questions like: Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is my purpose here?
May our churches always take the responsibility to preach law and gospel seriously and by it prepare hearers for life today and into eternity!
