Let me set up the scripture that I love so much that involves them. It's in Exodus Ch. 17. It comes after Moses has led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. They were on their fun tour of the desert when the Amalekites attacked them.
v. 10-13 says, "So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword."
I want to be like Aaron and Hur. I have no desire to be a Moses or Joshua. I think so many people in the church want to be a Moses or Joshua, but few want to raise the leaders arms up. I wonder if Moses wore his Old Spice D.O. that day? B/c you know after camping out in the desert he was smelling. We don't like the dirty work. It's our naturally and sinful desire to want to be on top and out front. We, especially me, have fallen into the lie that God's will for our lives will be a role considered grand and noteworthy. I mean we deceive ourselves into thinking eloquent speakers, great singers etc. are really favored by God and that we just haven't been given "good" gifts like them. When we live selfishly with that mentality, our appointed leaders get tired and exhausted and the entire church body suffers as a result. Also, we're robbing God of his glory.
This can be applied to all parts of the church body, not specifically to us supporting the pastor. What about the children's workers? Does your church have the same ones every Sunday? Do they ever get to attend a service? What about greeters or who folds the bulletins? For larger churches...instead of complaining about traffic jams leaving the lot how about you get out and help direct it?
I don't think God ever intended for church to be a place where people arrive, sit through a service, and leave. There's so much scripture that pertains to the role and purpose of the church. Try the book of Acts.
I'm going to go with a passage from Ephesians that focuses on more of what I consider the internal framework:
"It was he who gave some to apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Eph. 4:11-16
I think it's sort of self explanatory. We all have a role. It isn't necessarily an act done on Sunday...giving to someone in need, mentoring a young girl, organizing prayer, picking up trash...being His hands and feet. It's whatever it takes for Him to be glorified.
I guess now I should throw in that I haven't physically attended "church" in three weeks. There are reasons. I just wanted to add that not because you needed to be reminded that I'm not a saint, but b/c we too often think attending a service on Sunday is what church is. I'm not endorsing skipping church; I fully promote attending services on Sunday and serving the body on Sunday and all the other days of the week.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25
I just searched the word "church" in google images and 48,800,000 results looked like this:
What is your image of church? I couldn't find a image of this:
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together...They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47
Maybe you don't know where to start. Why don't you join me and asking the Lord, "Whose hands am I supposed to be lifting up?" We may not like how he answers b/c for some it may be our husbands, our bitter co-workers, etc. but as long as it's from him, he'll provide the strength.
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