Daily Bible Reading - January 26, 2010 - Mark 2

In the last story of this chapter Jesus has to point out to the religious leaders that the Sabbath (Saturday) existed for the benefit of the people - the people did not exist solely to obey/worship the Sabbath. He uses King David as an example of this and how David and his men were not punished by God for eating bread that was used in ceremonial worship in the temple.

I wonder if we in the church may have gotten it backward too? So many Christians believe that you have to act a certain way, talk a certain way, dress a certain way in order to be welcomed, accepted in church.

Do we as people exist for the church? Do we exist solely to benefit "the church:" fill a spot on a pew or provide income or play an instrument or clean a toilet? Or does the church exist for our benefit?

I think the church exists to connect the unconnected. To guide the lost. To welcome the unwelcomed. To provide opportunities for the willing. The Church exists to gather the scattered. To unify the differing under the cause of Christ. To explain the unknown and clarify the confusing. To partner instead of patronize. To love the unlovely and care for the needy. The church exists to provide a place where the people of Christ can learn how to act like Christ, think like Christ and be motivated to live like Christ so that they are always looking out for those who don't know Christ so they too might put their hope in Christ.

We connect with people in order to connect people to Christ. The Church exists for us... and more specifically "them."