The quote here is from the brilliant and wonderful story about Philip and a man from Ethiopia who have a conversation about the understanding of God’s work in the world.  Philip does a great job in pointing to Jesus as the center of all that needs to be understood when it comes to explaining God.

The man with the disciple is so excited that he wants to experience this life and love of Jesus at that very moment!  They come upon a lake, and when they do, the Ethiopian man says:  “Here is water!  What is to prevent me from being baptized?”  Philip baptized him right on the spot.

It’s an interesting question when you apply it to our lives today.  Not that we need re-baptism-no-but what is it that happens in our lives that prevent us from experiencing the life and love of Jesus Christ?

In today’s world, there seems to be a misunderstanding on the idea of what it means to be a “religious” person.  There are many things on U-Tube and Facebook about the negative ideas about “being religious” in comparison about being a spiritual person without “religion.”

To me, being religious and being spiritual cannot be separated.  Sure, there are things about “the Church Universal” that even I cannot fully appreciate or accept, but none of those things cause me to want to pull away from what Christ established through Peter’s profession of faith (Matthew 16:16).  At Pentecost, there appeared to be great division when people began to speak in different langauges when in fact it was a return to what happened long ago at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11).  God – in all His infinite wisdom – brought His children back together, and, the Christian faith then had what was officially known as “birthday of the Church.”

The Holy Spirit then (at Pentecost) and Jesus in His three years of ministry never spoke of the spiritual side of things without referring to it in multiples-that is-in some form of community.  To Jesus, it didn’t matter what the numbers were (see Matthew 18:20); His Church would always be associated as a community of people.  When we are alone, usually what can happen is that we are challenged by things other than God, as even Jesus Himself experienced in the wilderness (Matthew 4).  What led Him in His own aloneness–His personal spirituality–was a fight with the devil! (Which He won hands down, I might add!)

The Church is sanctuary for the world.  We need “sanctuary.”  The world-as beautiful as she is-is filled with other things that challenge our very faiths.  We need each other-our neighborly love makes a difference in this world, and, in all actuality can show the love of Christ!  Where we find both (sanctuary and others) is Christ’s Church.  We need the Church, and in essence, we need religion.

I can’t speak for all religion.  And, the Church has come down through the years with a lot of unpopular ideas that has caused many to turn away from “organized religion.”  But we live in a time where “the individual” seems more important that “the community.”  We are wired electronically these days so separately from one another that we have come to the conclusion that we don’t need a lot of community.  We can do most everything by ourselves.  Yep, that’s just what the devil said to Jesus in the wilderness.

What is there to prevent us from being the church?  Do your daily Bible reading and prayer, and let God’s Holy Spirit lead you down His paths of righteousness.  He will show you and me the way.  In the meantime, come to His Church.  Join the community.  Experience the love of Christ.

Your friend in Christ,

Pastor Jim