What's Happened to the Altars?

The kids came up for praise and worship the other morning during Sunday service. What a blessing it was to us to have them all sitting in the front pew singing and praising with us, with their teachers sitting behind them. The thing that impressed me the most however was when after the singing I took prayer requests from the congregation and then called the church to prayer. At the moment I said, "Let's all go to God in prayer" the kids on the front row ALL went to the altar and knelt with their hands clasped in prayer! They have an altar in the children's church area and it was apparent that their teachers and leaders have taught them what it is for and are utilizing it.

Why is it that when I call the church up to the altar to pray there are more that will not come than do. Now don't go getting pious on me and say, "We can talk to God as good in the pews as we can at the altar." You think I don't know that? Some of the best prayer time I enjoy is in my car when on the road. However when I am in His house, even by myself many days during the week, I always kneel, or stand, or sit, at the altar and pray. Those altars that stretch across the front of our sanctuary are not just pieces of furniture. The forefathers that designed that church also designed to have these altars. We think that because Jesus has torn the veil into between us and access to God that the altar is not necessary any longer. Again, do not think that I am saying that the altar is the ONLY place you can have audience with God but understand that the altar still serves as the place in the House of God where we can come together, as a body of believers, to meet with God in His House.

Let me tell you what use to keep me from the altars in churches. First of all I was not saved so the altar held no more significance for me than the piano or the pews did. When I finally accepted Christ, it was not at the altar; in was in the pews! About two weeks later I made my way up to the altar and was met by the pastor and several other saints who prayed with me and for me. It was a very special moment for me and at that moment I wished I had went to the altar earlier. There is something about that altar. I think pride kept me from the altar that day I got saved. I did not want to appear that I had an issue by going up to the altar. After all what would others think of me? "Why is he going up there, what has he done?" Some may not come to the altar because they think they don't need to. (Hear the pride in that statement?) Which of us are not in need of Gods guidance; even when things are going well for us!

The altar is becoming more and more less important. People are becoming more and more dignified. Jesus said this; "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels." (Luke 9:26)

At the very least Christians should be honored to come to the altar. Coming to the altar is not just for sinners, or people in distress, or people who are ill. We worship at the altar! We praise at the altar!

I may be old fashioned in my thinking. Maybe I am making a too big of deal about it. Say what you will, think what you want, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord and every time I have an opportunity in our church or some other one; you will find me at the altar sooner or later.

 

The Church of Burger King

If the title of this message got your attention then that's a good thing, however I am not planting a church in a burger joint. I used the title because years ago Burger King had a slogan that said, "Have it your way." In the world of "church" today it seems that many congregations and entire denominations have adopted that slogan. I could spend hours and megabytes of room defining the differences between what Jesus established as His Church and what we have evolved into that we call church. You may get offended if you keep reading because there is not anyway to say what needs to be said without confronting ideas that many have in regards to what Jesus accepts and does not accept. It seems that many tell God what He accepts by telling others what He is okay with. Just because we think God is okay with it does not mean that He is okay with it. The doctrine of the Church of Burger King has one article of faith: God loves you and because He does He will let you have it your way. I am as firm a believer in the grace of God as anyone you can name but I also know that grace can be abused. Grace is what we get from God instead of justice, mercy is what we get from Him instead of what we deserve. The Apostle Paul said that "God forbid" if we should think grace cannot be abused (Romans 6:15). The Church of Burger King says that we can leave out what we do not like and add in what tastes better to us. God forbid.

Here is what God says in His word: ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1; underline mine).

God does not give us a choice which behaviors we can keep and which ones we must do away with. All our conduct, that is not just our actions but our words as well. The holiness of God is only imparted unto us by Christ. We have not the ability to make ourselves holy. We cannot live a Christian life but we can let Christ live His life through us. When we allow Jesus into our heart He will guide us by His principles and His virtues. The behavior resulting from His indwelling is called the "Fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22, 23). Jesus is the vine, His children are the branches and He produces His fruit through us. The Church of Burger King says we can bear grapes on a watermelon vine. The Church of Burger King teaches that a fresh water spring can also supply salt water. Don't be deceived, be doers of the Word of the God and not just hearers only. One more thing; If it says it in the Bible, Jesus agrees with it; whether it is in "red print" or not. 

Over Complicating the Gospel: The Kid and the Doc

My wife is one of the children church teachers for our church. She has kids from ages 5 to 8. When they were praying for one another and taking requests, one little guy told her he needed them to pray for his leg. His leg was hurting one night and the next day his mom took him to the doctor. My wife inquired, "What did the doctor say honey?" He said, "The doctor called it a pain in the leg.'"

The doctor gave it to him in terms he could understand even though it may not tell us exactly what the pain was from. The doctor knew that a little fellow could not understand complicated medical terms and jargon. Which brings me to my message point today; we sometimes overcomplicate the Gospel. We find it hard sometimes to accept the fact that redemption and salvation is as simple as it really is. We have grown up in a society that teaches that you get what you pay for. If it is cheaper it has to be of less quality.


If something is free there is a catch to it. There is a hidden charge somewhere, there are lines of fine print that we missed. Trying to get folk to believe in something as critical as life after death is hard in itself, much less trying to get them to believe they cannot buy it.

The teaching and preaching of the grace of God has went to both ends of the spectrum over time. On one end you have the grace only applying to devout monks while at the other end the grace covers anything we want to do with no repercussions. There is no middle ground to grace, either God is gracious or He is not. When we try to decipher what the grace of God covers and what it does not we open ourselves up to having to choose sides with the folk at one of the spectrum or the other.

Let's just take what the Bible says about it, teach and preach that, and let the Word speak for itself. The Bible teaches that God's grace is beyond our human reckoning; but so is His judgment. We do not like to put judgment and grace in the same sentence but that is where they go. Jesus said, "For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, ²⁷ and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man." (John 5:26,27). You caught that line didn't you? The Savior of mankind, the One who died for the sin of all, the One who forgives those who will come to Him; has authority to execute judgment too. Grace and judgment in the same sentence.

So, don't overcomplicate the Gospel. God is loving, He is forgiving, He is gracious, He is merciful, He is patient; but He will also judge those who reject His Son.