Lord Jesus, Please Help Me! My Mum Is Complaining.......

I checked with my mum why she hasn't been regularly attending service on Sundays at the local church.

Her rejoinder, "It's getting too expensive attending church services on Sundays! Each visit cost me about RM10! Apparently salvation is no longer free! God's work when administered by man is no longer free. Going to church is as expensive as going for a movie."

I explained to her that she need not give if she didn't want to. Her reply was that the church will make her feel guilty by preaching that everyone must learn to give cheerfully.

"It's always a blessing to be able to give to God," as mum echoed what the church says. My mum continued with her dissatisfaction, "Honestly, I am always not cheerful about giving to all these church building projects!"

"And the church is always having a lot of projects that needed a lot of money to accomplish. They are always building something; exactly like the government!"

"I would rather spend time with a few of my friends going around feeding and meeting the needs of poor folks amidst us" she replied merrily this time.

As I ponder over what my mum bemoaned, I wonder whether the churches care or are concerned over these burdens upon the church goers who were in church to seek fellowship with their beloved Saviour Jesus. My distress is the poor in our midst?

I wonder whether this is the universal trend among the churches throughout the world to do God's will which is building the church. But having examined Scripture thoroughly, I found that there weren't any verses that depicts God's desires to build the church. Was this church building perception birth from man's wisdom or is it a part of God's plan?

"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made temples, Acts 17:24

In the New Testaments, Jesus constantly express God's plan that Jesus Himself will ultimately be God's church. The chosen children of God will be knitted into Jesus body which is the church where Christ Himself is the Head.

I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! Matthew 12:6 (This verse distinctly expound that Jesus, who is Head of the church which is his body, is greater than the temple.)

"All right," Jesus replied. "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19

Let me be brief here explaining about the Temple. The man made temple, is only man's ephemeral place of worship, until Jesus' death. Upon Jesus death at the cross, a switch took place; Jesus became the Church! That's why Scripture recorded thrice about the temple being torn in two the same time as Jesus' death.

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Matthew 27:50-51, Mark 15:37-38, Luke 23:45-46 (What is the significance of this episode)

My question seeking for truth is whether today, we are building the right temple- the temple of man which is the building or the temple of God which is the people. Perhaps we have misinterpreted the meaning of 'Church'. Perhaps evil has led us to believe that we are executing God's will correctly.

I know you, the reader believed (could be deceived) a church is necessary to keep an assembly of God's people together, under a roof, to worship God, the Father and Jesus our Saviour. But Jesus Himself assured us that He will be with us when two or more people gathered together in his name. Jesus streamline a requirement of only two people to worship Him. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them." Matthew 18:20

I wonder how people in impoverished communities gathered together to worship our Saviour Jesus? The following thoughts trudge across my mind asking, "Will our heavenly Father be pleased and approved of worship if two poor people worship Him under a coconut tree, in a forest, at the paddy field or in any kind of habitation?"

Is our heavenly Father only delighted when His children worship Him at mega churches?

I am not questioning whether people should build mega churches, rather my concern is whether we are building the right church!

2000 years ago, Jesus taught for free in an open area with meals thrown in...Matthew 14.

My mum could choose not to tithe or make any offerings.....

Honestly, the truth is not about my mum.... neither it is about the collection of money....rather it is about the Truth...

The truth is about God's church, His precious children redeemed by the blood of His beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus.

So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock- his church, purchased with his own blood- over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Acts 20:28-30

Our Creator, heavenly Father intended salvation to be free....paid in full by the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord Saviour.