Hebrews 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV.
Sticky Situations Demand a Very Sticky Church
In Ridley Scott’s epic Movie, ‘Gladiator,’ I am reminded of the scene where General Maximums with his small band of gladiators are placed in the Colosseum before some huge gates. Death, in dread but unseen shape, lies ready behind those gates to come out and not so speedily devour them from the earth. In face of such a growing fear among his men, in double quick time, Maximus speaks to his men saying:“Whatever comes out of these gates... we've got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together, we survive. Stay close! Come together! Lock your shields! Stay as one!
And all the while their enemy is speaking to them, shouting in their ears“Kill! Kill! Kill! - Soon all your men will be slain.- You don't have a chance!”
If there ever was a better picture for the absolute necessity of the unity of the local church as it comes against the gates of hell and of the terrible fear and discouragement that our enemy pours into our hearts through our alert and open ears, then it is this! We survive when we stick close together.
My thoughts for your consideration tonight then are very simple. You must lock your shields with your brethren, stay close and stay as one. You see, a sticky church is not one that applies assimilation principles to keep the back exit as small as possible, no, a sticky church is a church that is storming the gates of hell and where its blood bought soldiers have been taught how to fight, did you get that, they have been taught how to fight and not throw tea parties and they also know, that if they do not stick close together in that fight against the enemy, lock shields, hold the line and stay as one, that they will be isolated and killed.
Amidst all the managerial hype in the Christian market place, please remember that a sticky church is a fighting church. Don’t forget that. Don’t lose sight of that! For if you do, it just might cost you your life. Stick together in the fight.
Listen: - "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23 NKJV)
Pray:- Deliver us from that prowling lion, that great red dragon waiting to eat us up. Give us O Lord, sticky fear, sticky wisdom and good shepherds, to glue us all together in Jesus name I pray amen.
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