Uplook - March 25, 2023
Greetings from the parsonage,
I read a short entreaty last Sunday about trying to keep our church sanctuary a place of prayer where God’s presence is pleased to dwell. Now of course, God does not need a building as Paul the Apostle noted when responding to the syncretic worship of the Greeks on Mars Hill with these words:
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;" Acts 17:24
His point was that the Roman tendency to allow worship of any type and style along with temples and shrines could not contain the Lord of the universe particularly, when the Roman emperor was considered “lord” of it all. He also was not instructing us to refrain from building churches with sanctuaries but rather that the ultimate place which the creator of the universe desires to dwell is within the human heart which was created for that very purpose. And of course we also are instructed not to neglect gathering together in fellowship (Hebrews 11:25) as we await Jesus’ soon return.
We have a familiar chorus in our hymnbook entitled Sanctuary. Here are those familiar words along with a couple of verses with which you may not be familiar.
Sanctuary
Chorus - Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for You
Verse 1 -It is you, Lord who came to save the heart and soul of every man
It is you Lord who knows my weakness, who gives me strength, with thine own hand.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 2 - Lead me on Lord from temptation. Purify me From within.
Fill my heart with your Holy Spirit. Take away all my sin.
Repeat Chorus
CCLI License # 911387John W. Thompson/Randy Scruggs
Copyright: 1982 Full Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic),
Whole Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic)
We do want our hearts to be pure and holy, filled with thanksgiving, and praise. Thank God salvation brings God’s strong arm of deliverance and strength to bear forgiving sin, purifying motives, and empowering with the Holy Spirit. It is to this end we want our church Sanctuary dedicated. We are thrilled with the fellowship we have with each other and with God throughout our church building. With that said, a reminder to all that the sanctuary itself is a place ideally where we prioritize worship and prayer seems in order. This is why we encourage prayer before and after our services. This is why we sometimes need to remind each other to take conversations beyond short heartfelt greetings outside the sanctuary. The world is in turmoil but by God’s grace we need to leave that turmoil outside the sanctuary, being respectful of those who are there to pray, worship, and teach their families to do the same. Paul encouraged the church in Ephesus with these words:
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1–3
May we all do our best to ask the Lord to prepare our hearts and our church to be a Sanctuary and may we humbly and patiently do our best to do nothing which would disrupt the unity of the Holy Spirit in our midst which brings God’s peace.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
I read a short entreaty last Sunday about trying to keep our church sanctuary a place of prayer where God’s presence is pleased to dwell. Now of course, God does not need a building as Paul the Apostle noted when responding to the syncretic worship of the Greeks on Mars Hill with these words:
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;" Acts 17:24
His point was that the Roman tendency to allow worship of any type and style along with temples and shrines could not contain the Lord of the universe particularly, when the Roman emperor was considered “lord” of it all. He also was not instructing us to refrain from building churches with sanctuaries but rather that the ultimate place which the creator of the universe desires to dwell is within the human heart which was created for that very purpose. And of course we also are instructed not to neglect gathering together in fellowship (Hebrews 11:25) as we await Jesus’ soon return.
We have a familiar chorus in our hymnbook entitled Sanctuary. Here are those familiar words along with a couple of verses with which you may not be familiar.
Sanctuary
Chorus - Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living Sanctuary for You
Verse 1 -It is you, Lord who came to save the heart and soul of every man
It is you Lord who knows my weakness, who gives me strength, with thine own hand.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 2 - Lead me on Lord from temptation. Purify me From within.
Fill my heart with your Holy Spirit. Take away all my sin.
Repeat Chorus
CCLI License # 911387John W. Thompson/Randy Scruggs
Copyright: 1982 Full Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic),
Whole Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic)
We do want our hearts to be pure and holy, filled with thanksgiving, and praise. Thank God salvation brings God’s strong arm of deliverance and strength to bear forgiving sin, purifying motives, and empowering with the Holy Spirit. It is to this end we want our church Sanctuary dedicated. We are thrilled with the fellowship we have with each other and with God throughout our church building. With that said, a reminder to all that the sanctuary itself is a place ideally where we prioritize worship and prayer seems in order. This is why we encourage prayer before and after our services. This is why we sometimes need to remind each other to take conversations beyond short heartfelt greetings outside the sanctuary. The world is in turmoil but by God’s grace we need to leave that turmoil outside the sanctuary, being respectful of those who are there to pray, worship, and teach their families to do the same. Paul encouraged the church in Ephesus with these words:
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1–3
May we all do our best to ask the Lord to prepare our hearts and our church to be a Sanctuary and may we humbly and patiently do our best to do nothing which would disrupt the unity of the Holy Spirit in our midst which brings God’s peace.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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