A Curious Sign

On the way to and from a bible study earlier this week I passed by a sign that I had passed by numerous times before - but this time it struck me as rather curious. There is something really strange about a sign marking the place where a church used to be. It just shouldn't be. Now true this was a historical marker, but the church is no longer there. And it wasn't like the church moved to a different part of town, it essentially died with a small remnant merging into another church and then eventually the building itself fell into disarray and (I think) was destroyed by a fire. But the key point is the church was dead long before the building disappered and yet there is a sign marking the spot, like a gravestone - what is (or was) in this place has now passed on.

Jesus promises, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mt. 16:18) . Now I know this is speaking of the Church universal and not about a specific church in a specific location during a specific period of time; but it does all seem rather ironic ... in this case the gates of hell have prevailed over this particular congregation. This is ironic because the death knell for this church was ultimately it's rejection of the authority of Scripture. They no longer believed that the Word of God was truly the Word of God - Jesus was just a good teacher but not everything He said was really true and certainly His many miracles were exaggerated illusions. The implication is then, that Jesus was a liar and they have now confirmed this with the death of their own church. What great hope we lose when we reject Christ and His Word!

As I drove by my church the same day I was thankful that not only do we have a sign marking the presence of our church and not only do we have a building that still stands, but we have people committed to the truth of the Gospel of Christ and are a living breathing part of Christ's Body. This was not a thought of pride, but humility, because I (and my congregation) recognize that it is only because of the faithful grace of God that we continue on for His glory.