Christ's Cells - B
Soul Snack 114/12 ... Christ's Cells - B
Brennan Manning that oft broken sage reflected... Ritual acts are the undoing of authentic religion.
God knows the truth of this even more than Brennan, is saddened more deeply than Brennan and is still acting with Jesus to whip religion away by the glorious invitation Mary so wisely responded to, which is to simply sit at the feet of Jesus (see Lk 10:38-42).
When you are at the gathering but seek to scatter from it, when you stand but long to sit or when the pulpit is pounded so you are too, recall these words of the Apostle Paul:
... all of these are to be done for strengthening of the church... so that the church may be edified (1 Cor 14:26c, 5c)
When there is no up-building (edification) in church neither should you be in church.
Like-minded believers can freely gather together to create their own church; 'cos church is simply a gathering of believers no matter how small. Such gatherings are cells of Christ's body - they may be unseen, insignificant, uneventful and even disdained BUT they still belong to Christ.
For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them (Matt 18:20)
No cell of Christ is ever defined by a priest-hood, a liturgy, or even a rich history.
No cell of Christ needs a denomination, a human definition, or man's recognition.
No cell of Christ needs to be built upon academic excellence, the cult of personality or the rule of man's laws.
There is a liberation for the spirit (and then the body) when a dissatisfied disciple moves in worship away from the hallowed halls of mausoleums, to worship within an undedicated, insignificant lounge room (or shed) with like-minded humble Christ-lovers.
Today's Soul Snippet:
"Jesus did not come to start a new religion, He came to break the power of them all." ~ Wayne Jacobsen
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