Why Churches Are In Trouble

[OLD SARGE]

Why Churches Are In Trouble

Why Churches Are In Trouble.

Pastors feed the young the milk, but serve up the meat even if it makes some folks choke.

sermoncentral.com

 

[Salty]

Makes me think of that new pastor - only the deacon showed up
Pastor asked deacon if he should preach since he was the only one there.
Deacon said, he had cows - and if only one showed up, he would feed them

So the pastor preached the greatest message ever!
After the service - deacon said - as I said If only one cow, shows up
I dont feed him the whole truckload!

 

[rockytopva]

The strict old way... "Grandfather was kind to me and considerate of me, yet he was strict with me. I worked along with him in the field when the weather was agreeable and when it was inclement I helped him in his hatter's shop, for the Civil War was in progress and he had returned at odd times to hatmaking. It was my business in the shop to stretch foxskins and coonskins across a wood-horse and with a knife, made for that purpose, pluck the hair from the fur. I despise the odor of foxskins and coonskins to this good day. He had me to walk two miles every Sunday to Dandridge to Church service and Sunday-school, rain or shine, wet or dry, cold or hot; yet he had fat horses standing in his stable. But he was such a blue-stocking Presbyterian that he never allowed a bridle to go on a horse's head on Sunday. The beasts had to have a day of rest. Old Doctor Minnis was the pastor, and he was the dryest and most interminable preacher I ever heard in my life. He would stand motionless and read his sermons from manuscript for one hour and a half at a time and sometimes longer. Grandfather would sit and never take his eyes off of him, except to glance at me to keep me quiet. It was torture to me." - George Clark Rankin

 

[Cathode]

The meat we serve is The Flesh of Christ, The Eucharist is central and at the heart of everything we believe, not the pastor or his sermon. Jesus is central.

The Written Word is meant to lead us to the Incarnate Word.

Without the Eucharist the Scripture is a solemn menu reading heralded by more or less gifted menu readers, then everyone goes home after an inspired menu reading. And they don’t eat or drink of the feast.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life”.

“ He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. “

“ Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you “

The culmination of all the Scriptures is to eat the Flesh of Christ’s Sacrifice to receive His Eternal Life to our Souls and Eternal Life to our physical bodies.

“He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Jesus vanished but was present in the Eucharistic Bread.

Many still do not recognise Jesus at the breaking of the bread.

Do not set hearts on Fire with the scriptures but then not partake of the feast. Only by eating the flesh of The Incarnate Word are we filled.

The Written Word of God is subordinate to The Incarnate Word of God, Jesus Himself.
The Written Word heralds Him, but The Eucharist is Him.

 

[Salty]

The meat we serve is The Flesh of Christ, The Eucharist is central and at the heart of everything we believe, not the pastor or his sermon. Jesus is central.

I dont think Old Sarge was talking about Communion. The verse more appropriate would be I Cor 3:2