CHRIST WASN´T A CHURCH GOER When we take time to find out about the life of Jesus, we see Jesus spending very little time with organized religious groups. The Bible records three, or four times Jesus was in church. Now until recently I never believed a person could be a follower of Christ unless they attended a church regularly. I admit I was ignorant to the TRUTH of God´s Word. (All mistakes man makes towards other mankind is due to the ignorance of God´s Word) As I began to understand Jesus life, I understood why the church people were against Him. Jesus was not about trying to make certain groups, or types love Him. He was so busy helping people out of misery that He had no time to stop, and drink tea with individuals, unless He was witnessing for His Father. Jesus went to the common people, and the lawbreakers, ate with them, and taught them. But, He never invited anyone to go to His church building, because Jesus was the church everywhere He went. Yes He did tell the Leper to go to church, but that was an exception. Jesus made it clear He came to show light to those that were in darkness. Not those that made darkness. Jesus had no time for people who had all the rules but no love. He talked about it directly to those covered in religious. Accusing them openly of being responsible for burdening the people with rules and regulations of the Mosaic Law. Jesus attitude and magnetism were in total opposition of church people He didn´t wear His best to impress them. He didn´t care about sitting with the high class. And He didn´t avoid people based on their financial status. Jesus refused the church of His day because they had fallen into so many religious traps, they no longer found joy in serving the Lord. They went through elaborate ways of gathering people, confusing them, and charging them for the rights to heaven. The church in Jesus time was very rich, while most of the people were dirt poor. But, no matter how poor the people were, they paid church tax. And just in case a person could not pay, he could lose everything he owned. This was what made Jesus angry, the way mankind hurt each other for pride or selfish gain. When Jesus said it was better to give than receive the church determined to get rid of Him. In Jesus time church people didn´t give just to be giving. Religious people gave in front of a crowd, or rang a bell to notify everyone they were giving. Yes most of us laugh and play it off, when we read it in the Bible, but before you laugh too much please recall the last time you gave to someone, in need, without being asked and without telling someone about it. If you are one of those who only give to your fellow church members then you are not following Christ. If you only give when asked, you are not following Christ. When Jesus came up with, it is better to give then receive, the church was ready to hang Him. When He said the widow woman, with her fraction of a penny, gave more than all those rich big church people, they wanted to throw Him over the mountain. Jesus ways had to oppose the organized church; He came to set the captives free. Jesus desired that all mankind would search for the Father´s Love. He wanted mankind to enjoy being a part of His family. Jesus offered freely God´s Love to everyone. Anyone willing to receive it is acceptable, and there is no membership fee. You don´t have to wear certain colors and you don´t have to go through ceremonial wash ing. When Jesus invited the people to come as they were He destroyed lots of small business, who profited from ceremonial cleansing, ceremonial garments, and good luck trinkets Everywhere Jesus went the church opposed Him, and the crowd loved Him. People could feel love flowing from Jesus, while the church was preaching law and orders, Jesus was fulfilling scriptures, and winning men to God. The church was preaching condemnation and wrath of God. Jesus was showing the true nature of His heavenly Father. My intention is not to say all churches would have hung Jesus, but to show it was organized religious that missed the Son of God. Jesus was rejected because truth can´t conform to man made laws. The church of Jesus day was so right in their form and fashion; they forgot the truth. They couldn´t see truth standing directly before them. Whenever Jesus went around religious people it was a lost, because they couldn´t receive what He was offering, and they couldn´t hear what He was saying. Jesus was the one who said, let those who have ears hear. One way of knowing whether your church group is about serving God is by paying attention to the way they treat all people. Are there a handful of people leading and everyone else following? 2. Do your church building have special places for people to sit according to their position in church? I am not speaking of the minister and his immediate aids. I am speaking of certain people who congregate always in the front, on the same seats. People who feel they are closer to God because of their title and seating position. People who look down on others, unless they are in the same clique. Remember it is not church attendance that makes us acceptable in the kingdom, but the love we have for one another. Once we get started on the road to brotherhood, we will find it difficult to attend regular service of any kind. The desire to help others will be our guide. The love of God will propel us to reach out for all mankind. You will find people being drawn to you, and your church will become as Jesus church, you will have it everywhere you go.