The story of the church (in Acts 2:42-47) is the story of a church that was destined to die in order that future generations of the church may live.
This church devoted themselves .(They attached themselves to, they persevered, they gave themselves to).
When the power of God comes .. There is devotion.
The church in the unpersecuted world spends all its time in foolish debates. Should we have hymns, modern songs, organ or keyboard? Ideas about worship, what should be done, why it should be done all adds us to a pleasurable service for all.
Here's a song that the Chinese House church sing:
To be a martyr for the Lord
To be a martyr for the Lord
I am willing to die gloriously for the Lord
I am willing to take up the cross and go forward
To follow the apostles down the road of sacrifice
That tens of thousands of precious souls can be saved
I am willing to leave all and be a martyr for the Lord.
We count it a blessing not to be persecuted, the church that is devoted know it is the persecuted who are blessed..
We thank God for the privilege of not suffering but the church that is devoted thank God for the honour.
To bring life to others the devoted must die.
To see others have peace the devoted must have violence.
There is a sound that is not being heard. It is not the latest high tech instrumental composition. Its a simple message of worship: will you be devoted?
A Chinese pastor that many have heard of, Watchman Nee who spent 20 years in prison and died there, said this:
The Lord longs to find a way to bless the world through those who belong to Him. Brokenness is the way of blessing, the way of fragrance, the way of fruitfulness, but it is also a patch sprinkled with blood. Yes, there is a blood from many wounds. When we offer ourselves to the Lord to be at His service, we cannot afford to be lenient, to spare ourselves. We must allow the Lord to utterly crack our outward man, so that He may find a way for His out-working.
For us: this is worship.
