by Darnell Whitfield

Let’s start by looking at few familiar verses found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 13: 22 He (Jesus) went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.

23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God.

30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Luke 13:22-30 (ESV)

Can you imagine that you have been in church all of your life, Sunday in and Sunday out, paying tithes, giving offerings and then you die and are standing before Jesus ready for that great reward of having a dwelling place in the prime real estate called Heaven and Jesus says, “I don’t know who you are, you worker of sin. Remove yourself from my presence.”

Have you ever left an area for an extended period of time and return to find that the landscape had changed?

That is how I personally feel about the church of today.

Instead of the God-worshipping, faith-based place where believers come together in praise of a God who extended grace to all of mankind, it has become a, “den of thieves (Luke 19:46)” in Jesus’ own words, after He entered the temple at Jerusalem the week of His arrest, crucifixion and eventual resurrection from the dead.

At Easter, churches are busy putting together the most awesome, extravagant show that literally covers several cities. Yes, Easter, at some churches, have become places of entertainment rather than sincere gratefulness to God, for allowing His only begotten Son to die for our sins.

Rock star preachers spout candy to the congregation, which in turn will cause spiritual decay and eventually water down the strength of the body of Christ.

When the praise dance, rappers and steppers become more important than the word, we have a problem.

Nothing is to interfere with the word of God. NOTHING!

And when it does we find the evil works of Satan permeating the truth, weakening the saints and producing a place where leadership vies for supremacy, deacons control the pastor, the youth dictate their emotionally charged desires.

The strange church is a place where 19 … the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery (the use of power gained from the assistance of evil spirits), enmity (Hatred), strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions (quarrelling), divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these.

And the Apostle Paul goes further to say, “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV)

The church must get better. The church must not accept the status quo. The church must repent, do her first works over and become the Holy and beautiful bride of Jesus Christ that was so ordained from the foundation of the earth.

Easter is upon us!

Find men and women of God who are sincere about carrying out what God wants of His leaders in the Body of Christ, like William Hampton, Anthony Goodwyn, Jeremiah Cole, Charles Beamon and there are a few more who are not going to back down and preach a lie.

Let’s strive to do our best to please God by doing what he called us to do:

Repent.

Pray.

Study the Bible everyday.

Fast from food and drink sometime, and live this life in true Holiness!

Make yourself known to God, for Easter is upon us!

DARNELL WHITFIELD is senior pastor of Diamond Grove Baptist Church in Franklin. Contact him at 742-1343 or revwhitfield@me.com.