Is the Message LOUD & CLEAR?

I have never been a fan of church signs that allow for messages. Thankfully, where our sign is located it was never really an option. Don't get me wrong, there are some pretty good messages that can be conveyed with a sign. HOWEVER, before I start shouting through a bullhorn I want to make sure that the message I'm sending is consistent with God's Word.

For far too long the church has been quite inconsistent with her message. Most of this has to do with a lack of understanding concerning the finished work of Christ. Adding to this problem is the churches that claim to speak for God but show no evidence of God's love, forgiveness, or compassion. What are we trying to say? What is it that we want the world to hear?

The fact of the matter is that the lives of the individual members speak more clearly than any church sign. The consistency of our love, our compassion, and our lives before the world is the message that everyone needs to see and hear. The world needs to see people whose lives are filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In other words, they need to see a display of the fruit of the Spirit. Am I asking too much? I don't think so.

I just had a conversation with someone regarding a church sign that I read. For the sake of community, I will not post the actual quote but it wasn't even close to communicating the finished work of Christ. Why am I bringing this up? I'm sharing this because it seems that the most consistent message the world gets from us is inconsistent. Churches around every corner - and almost all of them communicating a different gospel.

2 Corinthians 5:19, "...God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." Can we not consistently communicate this message to a world that doesn't know Jesus? It seems that we have lost the understanding that we are His ambassadors of "GOOD NEWS". And this is exactly what the world needs to hear.

As you travel around this weekend, I challenge you to read some of the church signs that you come across. I don't want you to judge the congregation inside but simply ask yourself: "How does this communicate the finished work of Christ." It will not take you long to discover that the sign pointing people to Jesus needs to be you/me. Let's make sure that we are loud and clear when it comes to sharing God's love. Let's make sure the world knows that Jesus did not come to condemn them (John 3:17) but that He came so they could be saved.

Be blessed.