Bread Of Life: Essential or Not?

By Rev. Stan Rankin,
Hamer Church of God

With the COVID-19 virus spreading, we are seeing sudden changes in our lives like never before. It is affecting how we live our daily lives, our financial well being, and our interaction with those outside.

As time passes, we know that more people will be touched in very serious ways. It is possible that we will see some difficult times.

In the interest of containing this virus, our governor asked that all non-essential businesses be closed. It makes me think, how essential is the church? If we are essential, how will we respond and minister in these times?

Even though we are believers, God has not promised trouble free living. He has not promised smooth sailing all the time. Neither should we expect to live on top of the world all the time ,without a worry or care. Yet, God has promised that we can overcome and be victorious in the middle of it all. Jesus said, “these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33). The Apostle John in 1 John 5:4,5 tells us “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

It has been said, ‘tough times don’t last forever but tough people do’. As we look back on our history as a nation, there have been periods of tough and difficult times. My grandfather spoke to me, when I was a young child, of the flu epidemic he lived through. My parents told me about living through the great financial depression of the 1930s. We think about the challenges of civil unrest and the terror attacks of 9-11. Yet, we have never faced anything exactly like this. It is a threat that no one really knows how to treat and it is a global threat. With that, we need to realize that there are really no tough people. We are not tough in ourselves but are vulnerable and frail human beings. Our help and strength come from God. Even when we don’t realize or recognize, it has to come from God. No one leader can make us great. The greatness of our nation is in the goodness of God expressed through a believing and compassionate people. One thing is essential for us and that is the blessing and favor of Almighty God.

In light of this threat, I believe we can re-discover some essential things It is a good time to:

• Re-discover where we stand personally with God, to go deeper in our walk.

• Re-discover the value of time with our spouse, children, and family members.

• Re-discover an appreciation for the fellowship of our church family, meeting in worship and prayer.

• Re-discover the joy of helping others by giving and helping in simple ways. To see a need and meet it and to see a hurt and heal it.

It is a time to define “the church”. Are we essential or non essential? Is the church just a building located at a certain location? Can the church survive when we no longer operate as usual? What should we be doing now if we are essential?

Yes, the church that truly belongs to Christ will prevail. It will not only survive but will thrive. We will deepen our faith, love, and hope. We will be led by the Holy Spirit to new and effective ways to shine for Christ. Jesus declared, “and I say unto you, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.(Matthew 16:18). We must understand that the true church is both ‘gathered ‘ and ‘scattered’. The Holy Spirit came in baptismal power when the church was gathered in one accord at Pentecost. As a result of them being filled together, they were scattered and went everywhere preaching the word.(Acts 8:4). We cannot fail to be together and be the people of God. We are dependent on the touch of God and the touch of one another. We are His body on earth with every member connected together. We are His body on earth reaching out to fulfill His work as He works effectively in each of us.

Time and modern advancements have made things much different than those first Christians. The blessings of our day have given us tools and avenues of connecting the early church didn’t have. By the miracle of tele-communications, we can connect our voices and even see faces. They could never dreamed of what we enjoy today.

Yet, we do share with them the same source of power and victory. That is the essential thing that we must get back to. We have available the power of believing and sincere prayer, the promises of the Word of God, the call to obedience and holiness, the blessed hope of the coming of Christ, and the power and supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit. These are the things that are essential. All the things that are trappings and tools can become non-essential. This will bring us through this time and will last for all time and eternity!

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