The Model Church?

[unworthyservant]

"Well wife I've found a model church, and worshiped there today,
It made me think of the good old times, before my hair was grey.

The meeting house was finer built, than they were years ago,
But I found out when I went in, it was not built for show.

The sexton did not set me down, way back by the door.
He knew that I was old and deaf, and saw that I was poor.

He must have been a Christian man, he lead me boldly through
The long aisle of that crowded church, to find a pleasant view.

I wish you'd heard the singing, wife, it had the old time ring.
The preacher said with trumpet voice let all the people sing.

 

"Amazing Grace" was the tune, the music upward rolled.
I thought I heard the angel band, strike their harps of gold

I tell you wife it did me good, to sing those hymns once more.
I felt like some shipwrecked sailor, when he gets a glimpse of shore.

It made me want to lay aside, this old weather beaten form.
And anchor in that blessed port, forever sheltered from the storm.

Dear wife our toil will soon be o'er, the victory soon be won.
That shining strand is just ahead, our race is nearly run.

We're nearing Canaan's happy shore, our hopes so bright and fair.
Thank God we'll never shed a tear, there'll be no sorrow there"

So, now is there really a model church? If so what or where is it? Personally, I believe as the song somewhat alludes to that the true Church of or Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, isn't in any building but in the hearts of those true believers who are carrying on the work of God. When Christ said "upon this rock, I will build My church, the rock (or cornerstone) wasn't a building but a person. Christ said that upon Peter's faith (not actually Peter the person) He would build His church. There is only one Temple that is ordained of God. I often wonder what the world would be like if every dime that has been spent over the centuries building cathedrals and churches where Christians could gather to worship had instead been spent on helping the poor. We could worship God anywhere in this beautiful world that He has built if we could overcome our nature to use something that man has built. So, what would the world be like if that were the case? One last thought, the mention of cathedrals reminds me of an old story (I'm at the age that most everything reminds me of an old story). It's about a fellow who came upon a construction site where workers were starting a stone foundation. He decided to inquire and found a bricklayer who was taking a break from what seemed like hard labor as he was obviously tired. He asked the man, what are you doing?. The man replied "We're laying a foundation". He found another who was chipping away at some stones and looked weary from the endeavor. When he asked him the same question he replied, We're laying stone". Then he came to a fellow who he had noticed was the one mixing and carrying the mortar for the masons and obviously had the hardest job there. He seemed happy and didn't appear to be nearly as weary from his efforts as the others. When posed with the same question he replied "We're building a cathedral."

So, maybe we should ask ourselves sometimes when, in our own life, our labors for the Lord leave us weary and our hearts are heavy laden, have I lost focus on the finished product while getting bogged down with the sacrifice necessary to complete it?

Please don't get me wrong, I do understand man's need to build great structures to honor God. All I'm saying is that the only thing Christ said that we need to do to worship God is to show His love by ministering to those in need and give God the glory so that those with whom you share your blessing might worship Him, too. And for that matter why all the focus on building bigger and newer churches when there are already plenty of nearly empty ones?