The Need to MOVE

As we continue through VISION MONTH here at Gaylord E-Free Church, we are learning how to become an M&M Church - A church that is all about MEETING people right where they are at and MOVING people closer to where God wants them to be.

From the story of Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in John chapter four, we have already seen this month the part of our purpose as a church which is to MEET as many people as possible right where they are at (geographically, spiritually, and culturally). This Sunday we will continue with that story to see the second part of our purpose as a church in seeing how Jesus then MOVED this Samaritan woman to where He wanted her to be.

MOVING people is just as important as MEETING people. All of us are on a spiritual journey and none of us have arrived at its apex as of yet. That won't happen until we get to heaven. Until them we will always have room to grow, to move forward, to advance. That is why Peter ends his second epistle in chapter three and verse eight-teen with these words:

"But grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

To "grow" means to advance. We need to keep MOVING forward. In what way? We are to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His grace. "Knowledge" would be the intellectual aspect. None of us have learned everything we can from Scripture about Jesus. we all have a need to keep advancing, to keep MOVING forward in our knowledge of Jesus. "Grace" would refer to the practical aspect - how we live like Jesus lived and taught. None of us have arrived here either. We all have much further to go in living like Jesus lived. We need to keep MOVING!

What happens when we quit MOVING? There are two results to not MOVING and neither are enjoyable. What happens when you are driving down the expressway and you run into a 6-lane "grind to a halt" traffic jam where no movement takes place for hours? You get frustrated! The same is true in our spiritual journey. When we quit MOVING, we become spiritually frustrated and that is never fun and never enjoyable.

But there is also another consequence to a lack of MOVEMENT spiritually. What happens when water has no movement and is completely still? Over time it becomes stagnant and develops a real stench. So is the case with you and I as Christ followers when we quit advancing; when we quit growing; when we quit MOVING. When a Christian is not growing he or she will ultimately develop a spiritual stench.

Are you MOVING forward? Are you advancing spiritually? Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus? If not, prepare to soon become frustrated if you are not already. And over time, prepare to develop a spiritual stench. That's what happens when we quit MOVING. That is why we need to be an M&M church. That is why we need to be all about MEETING people where they are and MOVING people to where God wants them to be!