The Restaurant and the Church
6 June 2021
What is the purpose of the Sunday church service?
The answer is:
- To proclaim the WORD OF GOD.
- To place the focus 100% on Jesus Christ.
2 Tim 4: 2
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
John 21:15
“Feed My lambs.”
2 Tim 3:15-17
And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Sunday service is like a restaurant.
A young married couple (young Christians) will try to cook every day (home bible study) but eat in a restaurant every Sunday because the new wife is still learning to cook food and the husband wants to eat well.
They arrive at the first restaurant. The portions are tiny, with lots of salad leaves. The chef seems to have spent little time with this dish. He only reads one bible scripture. The couple will never go back as they went home hungry.
Next week they arrive at the second restaurant. They expect a nice “steak” but get a hamburger – it’s apparently the same concept. Only concepts and principles from the Bible are used here. They will never go back as they never received the Bread of Life.
The third week they come to a straightforward restaurant. No frills, just the basics. They could not believe it when the waiter served their plate of food. The biggest and tastiest steak, side dishes, vegetables, salads, too many to name. They ask the waiter if they can please meet the chef. Certainly, they find the chef in the kitchen, where he has been busy preparing meals since daybreak. Recipe books are everywhere, and our couple could see that this chef truly has a love and passion for food and his people. They got so much “Word” that they asked for a “doggy bag” and went back every Sunday.
Sometimes we get a big plate of food, and it looks very delicious, but after tasting, we find the food is cold, or there is no salt, and it is tasteless. That’s when point number 2 is omitted – no focus on Jesus.
Some think different restaurants suit every person’s taste, some like Chinese, others Pizza, and other seafood. But it is not about the type of restaurant, because you go to a restaurant to eat well, no matter what type of food it is.
There are, however, 2 kinds of clients is a restaurant. The first kind goes to enjoy a scrumptious meal. The second kind only goes to a restaurant because they want to be seen or a friend invited them for the entertainment, but they have no interest in having a meal. You often see people in a restaurant that hardly touch their food, and you think that it is such a waste as the waiter clears the table. Many people visit the church just to be seen, it is a form of religion and tradition, and they are not interested in receiving the Word of God.
We must also keep in mind that one OWNER (Jesus) owns all the restaurants (churches). The OWNER hired some of us to wash the dishes. The chef (pastor) was appointed to feed the people. Therefore, the success of a restaurant is in the hands of the chef.
What do you do if your pastor does not preach the Word of God?
Galatians 2:11-14
Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
Acts 4:19
But Peter and John said unto them, You must decide for yourselves what is right before God, to obey you or God.
Peter might have thought that Paul should have addressed him privately or did not do it “in love”, and who is this new guy anyway? After all, I am Peter, who walked with Jesus. But Peter did not think that and accepted Paul’s discipline.
Mat 18:15-17
“Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”
You may also consider the above scripture to address the problem by having a personal meeting with your Pastor.
As soon as you address the problem of “lack of teaching the Word of God”, you will be accused of not walking in love or even having a rebellious spirit etc.
Can we accuse Jesus that His discipline is not done in love?
Rev 3:19
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
Hebrews 12: 5-11
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present but painful; nevertheless, afterwards, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Who wants to please us?
How does God chasten us? By sending another brother or sister to speak into our lives.
When we complain about the lack of Word being preached, do we cause division? Not at all. We only want to do His Will and please Him.
Are we rebellious? Not at all. We revere the Holy Spirit and the Word and are willing to be teachable if we misinterpret the Scripture in any way.
2 Cor 11: 3-4
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Galatians 1: 6
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel.
Is today’s “Seeker Friendly” message not this different gospel that does not preach sin, repentance, salvation, and sanctification?
Our heart’s desire must be to receive the Bread of Life, the Word of God, for our sustenance and spiritual growth. Without it, we will fail in our walk as Believers.
Bon Appetit!
Written by C&C