JULY 16 "WHAT HELP, I JUST SHOW UP"

  Some might be surprised, in the reading today, at the scope and enormity of The Temple duties. "The duties of the Levites was to help..."  So I guess now that we are all New Testament believers, we know that Old Testament ministry has fallen by the wayside...or has it? Hundreds or perhaps even thousands, (depending on the size of your church) just show up each Sunday and everything seems to just be functioning fine.  I remember as a child I put a tooth under my pillow at night and in the morning, "shazam" the tooth was gone and money was in its place.  How did that happen? To be honest, I really didn't care, as long as I got the money.  Many believers show up to church every week-end and "shazam" everything is working and in its place.  How did that happen?  Like, me, as a child, they probably have the same sentiment, "who cares".  The fact is, the care and functioning of the Temple takes a lot of hands.  For the Temple to function many people have to be dependable, reliable and exercising their God given talents and abilities.  There were door keepers, they had musicians, singers and there were even those that washed the utensils and bowls used in the sacrifices/offerings (not my gift). 

How does a church function, where everyone wants to receive and nobody wants to give, nobody wants to have to show up early, nobody wants to have to stay late. Do you go to church?  If you do, then ask yourself, are you part of what you read today?  Or are you just one that shows up and expects everything to be working and in good order. If that's the case, maybe it's time for something to change...in you.  JFK said in a speech, "ask not what your Country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your Country".  Everyone thought that was so cool and nuanced. It's an old aged idea implemented by God himself.  "Ask not what your church can do for you, but what you can do for your church!"       

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