The Least We Can Do is... show up

I recently read an article about the Christ's church and how it is not an organization to join but a MOVEMENT to join. The author then describes 4 things you need to do to be a part of a movement (I changed the words a little so they would all start with "S" - I couldn't help it, I'm a preacher).

1) Show up 
2) Serve
3) Support (financially/emotionally/whatever)
4) Spread (if you really support it, why not share it?)

There are a lot of people who are a part of a lot of churches who simply just don't show up. Church is not a club. In a club you can pay your dues and never show up and no one really cares (depends on what the club is I suppose). In the church, the people who show up for the meetings are the ones who are blessed the most. At this point (if this were a discussion and not a blog that 6 people will read) we could talk about what it really means to show up... i.e. a physical presence vs. participation...

Hebrews 10:24-25 says
²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.


I found another blog with a similar idea...
http://www.churchcentral.com/blog/5916/Join-the-Movement-from-Church-Membership-to-Mission-Partnership-5-Compelling-Reasons

The Least We Can Do is Pay Taxes

How can I write this? I live in a city where property tax was just increased while the police force received cuts along with fire fighters. I don't know if these are good things that the current leadership is doing to cut down on unnecessary expenses and build a better future or a greedy government that wants more money for providing less services.

This past Sunday we sang, "He's got the whole world in His hands."

Romans 13:1 says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."


This might be one of the hardest truths to believe.


I am sure the Israelites found it hard to believe when they were captives under Assyrian or Babylonian rule.
I bet the early Christians struggled with the idea of God having established the Roman rule that was their biggest threat. Yet the Apostle Paul writes these things to the church IN ROME.


Jesus Christ famously said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."
Why do we feel tempted to cheat on our taxes?
FIRST: I think it has to do with giving ME what is MINE. Interestingly - that is not in Jesus' statement. Is anything I have mine? What if I made a list of everything I have control over and then put next to each thing that it either belonged to the government or belonged to God - what would that list look like? How would it effect me to see it?
LAST: I am not willing to give to Caesar because I have not given to God first. If I gave myself completely to Him I would be more like Jesus and less attached to this world and the things of it.