In Matthew 25:40 we read that Jesus said, “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Did Jesus know that we would forget the one in our search for the masses? When a large evangelistic ministry moves through a town, there is a lot of hype and pomp. What happens when the hype is gone and the pomp has moved on? Was a church planted or a pastor raised up to feed the individuals that accepted Jesus as their savior? “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

The LORD has been speaking to me about grassroots; getting back to the first love. The first love of the Church was preaching the Gospel to people. The first Church was people and not a place. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). In Acts we read, “Continuing daily with one accord in the temple, breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47). There is a lot of action in that scripture reading. First, they continued daily and not just on Sunday mornings. Second, they went from house to house breaking bread. Third, they gave God the glory (praising God). Lastly, the Lord added to the Church.

In Revelation 22:16 we can read, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” We have One that is the Root and the Branch. “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:1-4).

“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:45-46). Jesus is concerned about the one. “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when?'” (Matthew 25:44). “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). Do you not see the command to love ONE another? “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Not because you say you are a Christian, but by love ONE for another we are known as His. “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment” (1 John 3:23).

Are we the Church of God? Do we believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). Remember, “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16). Paul wrote, “Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2). Love is to the one; love one another. Love is from the one, love one another. It is time for the Church to get one-on-one with the children of God.

© 2005 Tim D. Coulter Sr.