Jim Corley met his friend, Alex, at the dealership where Alex worked.

“Jim, I feel like a hypocrite every time I go to church because I fail to live for Christ so often.”

“Alex, what do you call this part of the dealership?” Jim asked, nodding to the area outside his cubicle.

“You mean the showroom?”

“Yes. And what’s behind the showroom, past the parts counter?”

“The service department,” Alex said confidently.

“What if I told you I didn’t want to bring my car to the service department because it was running rough,” Jim asked.

“That would be crazy! That’s the whole point of service departments — to fix cars that aren’t running right.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Jim replied. “Now, let’s get back to our initial conversation. Instead of thinking of church as a showroom where image is everything, start thinking of it as God’s service department. Helping people get back in running order with God is what the church is all about.” *

We are all in need of repairs, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But God loves us and wants to “fix us” – from the inside out.  The finished product will resemble His glorious Son.  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

In order to cleanse us and make us whole, God sent His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).

God will cleanse, make whole, and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

When we rise from the waters of baptism in the new birth, God adds us to the church, His family (Acts 2:41).  In God’s family, we find encouragement, correction, forgiveness, and other components of a needed support system to keep us “running” well.

“Bring Christ your broken life
So marred by sin.
He will create anew
Make whole again.”
-- Thomas O. Chisholm

Remember, the church is not a showroom; it’s God’s service department.  Come to Christ and into His church so that He can make you whole.

-- David A. Sargent

* Source: Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations For Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, Craig Brian Larson as quoted by www.ministry127.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org