Living faith and dead faith

     This sermon begins with a brief illustration of the "Life in a rural church", a story like the following illustration: "One time at a church in the hinterland far from the bustle of the city came a new evangelist. In this remote place of the evangelist saw that the spiritual life the church suffered a setback or nearly dead. The days turned into months turned into months, days or even the evangelists are seeing that the congregation in church life and worship has been minimal or lack of care, in other words the evangelists are seeing that only a few people who attended and gave themselves in fellowship of the church. 

     The evangelist asked himself: Why does this happen in our church even though statistically this church has enough members? View and look at reality in this congregation, then the evangelists are doing and apply their knowledge of the most powerful. With full of brilliant intellect that the evangelist is to make an ad that appeared in newspapers and other electronic media. The contents of advertisements published by the evangelist is no sorrow or death event in these congregations, in hopes that all members of the congregation will be present. 

     Apparently the ad was effective and serious attention of all members of the congregation. On the next day all the churches that read, see and hear these ads come in droves to the church. Previously, the evangelist has prepared a coffin equipped funeral wreath is placed in front of the church pulpit. After all the church members present at the church, then the evangelist was directly in charge of the worship service. After finishing the service, What happened? The evangelist was with great courage and convinced to give opportunity to the entire congregation to see the body as a last greeting. One by one the congregation stepped forward toward the casket. Apparently the brothers, after all members of the congregation to see what's in the coffin, they go home with a heavy heart and deep shame. Why is that? 

     It turned out the contents of the coffin is not a body, but a large mirror. Through bold actions and type of the evangelists, then he realized what he had just done. But the church also became aware that what they see in the mirror it is themselves that they have been likened to that faith is dead. Effort and hard work of the evangelist, then this church back to life.” 

     What is the meaning and significance of the illustrations of this spiritual? Sometimes our faith is in decline even near death due to our attitude which sometimes do not open up even refused to work the Holy Spirit in our lives. Our faith will remain alive in us, if we want to live with faith. But our faith will die, if we ourselves do not want to live with faith. 

For the Christian community with this illustration it can be interpreted that: the Lord Jesus Christ who is the symbol of faith that will always live in your heart and your life, when you want to live with him. Lord Jesus Christ will always accept you, if you receive Him. But you will be rejected if you own shut down even reject Him.