The Church Acting Badly: Part 5

The Church Acting Badly
A 5-Part Journey into Faith, Mistakes, and Hope for Imperfect Christians

Part 5 - Playing the Music of Jesus

Why your "trying" matters to God

We have talked about many hard things: church history, mistakes, and the long journey of growth. You might ask: "If it is so hard to be perfect, why does God even use us?"

The Sound of Trying
A famous music composer named Stravinsky once wrote a very difficult piece of music for the violin. The player told him, "This is too hard! I cannot play it perfectly."

Stravinsky replied: "I understand. I am not looking for perfection. I am looking for the sound of someone trying to play it."

God knows we cannot be perfect like Jesus. But He loves the sound of us trying to follow Him. He loves the effort of a person who is trying to love their neighbor, even when it is hard.

The High School Orchestra
Think of a high school band trying to play a famous Beethoven symphony. It might not sound as good as a professional orchestra. Some notes will be wrong.

But for some people in the audience, that high school band is the only way they will ever hear Beethoven’s music.

It is the same with you. You are not perfect. Your church is not perfect. But for your neighbors and your family, you are the only way they will hear the "music" of Jesus. They will see His love through your small acts of kindness and your honest apologies.

Conclusion
The church acts badly sometimes because the church is made of people like you and me. But God never leaves us. He stays with us in our mess.

Don't be discouraged by imperfection. Just keep trying to play the music. Keep seeking God. He is present in the middle of our mistakes, and He is leading us home.

Thank you for joining us for this series!