Healthy, Growing Churches (8)

Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
IsMount Zion onthe sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge. Psalm 48.2, 3

Commentary on Twelve Psalms 48.4
Ambrose of Milan (333-397)
“Truly the Lord is called great. For consider, he has poured exaltation and joy over all the orb of this earth where previously the land produced the most dreadful growth of sin; he has made joyful the earth that once abounded in sorrow, tears and groans. Now our conscience is set free from sin and can rejoice. Before this it was unhappy, it was drowned in the whirlpool of its own sin; but now, through the goodness and kindness of Christ, it is absolved from all error.”

Why did people flock to Jesus? Why did they come from all around Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, often hiking up a mountain or traipsing around the lake to get to Him? Because He was Jesus. He was beautiful, good, true, and a source of joy and rejoicing for the people He served by His truthful words and healing works. Micah 4.1-8 presents a vision of the “mountain of the Lord’s house” in the last days, and it looks very much like Jesus – people streaming up to it from many places, to learn from the Lord the ways of love and truth and justice and goodness revealed in His Word. As the Word of God goes out from the body of Christ in the lives and words of church members who bear the image of Christ, the glimpses of beauty and brushes with joy those encounters produce will attract people to Jesus, and to His church. Where that is not happening, where members are not growing into Christlikeness, and the local church is not maturing into Jesus, the people in the local community do not see the Lord, nor His beauty and joy, and will simply choose to stay at home.

How many different ways does your church show the beauty and joy of Jesus to your community?

T. M. Moore

Prayer for Revival
Join us online in December as pastors and church leaders from around the country unite to pray for revival. For a schedule of available times, write me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Mission Partners Outreach
The work of ministry is what saints are being equipped for, and which they do in the “as-you-are-goings” of their lives. But the flock of the Lord must be equipped for this calling, and Jesus has set shepherds over the flock to do that work. How can we equip the sheep to live for Christ and be His witnesses? Our Mission Partners Outreach provides the resources and framework for making witness-bearing disciples in your church. Want to learn how it works? Watch this brief video, then contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information. I will show you how to make this ministry work in your church.The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotations from Church Fathers are from the Ancient Christian Commentary Series, published by InterVarsity Press.