Romans 16:16

In the closing chapter of the great book of Romans, Paul says in 16:16, 

"Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the churches of Christ greet you."
The word for greet means to bid welcome or come close to with the idea of joy and gladness to see that person.  Early Christians would greet one another with this "holy kiss" which is so different than the way that Judas kissed our Savior.  The word for churches means "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly."  Isn't that very appropriate to what we will do today?

A couple of thoughts - how do we greet those that we are going to assemble with today?  Could you call it a holy kiss?  Is it a gathering of people so thankful to see one another and wishing well of each other?  Do we come to the gathering place with a "holy" kiss or would our kiss be more like Judas' that had another agenda then following the will of the Father? 

I am always challenged and have been challenged at times of coming to God's house and not having something right with my brother and the scripture to say it is better to leave and take care of that and then come to worship.  It is hard but I have done that.  It is wonderful that we can do something about that because He did something about it to make it possible to make wrongs right as much as is possible and gather with clean hearts. 

How will you gather this morning?

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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