Local Church

I wonder what God thinks about the state of the "local Church"?
This past Sunday I taught about the local church to my high school group.

It wasn't until college that I began to understand the spiritual benefits of coming together to worship as the body of Christ. Before then I went to church for 3 very good reasons (according to my immature brain) friends, girls and tradition (I'd been going since before I was born).

We have the privilege of reading about the first church through Luke's account in the book of Acts. I wonder what that group really looked like?

It is incredible how often this happens without any coordination but the sermon in "big church" Sunday also took a look at the first church and compared it with the church we are a part of now.

I really think that the separation between then and now comes from the individuals that make up the church not being willing to lay aside petty differences and unite to follow Christ and the purpose that He called His followers to!
The key word above is petty. There are some issues that we must take a stand against and so some division will probably always be a part of Christianity, unfortunately.
But, even within my local church there is division. Why?
We are not willing to be sold out followers of Christ. Our ego is more important. Our reputation is more important. Our friends are more important. Our habits are more important. We allow all that crap to keep us from being the force that we could be cause someone looks, dresses or acts different.
I hate Satan! He can take a beautiful thing and through the fall distort it into an ugly mess.

Diversity. A God authored/ordained fact about humanity that is there for a purpose. To make the body more efficient and effective. Satan can distort and use it to cause division in the body of Christ. I know I just opened up a can of worms with that subject but not even getting into the race or cultural differences, even things as petty as style of clothes or gifting or body size and worse divide us.

Since I made the statement that I believe the separation comes from each of us as individuals...the question must be asked...am I laying aside petty differences for the greater purpose of carrying out the great commission as a part of my local church?

Are you?