2.5 million. It takes 2.5 million metal pins that hold the great and wonderful Eiffel Tower together. What would happen if one of those tiny, little rivets fell out of place? Maybe one fell out because the others pins pressed in on that one little rivet. All the pressure of the other pins pressed the rivet too far. Or maybe, the rivet decided that it was too good for the other rivets. Or maybe, just maybe, the rivet decided that it was too tiring and not rewarding enough to be a rivet. If one little rivet fell out, well, maybe the Eiffel Tower wouldn't fall. But, because of that one, little rivet, another rivet fell out. Then another. Then another. Then what would happen to the great and wonderful Eiffel Tower? It would crumble to the ground, nothing but a useless pile of garbage.By now, I'm sure that you've got that I'm not going to talk about rivets. Today I'm going to talk about the church. Like rivets in the Eiffel Tower, every church member has his/her place in the church. Some don't choose to accept it, and that's not good. Each church member has a special spot in the church. Just like, the rivets.
Let's say 2.5 million people made up a church. It was the best church in the world. There was a great pastor, great music, sound doctrine, good Christians. One day, Mary Lou, in the choir, decided that the church wasn't that good. Every where she looked around, other church members were sinning. Mary Lou decided that maybe this church wasn't good enough for her. Maybe, she would just slip out quietly. There were lots of other churches out there. No one would miss her. So, she left. She was right. In a church that size no one did miss her. Except her closest friend, Connie, on the organ. Connie was pretty popular in the church. When she found out that Mary Lou left, she decided that it was too tiring and not very rewarding to be this church. She decided to leave too. When, word got out that Connie left, people began getting stirred up. People started slipping out. 2.5 million receded to 2 million, then 1 million, 500 thousand, 50 thousand. Before long, no one but the pastor, and a few faithful followers. All because one member in the church wouldn't do her duty.
She decided that she was more important then the church. Connie, well, she decided that Christianity wasn't very rewarding. Others, slowly fell out of the church, just like the rivets. This can happen in any church, if someone decides that they are better than Jesus and the church. What about you? Are you too good for the church? Or is the church too good for you?