Welcome to the Utility Room of the Virtual Church. This is a room often overlooked (how many of you know where the utility room of your church is located?), but for most buildings, it is the only room that allows access to the devices that control electrical power, running water and heat. Likewise, the Bible serves as our utility room--giving us access to everything we need for spiritual maturing.

Furnace

The furnace has been used to display the awesome power of God. He used soot from a furnace to punish Pharoh when he wouldn't let the Israelites leave Egype: Moses and Aaron took soot from a furnace and threw it in the air before Pharoh. The soot became fine dust over the land the Egypt and when it fell upon men and animals, it caused festering, painful boils (Exodus 9:7-9). Perhaps the most famous furnace was the one used by King Nebuchadnezzar to punish Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for not worshiping his statue. God demonstrated his power by preserving them and standing with them in the fire.

Fire is also associated with the Holy Spirit. When the apostles were gathered at the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon them and appeared as tongues of fire. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18-20, Paul admonishes us "Do not put out the Spirit's fire."

Light switch
The Psalmist described the Word as a "lamp to my feet and light for my path." Jesus, who is the Word, was described by Simeon at his dedication, as a" light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel" and declared himself to "have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

Electrical Power Box
The Bible is our source for power: Paul declared in Romans that "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:15-17).

Water Main
Jesus is the source for living water: " whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:14)." "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life (Revelation 21:6)."

Water heater
Water is necessary not only for quenching our thirst, but for cleansing. Baptism serves as a symbol of our sins being washed away with the death and resurrection of Jesus.