That's definitely my favorite question I've been asked at VBS this year. Hanging with the kids is always so much fun. They're full of questions, and almost always they are very sincere and innocent when they ask them. God gave me quick grace to answer the little girl's question. I responded, "No honey, this church belongs to Jesus."
But a little later, I started thinking about my answer to the little girl's question. Did I answer her honestly? Can we genuinely say that this church belongs to Jesus? Of course, the church does belong to our Savior. He said in Matt. 16:18, "On this rock I will build MY church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." No doubt - the church belongs to Jesus.
So then, I guess we've got to answer the question, "Is this group of people really a part of Christ's church?" The church is the Body of Christ, and we know that we become a member of Christ's body at the very moment we place our faith in Him. All that is pretty elementary stuff, but what we need to determine is if we're acting like we belong to Jesus.
I'm convinced that if we belong to Jesus, we'll start doing what He says. So what did Christ tell us to do? He instructed us to do many things, but the last marching orders He left us with were these: "Go and make disciples" (Matt. 28:19). The last thing Christ wanted His church to know before He left this earth for heaven was "go and make disciples."
So back to that little girl's question. Does the church I pastor really belong to Jesus? Does the church you attend really belong to Jesus? There's a sure-fire way to find out. How many disciples are we making? How many unchurched people are we reaching? God help us all to answer these questions and to make sure that our churches belong to Christ.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Judging a Book By Its Cover
My oldest son, Tanner, has become an avid reader. Just this past year he read about 40 or 50 books for his school's AR program and finished at the top of his class. I'll be honest - that's more books than I read in my entire K-12 experience. I've become a much better reader since then, but I definitely got off to a slow start. Tanner really got interested in the Percy Jackson series of books this past school year. He read all five in the series and just completed "The Lost Hero" a couple of months ago. Some of those books were hundreds of pages long with small font and no pictures. His mother and I thank God for his new-found love of reading.
And yet we had an experience at Wal-Mart a few months back. While perusing the book section of Mr. Walton's Supercenter, their was a book that immediately caught Tanner's attention. I'll have to admit I was impressed as well. It had a metallic cover with a Punisher-type skull on the front of it. It was just the kind of book that a young boy would be attracted to. Tanner asked if he could have it so I picked it up and read the back cover of the book.
After reading the back cover I turned to Tanner and said, "Trust me, you won't like this." I can't remember now exactly what the plot of the book was, but I knew it wouldn't interest my son. And yet he was smitten with the cover - he had to have the book. Realizing I wouldn't be able to talk him out of it, I decided to buy him the book. He was pumped about getting this shiny new book, but as he began to read it his enthusiasm turned into boredom. Needless to say, the book couldn't deliver what the chrome cover seemed to promise.
We've all been guilty of judging a book by its cover, but of course it's not just books that we judge. We're often guilty of judging other people based on their appearance. I was reminded of this while reading the words of Paul today. He asked the Corinthians: "Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?" (2 Cor. 10:7). If so, then Paul knew he was in trouble. Apparently the Corinthians had already started judging him. Some of them were saying, "his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible" (2 Cor. 10:10).
Paul was not the first person to suffer this kind of judgment. Remember, if had been left to Samuel's discretion, Eliab (David's oldest brother) would've been anointed Israel's next king. Samuel certainly wouldn't have anointed the ruddy young shepherd boy of Judah. God had to teach Samuel an important lesson: "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).
Were we alive when Jesus was still physically ministering on this earth, my guess is that none of us would've been drawn to His appearance either. Concerning the coming Christ, the Bible said, "When we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). The physical appearance of our Savior would've probably never drawn us to His saving power. But of course, Jesus didn't draw men unto Himself through good looks. Rather, we have all been drawn to our Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So I would remind us all of that old adage: Don't judge a book by its cover. Satan has placed a lot of shiny books on the shelves of this life. But just a few pages into his story will show us that he can never deliver on what he's promised. The Bible says that he's the father of lies (John 8:44). Rather than picking up any number of his shiny volumes, I hope we'll all be compelled to pick up our Heavenly Father's book. The Bible may not be the most attractive book on the shelf, but it is the only one that can offer its readers a well-spring of life. When we allow the truth of its pages to saturate our lives, we'll never go looking for a refund.
And yet we had an experience at Wal-Mart a few months back. While perusing the book section of Mr. Walton's Supercenter, their was a book that immediately caught Tanner's attention. I'll have to admit I was impressed as well. It had a metallic cover with a Punisher-type skull on the front of it. It was just the kind of book that a young boy would be attracted to. Tanner asked if he could have it so I picked it up and read the back cover of the book.
After reading the back cover I turned to Tanner and said, "Trust me, you won't like this." I can't remember now exactly what the plot of the book was, but I knew it wouldn't interest my son. And yet he was smitten with the cover - he had to have the book. Realizing I wouldn't be able to talk him out of it, I decided to buy him the book. He was pumped about getting this shiny new book, but as he began to read it his enthusiasm turned into boredom. Needless to say, the book couldn't deliver what the chrome cover seemed to promise.
We've all been guilty of judging a book by its cover, but of course it's not just books that we judge. We're often guilty of judging other people based on their appearance. I was reminded of this while reading the words of Paul today. He asked the Corinthians: "Do you look at things according to the outward appearance?" (2 Cor. 10:7). If so, then Paul knew he was in trouble. Apparently the Corinthians had already started judging him. Some of them were saying, "his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible" (2 Cor. 10:10).
Paul was not the first person to suffer this kind of judgment. Remember, if had been left to Samuel's discretion, Eliab (David's oldest brother) would've been anointed Israel's next king. Samuel certainly wouldn't have anointed the ruddy young shepherd boy of Judah. God had to teach Samuel an important lesson: "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).
Were we alive when Jesus was still physically ministering on this earth, my guess is that none of us would've been drawn to His appearance either. Concerning the coming Christ, the Bible said, "When we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). The physical appearance of our Savior would've probably never drawn us to His saving power. But of course, Jesus didn't draw men unto Himself through good looks. Rather, we have all been drawn to our Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So I would remind us all of that old adage: Don't judge a book by its cover. Satan has placed a lot of shiny books on the shelves of this life. But just a few pages into his story will show us that he can never deliver on what he's promised. The Bible says that he's the father of lies (John 8:44). Rather than picking up any number of his shiny volumes, I hope we'll all be compelled to pick up our Heavenly Father's book. The Bible may not be the most attractive book on the shelf, but it is the only one that can offer its readers a well-spring of life. When we allow the truth of its pages to saturate our lives, we'll never go looking for a refund.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
What If I Had Never Been Born?
Today is my 34th birthday. While I know that's still relatively young, I can honestly say I don't feel quite as young as I did 5 or 10 years ago. Many of my older friends tell me that it will only get worse. Gee thanks - just what I wanted to hear.
I think birthdays are kind of like milestones in our lives. They cause us to pause and reflect on where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. Today I stopped and asked myself this question: What things would be different if I were never born? Specifically, I wonder how many people would still be headed for hell if I had never been born. While I'm ashamed to admit it, the answer is not near enough.
I led my first person to faith in Christ when I was about 15 years old. I'll never forget it - I was on a youth Evangelism Explosion visit with Gary Boyd and Amy Shoemaker (now Garland). Gary told me that it was my turn to share the Gospel. We went to a nice home in Sequoyah Hills in Knoxville, TN. A teenage girl answered the door and we introduced ourselves and began to ask her about her church background. Then we came to the two big questions we were trained to ask: "If you were to die tonight, do you know that you would go to heaven? If God asked you why you should be allowed into heaven, what would you say?"
While I can't remember exactly how the young lady answered that question, I remember that she indicated some doubts about her relationship with Jesus. God allowed me the privilege of sharing the Gospel with her. I can vividly remember being scared and trying to remember everything I wanted to say. I'm sure it was probably one of the more lackluster Gospel presentations that's ever been given, but God used it to save the soul of that teenager. I praise God that He allowed me, Gary, and Amy to be a part of that experience.
But as I look back over these 34 years, for every one time I faithfully shared the Gospel with someone, there were probably at least 10 or 20 other opportunities that I squandered. Those opportunities were missed either because I had a fear of failure or rejection. While I praise God that he has used me to see a good number of souls added to His Kingdom, I'm ashamed that many others remain separated from His grace simply because I was unwilling to share. Too many people are still on the road to hell, and unless I do something about it their blood will be required at my hands (Ezekiel 33:8).
Perhaps you share some of my concerns. Whose life is radically different because you and I were born? We can live in nice homes, drive nice cars, make large salaries, and belong to fancy clubs, but that will probably do very little to change someone's life - much less their eternity. I hope the burden of Jesus will become ours as well: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is still day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4). When the night comes, I hope we'll all be found leading the lost to a saving knowledge of Christ.
I think birthdays are kind of like milestones in our lives. They cause us to pause and reflect on where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. Today I stopped and asked myself this question: What things would be different if I were never born? Specifically, I wonder how many people would still be headed for hell if I had never been born. While I'm ashamed to admit it, the answer is not near enough.
I led my first person to faith in Christ when I was about 15 years old. I'll never forget it - I was on a youth Evangelism Explosion visit with Gary Boyd and Amy Shoemaker (now Garland). Gary told me that it was my turn to share the Gospel. We went to a nice home in Sequoyah Hills in Knoxville, TN. A teenage girl answered the door and we introduced ourselves and began to ask her about her church background. Then we came to the two big questions we were trained to ask: "If you were to die tonight, do you know that you would go to heaven? If God asked you why you should be allowed into heaven, what would you say?"
While I can't remember exactly how the young lady answered that question, I remember that she indicated some doubts about her relationship with Jesus. God allowed me the privilege of sharing the Gospel with her. I can vividly remember being scared and trying to remember everything I wanted to say. I'm sure it was probably one of the more lackluster Gospel presentations that's ever been given, but God used it to save the soul of that teenager. I praise God that He allowed me, Gary, and Amy to be a part of that experience.
But as I look back over these 34 years, for every one time I faithfully shared the Gospel with someone, there were probably at least 10 or 20 other opportunities that I squandered. Those opportunities were missed either because I had a fear of failure or rejection. While I praise God that he has used me to see a good number of souls added to His Kingdom, I'm ashamed that many others remain separated from His grace simply because I was unwilling to share. Too many people are still on the road to hell, and unless I do something about it their blood will be required at my hands (Ezekiel 33:8).
Perhaps you share some of my concerns. Whose life is radically different because you and I were born? We can live in nice homes, drive nice cars, make large salaries, and belong to fancy clubs, but that will probably do very little to change someone's life - much less their eternity. I hope the burden of Jesus will become ours as well: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is still day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4). When the night comes, I hope we'll all be found leading the lost to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Feeding Rover After the Rapture
Most of you are probably aware that a false teacher named Harold Camping has predicted that Christ will return to rapture His church on this Saturday - May 21, 2011. I wrote a blog post about Mr. Camping's false teaching several months ago. While Mr. Camping's prediction will be proven bogus when the clock strikes midnight this Saturday, it has managed to accomplish one thing. Apparently, it has caused Christians to think about the welfare of their pets following the Rapture.
Until last Wednesday, I had no idea that post-rapture pet care had become such a thriving business. Check out this article that a church member shared with me to see what I'm talking about. There are at least 3 post-rapture pet care services that want your business. Two of them are run by atheists, and the third is a Christian-owned service that claims to coordinate "with atheist animal lovers nationwide who volunteer to take care of left-behind pets." The price for post-rapture pet care services range anywhere from $10-$135.
While I can appreciate the fact that Christians want Rover taken care of in the event of their departure, I find all this post-rapture pet care stuff to be a little disturbing. A few initial observations immediately come to the surface. First, this seems more like a money-making scheme than anything else. If the Christians aren't going to be here to insure that their pets are taken care of, what makes them think that they will be? Are they just going to take the atheists' word for it? And by the way, when the rapture occurs all the atheists will realize that they've been left behind. Do we really think that pet-care is going to be their top priority?
The greater concerns are biblical in nature. Christians, instead of investing our money in the post-rapture care of our pets, why not use our money for the pre-rapture salvation of the lost? The fact that a group of Christians would be concerned in working with atheists to provide pet care rather than presenting them with the Gospel is a telling sign of how misplaced our priorities have become.
To me, that's the most tragic part of this whole story. Are "Christians" now going to be known more for their love of pets than for the lost? Perhaps we already are. Statistics tell us that nearly every mainline Christian denomination in America is now baptizing fewer and fewer people with each passing year. Is it any wonder? We're now thinking more about the earthly welfare of our pets than we are the eternal destination of the lost.
God help us never to forget these words of a certain rich man whom Jesus said is now burning in hell: "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:24). If God's people would often stop to consider the eternal destiny of those who die lost apart from Christ, my guess is that post-rapture pet care services would become a thing of the past.
Until last Wednesday, I had no idea that post-rapture pet care had become such a thriving business. Check out this article that a church member shared with me to see what I'm talking about. There are at least 3 post-rapture pet care services that want your business. Two of them are run by atheists, and the third is a Christian-owned service that claims to coordinate "with atheist animal lovers nationwide who volunteer to take care of left-behind pets." The price for post-rapture pet care services range anywhere from $10-$135.
While I can appreciate the fact that Christians want Rover taken care of in the event of their departure, I find all this post-rapture pet care stuff to be a little disturbing. A few initial observations immediately come to the surface. First, this seems more like a money-making scheme than anything else. If the Christians aren't going to be here to insure that their pets are taken care of, what makes them think that they will be? Are they just going to take the atheists' word for it? And by the way, when the rapture occurs all the atheists will realize that they've been left behind. Do we really think that pet-care is going to be their top priority?
The greater concerns are biblical in nature. Christians, instead of investing our money in the post-rapture care of our pets, why not use our money for the pre-rapture salvation of the lost? The fact that a group of Christians would be concerned in working with atheists to provide pet care rather than presenting them with the Gospel is a telling sign of how misplaced our priorities have become.
To me, that's the most tragic part of this whole story. Are "Christians" now going to be known more for their love of pets than for the lost? Perhaps we already are. Statistics tell us that nearly every mainline Christian denomination in America is now baptizing fewer and fewer people with each passing year. Is it any wonder? We're now thinking more about the earthly welfare of our pets than we are the eternal destination of the lost.
God help us never to forget these words of a certain rich man whom Jesus said is now burning in hell: "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:24). If God's people would often stop to consider the eternal destiny of those who die lost apart from Christ, my guess is that post-rapture pet care services would become a thing of the past.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
A Christian Response to Osama Bin Laden's Death
As I was watching TV on Sunday evening, some breaking news flashed across the screen. The reporter said that there was a "big announcement" that was fixing to come from the White House. Fox News actually broke the story before the White House had a chance to do so: "Osama Bin Laden is dead." Once the news broke, the reporter was filled with joy. He happened to be interviewing a retired general, and at one point they gave one another a high five.
I'll have to admit that when I first heard the news, my heart was excited as well. For me it was a great relief to know that justice had finally been served. But as I continued to watch the coverage that evening and early the next morning, I saw people dancing and yelling in the streets of Washington, New York, and several other places. It caused me to stop and wonder, "Is all this celebration really a Christian response to the death of a wicked man?"
I've wrestled with that question for the last 24-48 hours, but I think the Holy Spirit has reminded me of some things I'd like to share with you. First, I think it is completely appropriate for us to rejoice over the fact that justice has finally been served. Romans 12:19 reminds us that vengeance belongs to the Lord, and the following verses of chapter 13 make it very clear that God has chosen our governing officials as a means of executing that vengeance: "For he (the government) is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minster, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil" (v. 4). God has finally brought Osama Bin Laden to justice and for that we say, "Amen!"
And yet, I wonder what God thinks about all this celebration and high-fiving going on. Should we rejoice over the death of a wicked man? I think we can agree that our response to Bin Laden's death should be like our Lord's. So what is our Lord's response to his death? "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). If God took no pleasure in the death of Osama Bin Laden, neither should we. Rather than killing the world's most notorious terrorist, it would've been the pleasure of our Lord to have saved him through the shed blood of His Son Jesus. And yet, it seems that Bin Laden was not willing to come, much like the Jews during the ministry of our Savior (Matt. 23:37).
In all our joy and celebration, have we stopped to consider that Osama Bin Laden split the gates of hell wide open, if in fact he died lost apart from Christ? Is that really a happy thought for us? If it is, something is desperately wrong. Rather than rejoicing over the death of a wicked man, our hearts should break that he now has no further opportunity to be reconciled to God. It should also remind us of the missionary mandate to reach the world for Christ while there is still time.
The Holy Spirit laid one final thought on my heart. We tend to put guys like Osama Bin Laden in the same category with people like Hitler and Stalin. Whether most people would say it or not, they often tend to think that hell is really reserved for those kind of people. We tend to think that they were "worse sinners" than us. But consider what Jesus said: "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). The death of Osama Bin Laden should cause us to examine our own hearts to see if we are really children of God.
So let us rejoice that justice has been served, but let's take a look in the mirror as well. Are we burdened over the spiritual condition of the lost? And could it be that we ourselves are one of those lost apart from the saving grace of Jesus? Let us all thank God that we still have a chance to receive Him and that we can compel others to do the same. Let's save our rejoicing and high-fiving for the salvation of a lost person. As Jesus said, "There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).
I'll have to admit that when I first heard the news, my heart was excited as well. For me it was a great relief to know that justice had finally been served. But as I continued to watch the coverage that evening and early the next morning, I saw people dancing and yelling in the streets of Washington, New York, and several other places. It caused me to stop and wonder, "Is all this celebration really a Christian response to the death of a wicked man?"
I've wrestled with that question for the last 24-48 hours, but I think the Holy Spirit has reminded me of some things I'd like to share with you. First, I think it is completely appropriate for us to rejoice over the fact that justice has finally been served. Romans 12:19 reminds us that vengeance belongs to the Lord, and the following verses of chapter 13 make it very clear that God has chosen our governing officials as a means of executing that vengeance: "For he (the government) is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minster, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil" (v. 4). God has finally brought Osama Bin Laden to justice and for that we say, "Amen!"
And yet, I wonder what God thinks about all this celebration and high-fiving going on. Should we rejoice over the death of a wicked man? I think we can agree that our response to Bin Laden's death should be like our Lord's. So what is our Lord's response to his death? "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Ezekiel 33:11). If God took no pleasure in the death of Osama Bin Laden, neither should we. Rather than killing the world's most notorious terrorist, it would've been the pleasure of our Lord to have saved him through the shed blood of His Son Jesus. And yet, it seems that Bin Laden was not willing to come, much like the Jews during the ministry of our Savior (Matt. 23:37).
In all our joy and celebration, have we stopped to consider that Osama Bin Laden split the gates of hell wide open, if in fact he died lost apart from Christ? Is that really a happy thought for us? If it is, something is desperately wrong. Rather than rejoicing over the death of a wicked man, our hearts should break that he now has no further opportunity to be reconciled to God. It should also remind us of the missionary mandate to reach the world for Christ while there is still time.
The Holy Spirit laid one final thought on my heart. We tend to put guys like Osama Bin Laden in the same category with people like Hitler and Stalin. Whether most people would say it or not, they often tend to think that hell is really reserved for those kind of people. We tend to think that they were "worse sinners" than us. But consider what Jesus said: "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). The death of Osama Bin Laden should cause us to examine our own hearts to see if we are really children of God.
So let us rejoice that justice has been served, but let's take a look in the mirror as well. Are we burdened over the spiritual condition of the lost? And could it be that we ourselves are one of those lost apart from the saving grace of Jesus? Let us all thank God that we still have a chance to receive Him and that we can compel others to do the same. Let's save our rejoicing and high-fiving for the salvation of a lost person. As Jesus said, "There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" (Luke 15:7).
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Good News for Both Sides of the Tracks
I live in Morristown, TN. It's a wonderful place to live. Morristown is best described as Small-town, USA. There's a tight, family feel throughout the community. We still have service stations that offer full-service. Local farmers still set up their produce stands right in the heart of town. My wife and I could not ask for any better place to raise our children.
There are some train tracks that run right through the middle of town. The tracks run from east to west and most of the folks around Morristown tend to think of the tracks as something of a boundary line. Everything north of the tracks is the northside of town, and likewise for the southside.
Generally speaking, most of the residents would probably agree that the "nicer amenities" are found on the northside of town. Most of the nicer homes are found north of the tracks. The largest and most ornate church buildings are found there as well. The northside is also home to Morristown's country club. I could go on, but you get the picture.
The southside of town is a little different story, especially towards the middle of the city. A large number of middle income folks used to live in small homes on the southside of town, but many of them have now relocated to the suburbs. Consequently, their old homes have either been sold or have been passed on to loved ones after their death. Homes on the southside are often a little older, in need of repair, and many of them have become rental properties. The southside of town is also home to the local Housing Authority, also known as "the projects" to most of the locals.
While driving over the tracks today, a thought occurred to me: "It doesn't matter what side of the tracks you live on. The Gospel is good news to everyone on both sides of the tracks." We often like to put people in categories, but God doesn't do that. The Bible says that "the rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the Maker of the all" (Prov. 22:2). As such, the Gospel of Jesus Christ "is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes - first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (Rom. 1:16).
How good it is to know that God's saving power and awesome love is not just good news for a few. The death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior is God's gift to all mankind (1 Tim. 2:4). That begs the question: If the Gospel really is good news for everybody, why do we tend to share it only with those who are most like us? Could it be that sometimes those on the northside of the tracks aren't interested in those on the southside, and vice versa?
Perhaps this will serve as a reminder to us that there won't be a set of train tracks running down the middle of heaven. We'll only have one class of people in glory - the Bride of Christ. God help us never to forget that we have the privilege of sharing His good news with everyone. Maybe the greatest way we can honor our Savior during this Easter season is to share His Gospel with those on both sides of the tracks. In doing so, we might be called "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Matt. 11:19). That's OK - it won't be the first time that's ever happened. I think it happened to a man from Galilee about 2000 years ago.
There are some train tracks that run right through the middle of town. The tracks run from east to west and most of the folks around Morristown tend to think of the tracks as something of a boundary line. Everything north of the tracks is the northside of town, and likewise for the southside.
Generally speaking, most of the residents would probably agree that the "nicer amenities" are found on the northside of town. Most of the nicer homes are found north of the tracks. The largest and most ornate church buildings are found there as well. The northside is also home to Morristown's country club. I could go on, but you get the picture.
The southside of town is a little different story, especially towards the middle of the city. A large number of middle income folks used to live in small homes on the southside of town, but many of them have now relocated to the suburbs. Consequently, their old homes have either been sold or have been passed on to loved ones after their death. Homes on the southside are often a little older, in need of repair, and many of them have become rental properties. The southside of town is also home to the local Housing Authority, also known as "the projects" to most of the locals.
While driving over the tracks today, a thought occurred to me: "It doesn't matter what side of the tracks you live on. The Gospel is good news to everyone on both sides of the tracks." We often like to put people in categories, but God doesn't do that. The Bible says that "the rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the Maker of the all" (Prov. 22:2). As such, the Gospel of Jesus Christ "is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes - first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (Rom. 1:16).
How good it is to know that God's saving power and awesome love is not just good news for a few. The death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior is God's gift to all mankind (1 Tim. 2:4). That begs the question: If the Gospel really is good news for everybody, why do we tend to share it only with those who are most like us? Could it be that sometimes those on the northside of the tracks aren't interested in those on the southside, and vice versa?
Perhaps this will serve as a reminder to us that there won't be a set of train tracks running down the middle of heaven. We'll only have one class of people in glory - the Bride of Christ. God help us never to forget that we have the privilege of sharing His good news with everyone. Maybe the greatest way we can honor our Savior during this Easter season is to share His Gospel with those on both sides of the tracks. In doing so, we might be called "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Matt. 11:19). That's OK - it won't be the first time that's ever happened. I think it happened to a man from Galilee about 2000 years ago.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Have We Become "Gospel-Hardened?"
Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the Bible Drills of my church's local Baptist association. While there I had the chance to catch up with one of my pastor friends. I noticed he wasn't wearing his usual "Sunday best." Instead, he was wearing a blue polo shirt. As I got a little closer, I noticed it read "Honduras Mission Trip." My pastor friend explained to me that his church had just returned from a great mission trip to Honduras. He said they saw 148 people pray to receive Christ as Savior during the course of their trip. Praise the Lord!
After we spent a few minutes rejoicing over what God had done, I asked him a question: "Why don't we see God doing things like that in America today, especially where we pastor here in the South." His response to me was very simple: "I think we've become Gospel-hardened." I knew what my pastor friend was talking about, but I don't think I'd ever heard it put quite that way before. What my friend was trying to say is that in many cases the people of our churches and our communities have heard the Gospel so many times, it's almost as if they've become immune to it.
Let me give you an example. Have you ever been sick for a long period of time only to have the doctor prescribe you a good dose of antibiotics? If you have, then you know that antibiotics are very effective at treating illness...at least for a little while. Yet after a while, the body begins to grow accustomed to the presence of the antibiotics. As a result, they no longer do the job they were intended to do. The body's immune system no longer feels the power of the antibiotics.
I'm concerned that perhaps that's exactly what has happened with the Gospel in America, especially in the South. It seems like the people of our churches have been exposed to the Gospel so much that they are no longer excited by it's saving power. Could we even say that the Gospel has become "past-tense" in some of our churches? It's something that I responded to "way back there" when I walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, visited my preacher, etc.
We find some of the same attitudes when we go witnessing in our communities (which by the way is not near often enough). We share the Gospel with folks and ask if they've placed their faith in Christ. Some people respond by saying, "Oh yeah, I've already done that." I'm usually tempted to ask, "Why aren't you and your family in church?" If you think about it, a Christian that never goes to church is like a car that never drives down the road. When others are asked about the Gospel, they seem completely disinterested. "I've heard it all before" they might say.
So what's the problem? Has the Gospel lost its power? Absolutely not! It is still "the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believes" (Rom. 1:16). So why is it that people all over the world are coming to faith in droves, while the people of America seem to be totally indifferent? Perhaps it's because we've become too prosperous. We have faired so well that the Gospel has become like an unnecessary antibiotic to us. God help us.
What's the answer? I think we've got to pray that God would remove the spiritual blinders that the "god of this age" has placed over the minds of the people inside and outside our churches. We may even need to pray that God would remove His hand of prosperity and protection so that people will see once again their need for a Savior. Maybe when that happens, the people of our churches and communities will move from being Gospel-hardened to Gospel-humbled. What a day it will be when Christians can genuinely sing that old song again, "I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me - a sinner condemned unclean."
After we spent a few minutes rejoicing over what God had done, I asked him a question: "Why don't we see God doing things like that in America today, especially where we pastor here in the South." His response to me was very simple: "I think we've become Gospel-hardened." I knew what my pastor friend was talking about, but I don't think I'd ever heard it put quite that way before. What my friend was trying to say is that in many cases the people of our churches and our communities have heard the Gospel so many times, it's almost as if they've become immune to it.
Let me give you an example. Have you ever been sick for a long period of time only to have the doctor prescribe you a good dose of antibiotics? If you have, then you know that antibiotics are very effective at treating illness...at least for a little while. Yet after a while, the body begins to grow accustomed to the presence of the antibiotics. As a result, they no longer do the job they were intended to do. The body's immune system no longer feels the power of the antibiotics.
I'm concerned that perhaps that's exactly what has happened with the Gospel in America, especially in the South. It seems like the people of our churches have been exposed to the Gospel so much that they are no longer excited by it's saving power. Could we even say that the Gospel has become "past-tense" in some of our churches? It's something that I responded to "way back there" when I walked an aisle, prayed a prayer, visited my preacher, etc.
We find some of the same attitudes when we go witnessing in our communities (which by the way is not near often enough). We share the Gospel with folks and ask if they've placed their faith in Christ. Some people respond by saying, "Oh yeah, I've already done that." I'm usually tempted to ask, "Why aren't you and your family in church?" If you think about it, a Christian that never goes to church is like a car that never drives down the road. When others are asked about the Gospel, they seem completely disinterested. "I've heard it all before" they might say.
So what's the problem? Has the Gospel lost its power? Absolutely not! It is still "the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believes" (Rom. 1:16). So why is it that people all over the world are coming to faith in droves, while the people of America seem to be totally indifferent? Perhaps it's because we've become too prosperous. We have faired so well that the Gospel has become like an unnecessary antibiotic to us. God help us.
What's the answer? I think we've got to pray that God would remove the spiritual blinders that the "god of this age" has placed over the minds of the people inside and outside our churches. We may even need to pray that God would remove His hand of prosperity and protection so that people will see once again their need for a Savior. Maybe when that happens, the people of our churches and communities will move from being Gospel-hardened to Gospel-humbled. What a day it will be when Christians can genuinely sing that old song again, "I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me - a sinner condemned unclean."
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