I was listening to Keith Green's song, the Sheep and the Goats the other day. If you have never heard of Keith Green here is a YouTube copy of the song for your enjoyment:
The song is based on Matthew 25:31-46. I have always read that Scripture through the eyes of the "sheep". Another words, as the Christian who did those wonderful Christian things like feed the poor, visit the sick, etc. I felt somewhat self righteous. I have never looked at myself that way but I see now that I was very proud of being a sheep. Every time I have looked at this passage I recalled all of the times I ministered to those less fortunate.
I was needing a good smack upside the head.
I got when just over a week ago.
I was coming back from a Salvation Army social service conference Abbotsford, BC. It was a great few days of encouragement, refreshing and a challenge to embrace those God has called us to work with.
I left feeling pumped...and tired.
We left the conference after lunch to start the 13 hour drive home. We had plans to overnight a little over halfway home. A couple hours in we stopped at a convenience store and got out to stretch. As we walked in the store, my wife noticed a lady hitchhiking on the road. Unbeknownst to me she began praying and asking God if we should pick her up. Apparently He said yes because as we pulled out on the highway, she asked me to stop and pick this lady up.
Let's just say I was not happy with the decision. I was tired and didn't feel "up" for ministry. I pulled over and the lady hopped in. Over the next couple hours I had my own conversation with God, one I am ashamed to say was filled with grumbling and complaining. Meanwhile Sarah was chatting this lady up in the backseat. As she continued the conversation the lady began opening up and the next thing I know she was sobbing.
You would think that would have softened me up a bit but even though I silently prayed for her and for Sarah, I was still miffed that our schedule was impacted by this distraction. I was wondering what this adventure would "cost" us.
After awhile, she asked to be dropped off and Sarah again spoke with her about God bringing her into our path and the woman again broke into tears.
I had a lot of repenting to do that day. I was reminded of this passage of Scripture and on this day, I was acting much more like a goat than a sheep.
I was not wanting to inconvenience my plans. MY PLANS! God obviously had other plans but on this day I was not wanting to go along with them. Only God knows where this woman is with her journey towards Him, but I know that if my thoughts had become action, it could have negatively impacted this woman to the Gospel.
Thankfully Sarah was listening to God.
I share this confession of my mistake because I don't want you to make the same one. I thank God His mercies are new every morning.
I never again want to act like a goat. I was miserable.
I want to reach those less fortunate but not out of pride. I want to serve those God brings me into contact with in humility.
I never put much thought into baby mobiles before. However, I was consulting with my friend at the Brain Injury Association (Where I am a client in good standing) and she used a baby mobile to talk about how brain injuries impact everyone in the family. Her point was that if you touch one of the pieces hanging down, all will move and sway. In that vein, my head injury has caused sway and movement in my family as we have all had to learn coping skills and balance in this new reality.
So what does that have to do with the Body of Christ?
I was reading 1 Corinthians the other day and came across this verse in chapter twelve:
"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one
member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." (1 Corinthians
12:26)
I was reminded of the baby mobile illustration when I read this.
Sin, that thing we try to hide from others, once revealed, (and let's be honest, it's always revealed), can cause others to suffer as well. What we do in secret can negatively impact not only us, but everyone around us. Even a "simple" lie complicates all of our relationships.
Sickness, pain, fear, you name it... can cause all around us to be shaken and rocked to our core.
The same holds true for positive things as well.
One person in a family becoming a Christian will cause people around them to contemplate their own relationships (or lack thereof) with Christ. Joy is contagious and as your spirits are lifted, you will also lift the spirits of those around you.
The choices we make can shake our foundations, sometimes to the very core. They can also change our lives and the lives of those around us.
I like Joshua's challenge to the people of Israel:
"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom
you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region
beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.
But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) We all make choices; why not make a choice to live a life pleasing to God?
Then when those around us are moved, it will be for the glory of God!
I have been coaching girl's basketball for the last few weeks. Our town has a 6 week spring league for youth and this is my second year coaching 10-11 year old girls.
Imagine my surprise when one of the girls asked me that question as I was going over plays before they went back onto the floor. It through me for a bit of a loop. I forgot that I had a t-shirt on under my open jacket. The shirt had one of those Christian messages on it. This particular one said, "Sin is the leading cause of death" and quoted Romans 6:23 which says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life ina]"> Christ Jesus our Lord."
My mindbegan to race just a bit. I tried to ignore her question and focus the team back on the plays I was trying to call. Persistent, she asked the question again. Again I attempted to ignore her.
It wasn't that I did not know how to answer her, but I was asked to coach by the town and could not be seen as using this as a chance to evangelize kids without a parents knowledge.When she asked a 3rd time I was seriously flummoxed. I was attempting to form an answer when another 10 year old burst forth with a response, which was far more appropriate for her to do in that situation.
However it got me to thinking...what is sin? Some consider the big "issues" like abortion, murder, rape, etc to be sin. Others look at "little white lies" and say they are ok. Some justify sin for whatever reasons and even mis-quote and interpret Scriptures accordingly.
So what is Sin to you? Are some sins worse than others?
Most everyone has heard the legend of the Trojan Horse. If not here is a brief Wikipedia review:
In the best-known version, after a fruitless 10-year siege of Troy, the Greeks built a huge figure of a horse, inside which a select force of 30 men hid. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the Horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the Horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greek army entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war.
Recently, I encountered a trojan horse via my computer. I received a notice in the form of a pop- up, which said my computer was infected with a virus and that I needed new virus protection to deal with it. I made the mistake of clicking cancel on this thing I thought was just an innocent pop- up, and the next day my computer had been infected. I could not open any programs except one browser. It had been infected with a fake antivirus program that was causing problems with my whole system. This thing came in while I was unaware, weakened my system and cut my effectiveness in half.
Sin is like that, too. You may think you are just innocently touching it and the next thing you know your whole system is infected. Sin weakens us, cuts our effectiveness, and leaves us feeling frustrated and worn out. I spent hours trying to fix this computer glitch. I am saddened to admit I don't spend that much time dealing with sin in my own life. I want to change that. When sin crops up I don't just want to repent, I want to get to the root and see it dug out, find out where I let the enemy get a foothold and deal with it.
The only way I could get my computer fixed was to open it in safe mode and restore it to an earlier point. The same thing holds true in my walk with God. When I stumble, I need to retreat to a safe place. That place is in the shadow of His wings! Psalm 57:1 says it best, "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."
In that safe place I can turn again to the Lord. I can repent and let Him restore me.
I can also make sure I have proper "virus" protection. I can remember the words of 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (I could tell you what it says but wouldn't you enjoy looking it up?) and make sure I have on the full armor of God! (Ephesians 6:10-18)
So stay alert, stand on guard and stay in the Word. Take every thought captive and cling to the Father!
The Cross. A device used by Rome to torture and kill its enemies. The Cross. A device used by God to save mankind from sin! Rome used it for death. God used it so that through death we can have life!
God sent His Son to die for us. Yes the cross is an instrument of death. It is also an instrument of eternal life! Sadly, the church has turned the cross into a religious icon, devoid of power, destined to hang around peoples necks as a fashion statement!
Yet when it comes to our church services, that is where the cross ultimately stays, as a religious fashion statement. Yes it gets mentioned occasionally. Usually in the week leading up to Easter. We trudge the ol' cross out, do our religious duty of mentioning the sacrifice of God and pack it back away for another year.
Rarely is the cross mentioned beyond that. Sin…the very thing which got the world into this mess, is mentioned about as often!
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
I have heard the salvation message delivered many times, often as not people are encouraged to give their lives to God, without nary a mention of sin and none of the cross. Jesus died for you. He will forgive your sins. All very generic.
Are we offended by the cross? Has our church become so politically correct that we are afraid to talk about the cross? Are we afraid to mention sin because we don't want to offend people?
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Love, Grace, Peace. All valid things. God does love us, He did extend us grace, and He does provide peace in the midst of pain. However Sin, Death, Hell, The Cross are just as valid. We are in danger of loving people right into hell!
People need to hear about the sacrifice of Jesus. They need to know it was OUR sin that drove Him to the cross! Accepting the truth of His death AND resurrection is the only chance we have to LIFE!
It is time to get real with a dying world. Let's love them to life, not death.
I chatted with a lady today who had some similar experiences to mine in her early Christian walk. We were chatting about the church and how it responds to adversity. I shared how soon after we became Christians my family hit a financial speed bump and over a period of time lost nearly everything. Being new Christians we were told by many in the church we had somehow sinned and God we punishing us. This lady expressed being told the same thing when adversity hit her life.
Sad isn't it?
I came across a question a while back which burned itself into my mind. What happens when God is bigger than your religion?
It seems to often when bad things happen Christians immediately think someone sinned. Our "religion" tells us all bad things are due to sin. However it just ain't so. I remember the Scripture where Jesus was confronted with a sick man and was asked who sinned, the man or his family? (John 9:2)
I also remember Job...whom God pointed out as righteous and told Satan he was allowed to mess with.
I look constantly in the Scriptures for those apostles who had a cushy, easy life. Still looking. Seems hardship was a given. Does this mean God can't rescue, restore, bless? Absolutely not. God can and does these things. It does mean though that sometimes our religion tells us God only blesses and only prospers and only heals....what happens when He doesn't? Does He stop being God? I believe we try to box God into our comfortable way of thinking about Him. However God is bigger than our religion. He does things the Baptists, Pentecostals, Anglicans, etc... can't justify or handle. He's God. When confronted with something our "religion" can't explain, we need to turn to the Word and look for God to answer it.
If we don't find the answers we are looking for right away, we will find within God's word, plenty of evidence about His character, to remind us that He is always good and that His thoughts are not ours. We will also find there words to challenge us: "Be joyful always..." "Do not be anxious about anything..." "Perfect love casts out fear...," and so many others.
Dig into the Word and let God blow your mind. He is awesome. He is big! He is Holy!
The storm struck in March and left Tennessee in a mess. I remember listening to the radio as the snow fell and hearing all the calls for rescue vehicles coming in over the radio. Power lines fell, people were stranded, the salt trucks could not keep up. All told the storm did $6.6 billion in damages. In East Tn. where I lived we received a little over 10 inches of snow. That summer people were wearing an "I Survived the Blizzard of 93" t-shirts.
Now here in Canada where I live now 10 inches does not qualify as a blizzard. In fact when I share this with people here they even chuckle a little. It's all about perspective though. Tenn. does not get much snow. They have very few salt trucks even. There is no need. Some winters there we were wearing t-shirts in Dec. 10 inches of snow there is crippling.
Perspective. Kind of like our relationship with God.
As a young believer I kept hearing the phrase, "A sinner saved by grace." Now don't get me wrong that is a very true statement. However many people live there. That becomes their identity. They walk around and see themselves as a sinner. Well when you focus on sin what are you going to do? That's right sin. Tell a child, or a husband, not to take a bite of fresh out of the oven cookies and what will they do? Eat a cookie. We want what we think about.
Yes I was a sinner saved by grace. However now I am a New Creation in Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:17) I was crucified with Christ and I no longer live! (Galatians 2:20). My perspective has changed. I see myself as new in Christ. When I think on Him I can't be thinking about sin. The key there though is keeping my mind fixed on Christ. When I take my eyes off Jesus I fall faster than a ton of bricks. However when I fix my eyes on Him I can't be thinking about sin.
I want to encourage you to develop a fresh perspective. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!
I remember years ago participating in a skit called sin don’t touch.The idea behind the skit being that a chair represents sin and God points to the chair and says no one is to touch it.Of course man comes along and immediately touches it and gets stuck to the chair.It was a humorous little sketch used to illustrate a point.
What got me thinking about this skit?
I was up early on a Sun. morning and flipped on the TV to catch the weather.Across my screen came a televangelist.I don’t remember which one and it’s not real important.He was talking a lot about blessings.However he made it sound very cheap and easy to acquire and never mentioned sin, repentance, surrender, etc.
Now I believe fully God blesses His children.That’s not really the point.
I was just realizing that I never here sin talked about anymore.Now granted I haven’t been to every church in the world and your church may talk about sin and repentance.If so thank God!I rejoice with you.
However I notice many times I never here anything mentioned about sin, a need for a savior, repentance, anything.Just recently an article in a Canadian magazine even posed the thought that Jesus wasn’t needed in church today!
How sad.Are people being made aware they have a problem and that there is only ONE way out?God abundantly blesses His children but before we can have abundant blessings and become His children we need to have repentance.Before we can repent we have to know there is sin!It’s why I wear a t-shirt that says Sin is the leading cause of death! (Romans 6:23)
So let’s touch the topic of sin.Address it while we can and point people to the hope that is in Jesus Christ!
