"There's only eleven of you left that I have trained, so I'll be careful not to say anything that might offend you and cause you to leave this group, because this group is the most important thing. I want you to love each other and take care of each other's needs, and as you do that, study and talk about the things that I have said to you, learn what your spiritual gifts and strengths are so that you might speak eloquently and spiritually from the pulpit, and sing beautifully of your love for me in this beautiful upper room y'all have fixed up, but be careful to avoid those things that might offend and cause discomfort to any of you, because there are so few of you, and we don't want to lose anybody.
"You don't have to worry about the poor. All they have to do is get out and work and they can make it. Besides, they are usually dirty and may be a drain on our finances and plans for a new meeting room, which they would probably mess up anyway."
"And the sick? Everybody gets sick, it's just part of life. Don't worry if someone cannot afford to go to the doctor. It's not your problem. They should have taken better care of themselves and saved up a little money. Why should you sacrifice for their failings? And if we get too close, we might catch it. Like I said, I don't want to lose any of this group."
"And the foreigner in your land? He has no right to be here. You don't have to do anything at all for him. In fact, things would be a lot easier if he wasn't here, so, why don't you just try to get rid of him?"
"In fact, I am telling you, don't worry about anyone that is not part of this group. Just take care of each other, support one another in our group and compliment each other on your goodness, and everything will be alright."
"And the government? Like I told you, let Caesar do what he wants to, that is not our concern. If we bother him too much we might lose our tax free status."
Jesus didn't really say that. I just made it up.
But if you are listening for the voice of the Body of Christ, that is, the Church, to tell you much different, you will have to listen very closely. At best you may hear truths. But too often you will only hear silence or perhaps beautiful, satisfying platitudes. At worst, agreement.
I can hear you thinking, Bob has gotten all het up and gone off the deep end again.
I only wish I had the courage to really do that . . .go off the deep end. I wish we all did. But like most everyone else, all I got so far is just so many words.
It is time for the Body of Christ to go out into deep water as Jesus really said. Out of sight of land. Out where it is too deep to touch bottom, where the strong currents run, where we must depend on an anchor that must be far weightier than our own bodies, our own strength, out where chances are taken for the sake of the catch, out into the mystery, where there is no certainty, but only faith in the one who invites out of the safety of the boat and into the water, out to where He has called us to go. And you have to travel light when headed into deep waters.
Did you hear the voice of the Body of Christ from a pulpit today telling you to go out and stand with the Foreigner in your land (that would be Alabama, for those who don't recognize subtlety), even at the risk of being oppressed yourself?
Did you hear the voice of the Body of Christ from a pulpit today insisting that the sick must be cared for now, even if you have to make it happen, whether they can pay for it or not?
Did you hear the voice of the Body of Christ from a pulpit today command you to go feed the hungry or better yet invite some over for dinner because millions are starving today? Or open your home to the homeless because millions have no place of safety tonight? Or stand between the oppressor and the oppressed because thousands are being killed?
Did you hear the voice of the Body of Christ from a pulpit today say that you must not remain silent in the face of injustice?
We spend a lot of time and resources in churches attempting to determine our spiritual gifts and our natural strengths, ideally for the purpose answering God's call. We learn whether we can teach a Bible Study, work with children, run the sound system, greet worshippers, or maybe preside over the Administrative Council. But we seem to be waiting for that person that is called or suited to do the big things, the preposterous things, the impossible things. He has already come. And He asked us to follow Him.
It is a preposterous thing to truly follow Jesus. He is headed for strange lands. He will lead us into deep water. He is waiting for us to get up from our pews (or padded chairs) and come.
I was inspired this spring and continue to be inspired by the willingness of people to be sacrificial in offering help to those hurt and injured in the tornadoes of April and May. Some put themselves in danger. Some gave out of scarcity to those who had even less. The Body of Christ, the Church, was a major part of that effort. Didn't you feel how right that was? Haven't you been amazed at what has been accomplished?
It was exceptional.
And that is a problem.
Because that kind of living and loving is not supposed to be the exception.
It is supposed to be the way we are, always, and everywhere. It is the personality of Jesus.
But we need to hear the chosen, ordained voices of the Body courageously put the mission into into words. Every Sunday.
And the rest of us must have ears to hear.
Even if it offends us.
.
That's the problem with the church today. It has turned into a place of meeting friends, drinking coffee, and listening to musicians who go through the routine of playing "worship" music. The church has turned into a place it's not supposed to be. People think when they try to witness to an unbeliever (if they do), they are supposed to redirect them to the nearest church. That's not biblical evangelism at all. Church buildings were intended for disciples of Jesus Christ to gather and give praise in community, not to convert. WE, THE CHURCH, are called to go out and meet people where they are at and help them there. Then when they decide to follow Christ they have a place to go. Too many times people slack off on what Christ called us to do. Jesus didn't redirect people to the nearest synagogue, He helped them where they were at. Trying to bring an unbeliever to church is like trying to bring a fish to a desert.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I think people do that because they don't crack their Bibles and don't want to take scripture out of context, or that they feel because they aren't part of the clergy that's not their job.
I agree with you, the church: lay and clergy, needs to answer the call. Matt. 28:19 all the way.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I am one of those coffee drinking musicians somewhere on most Sundays so it has caused me to think.
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