I actually went to Church

September 25, 2011

 

 Becky and I visited a church today where a good looking, entertaining pastor began his sermon. I sat back in my chair and thought this is going to be fun! He was gregarious, personable, tweeking individual members of the audience with inside jokes.

The text was the beginning of the apostle  Paul's letter to His son in the faith Timothy. Timothy, the preacher explained, was a young guy charged with a big ministry job and Paul was basically telling him to hang in and fan the fire within himself and don't be put off by His critics.

The entertaining preacher used this text to get the congregation to look at their own spiritual state, be honest about their spiritual life and take action if its flagging. I slumped in my chair. But I thought no..give it a chance, what makes you so smart Scott?  Whats wrong with looking at your own life and seeing if your in the faith.

 

 

So the preacher asked our congregation "hows your bible reading?" I did think to myself that the early church didn't have a bible for at least a few hundred years and they did ok. Next he asked "hows your prayer life?" I thought well..mine is sketchy, but I definetely pray. Then he asked if we sing along in Church, that that's a sign of spiritual vitality.  I thought well..sometimes. I must admit though the long hip church guitar dirges with 40 choruses moaning the same thing do wear me out.

 

Next he asked if we had joy. Well sometime I do..but certainly not all the time. Anyway you get the point. I go to church..have a great time at the entrance seeing my friends, and then I get inside and have to start thinking about what a wobbly, weak, watered down christian I am. By the way the last sentence is an accurate description of me.

 

I asked my wife at our post service breakfast if that sermon did anything for her. I got the look..like don't start; and honestly I don't blame her.

 

I guess what bugged me is that I left questioning myself and my efforts. I am 59 years old and I have heard probably a thousand sermons like that. Sermons that point out where I am missing something and what I have to do to get things right. The sad part is not once has one of those sermons moved me any farther along in my faith; not even once.

 

I tried to think what was missing in the sermon. Well the obvious screaming fact for me was Jesus. By that I mean..not just the name (although it was pretty absent), but a sense that I have been given a free lease on life in Jesus. I want to hear that yes I am a rat..we all are in various degrees..but Jesus has made me well.

 

What I just said is a hard thing to say well and in a fresh way..that Jesus has made the whole human race well completely. He has forgiven each and every human on the planet alive or dead for every fault and sin and dereliction of duty they ever have or will commit  free and for nothin!!

 

He has taken their broken down lives and broken down bodies and made them new..and hasn't asked a thing in return. I want someone to tell me that in a new way..in their own unique way. That's good news. Do you want to know what bad news is? Bad news is that you are failing spiritually  ( wow thats big news) and you better get your act together. Thats bad news because it ain't gonna happen. You might get your crooked nose straightened out but you still will walk croooked. You might slow down the drinking, but your incessant worrying over finances runs unabated. You might finally stop eating too much but continue to run your neighbor down behind His back..you get the idea. We are NOT IMPROVING..we need total saving from outside ourselves.

 

You know what's easy to preach and will make you popular? It goes something like this:  Improve your self for God so He will like you and so you will like you. Everybody gets, undertands and approves of that kind of preaching.

 

You know whats hard to preach? It's this: That God loves you and has saved you despite your best efforts to run him off. He is not remembering your broken promises, your family failures, your cowardice.. He has flat out given you a deal you don't deserve..His undying love, acceptance and friendship in Jesus. Thats a little dull and doesn't leave you a lot to do. Well if you feel really ambitious you could try to practice that same attitude of love and friendship and forgiveness to the other poor travellers on the bus..theres a task for all you gogetters.