My Christian training was built around experience and ‘doing
good.’ I learned to approach worship
primarily through emotions as a Pentecostal. Church in my childhood years
included joyous shouts, crying, exuberant singing, and some crazy,
unexplainable things done in God’s name. We were also taught about holiness and
it was easy to feel like a bad Christian, or even ‘not a Christian’ when
temptations took root and grew into some sinful behavior. There was a great
deal of emphasis on being pure, some impossible standards set in place, and some
people who would not or could not ‘conform’ were treated as second class, on
occasion even rejected by the church.
The tendency to try to make Christ’s work
happen by human effort has not diminished over time. Christians still tend to
decide who is in and who is out, failing to account for the immeasurable grace
of God and the persistent power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told a story that calls on us to leave the judgment to Him and to trust that He can preserve His work
in the world. “The kingdom of heaven
is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was
sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When
the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s
servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field?
Where then did the weeds come from?’ ”‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The
servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ”‘No,’ he answered,
‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the
harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then
gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”" (Matthew 13:24-30, NIV)
His story made little sense to anyone
familiar with agriculture. Getting the weeds out of the field was basic to
getting a better harvest. But, in His field, the separation of wheat and weeds IS
NOT the work to be done by us. What a radical concept but it is perfectly aligned with His message of
supernaturally inspired love and grace. The farmer leaves the weeds; the
farmer forgives the weeds. The citizens
of God’s kingdom deal with evil by forgiving it. We set aside the temptation to “moral
superiority” and we let the weeds grow
right alongside us because we are
secured in God’s grace, not our own righteousness.
Jesus teaches the full meaning of His story to the
disciples. "His disciples came to
him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He
answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the
world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the
sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is
the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up
and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man
will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that
causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will
shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him
hear." (Matthew 13:36-43, NIV)
There
will be a day of judgment! God will not ignore disbelief and sin. It is not
pleasant to read of the destruction and punishment of those who refuse the
grace of God, is it?
His story leaves us with two important conclusions.
First is that He will
take care of His children and keep us as we live among people who care
nothing for Him, even those who are imposters that sit with us in the
congregation of God. IF we are walking with Him, living in the Spirit, we need
not fear that somehow the sin of the world will overtake us. We live with full
confidence that God is greater. It is
for us to continue to hold out the grace of Christ, to accept people with the hope
that they will believe and receive, being changed along with us into saints of
the Living God. If we wrongly shut the doors of the Kingdom to those we deem
unworthy, beyond help, or too sinful; we are stepping into the role that
belongs to God alone.
Second, there is a
time when God will separate good and evil and those who have loved Him will
become radiant with His goodness, when the ‘weeds’ are removed in the Judgment.
Hopeful? Yes. Sobering? Yes, too.
We are making our way into the second week of Lent, a time
to reflect, repent, perhaps even practice some form of self-denial. Let’s
keep our focus on Jesus! We are not ‘better’ because we fast two meals
instead of one, because we are willing to give up social media and some others
will not. Those kinds of choices must be made for the sole purpose of inviting
Christ to be Lord of our lives, to remind ourselves that we are more than flesh
and appetite, people of soul and spirit. The moment we choose to decide, even
subtly, who is more worthy, who is a ‘real’ Christian by our own estimation, we
assume the role that belongs exclusively to Christ at the End of the Age.
Our word from the Word comes from Paul’s final letter,
written to Timothy. He reminds that timid pastor of God’s wonderful grace for
us. May these words inspire us to love Him, waiting patiently for the full
revelation of His Kingdom. "But
God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and
“Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness.”
In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made
of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and
the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a
utensil God can use for his purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be
ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Run from anything that
stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right.
Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy
the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."
(2 Timothy 2:19-22, NLT)
Don’t slip into the error of trying to be ‘good enough’ by
comparing yourself to others in your fellowship. Instead, thank God that He is making
you complete in Christ and grow on in grace.
______________
O Come
To The Altar
(an invitation song … from Elevation Worship)
(an invitation song … from Elevation Worship)
Are you hurting and broken within
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin
Jesus is calling
Have you come to the end of yourself
Do you thirst for a drink from the well
Jesus is calling
O come to the altar
The Father's arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Leave behind your regrets and mistakes
Come today there's no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy
From the ashes a new life is born
Jesus is calling
Oh what a Savior
Isn't he wonderful
Sing alleluia Christ is risen
Bow down before him
For he is Lord of all
Sing alleluia Christ is risen
Bear your cross as you wait for the crown
Tell the world of the treasure you've found
Chris Brown | Mack Brock | Steven Furtick | Wade Joye
© 2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by
Essential Music Publishing LLC)
CCLI License # 810055
No comments:
Post a Comment