Saturday, October 08, 2005
Where to Look -- What To Seek
Speaking with the voice of an Old Testament prophet, Broken Messenger says the following
Our lack of effectiveness in society is one thing. Our lack of faith in preaching a complete Gospel to a seeking society is another. But it should trouble us deeply that a society that is quickly descending into the morass of sin that renders it blind to the only Savior that can free it from its bonds; is being ministered to by a church that seems far more focused on critiquing the descent of that society, instead of providing the Good News of Jesus Christ that leads it to freedom from its destructive course.The church has a job and christians have many jobs. While many christians have the job, even the obligation, to be active citizens of our democracy, the church's job is singlefold -- preach the gospel. But comes the rejoinder -- "People come when I talk about society -- I can't reach them if they don't come." Two responses:
- Go to them, why do they have to come to you?
- Matt 10:14 - "And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Yet again I am rejoined -- "But if people don't come the plate will be empty, we can't light the lights or pay the organist, or maybe even me." To this I respond:
Matt 6:25-33 - "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? "And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? "And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?The world is as it is because we lack the necessary faith, because we have yet to truly capture the good news for ourselves. Be convicted and respond to that conviction not with external action, but with internal examination. Respond to that conviction by asking God for faith.
"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.
