Its like Fruity O's and Fruit loops. As a kid I loved Fruit Loops and I have never been tempted to buy the no-name generic equivalent "Fruity O's". Fruit Loops are not healthy and they are not attempting to copy any other cereal. "Fruity O's" on the other hand are trying to attract the Fruit Loop lovers as if to say "hey we can be just like your favourite cereal for less money"
Being a believer is not cool. Not because we're trying to be like the world and vying for the world's attention, that's just sad. It's not cool because being cool implies honour. Honour received from the world around us and the church at its heart is counter to what is esteemed by the world. Take for instance the Apostles of the early church. They were fools for Christ, weak and despised (1Cor 5:10). Not cool.
Believers are weak and must rely on the Holy Spirit for strength (2 Cor 12:9-10). Strength to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, strength to get through each day, every day carrying about the death of our bodies. We are the stench of death to the world (2 Cor 2:15-16). Have you ever smelled death? I have and it is the worst kind of smell. Our belief is sometimes called a crutch, its not. Its an entire life support system.
We have become fools for Christ. To the world its shameful to believe the earth was created, that Adam and Eve were the first humans, that Noah built an ark. That Jesus will return again some day. Don't think so? Go to a university or run for office and tell people you believe these things and see if you don't suffer any shame from them.
We act shamefully... or at least we should. We are supposed to serve our brothers and sisters. Not just getting them a coffee or helping them build a fence that's all great but that can actually bring honour to the giver. It was shameful in Jesus' day for Him to wash the disciples dirty feet. It was so shameful that it embarrassed Peter. We are to serve and think of everyone else as more important than ourselves and give honour to the most lowly members of our congregation.
Some churches today are so focused on entertainment and being cool that their worship has become more like a rock concert than worship. The leader looks cool, sounds really professional and the worship experience is created to be technically excellent. Now we even have liturgical dance. For the uninformed, this is young attractive women dancing beautifully at the front. I imagine, this is supposed to enhance the already beautiful worship experience. I questioned this to someone who was promoting it and I was told that some young girl might look up to one of these dancers and then that would provide an opportunity to witness and lead her to Christ. I replied, "that sounds logical but Jesus didn't say "if ye be lifted up" He said "if I be lifted up I will draw all men to me"
At the time I knowingly misinterpreted this scripture to make my point but it didn't matter, the person who I was talking to had nothing to say further on the matter. Now I see that it was ok that I misinterpreted it and I'll tell you what I mean. Today we think of lifting up as being highly esteemed, to think better of someone or something but that scripture isn't saying if Jesus is lifted up in our praise as a banner or someone to praise. Jesus was saying that He would be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness. Like an enemies body hanging on a pole. It means that Jesus will be a curse because the Bible says cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree.
And this why on retrospect I think maybe I was right about quoting this scripture even if I didn't know it at the time. Our leader, our Lord became shame for us. If we are true followers we will follow Him bearing His cross and not scorning its shame but rather rejoicing that we are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
2 comments:
To me, this is all part of the tendency of the modern Christian to take his mind off his true home. Peter tells us we are strangers and pilgrims. Strangers in a strange land should not be surprised when the natives don't prioritise them as highly as they do other natives.
Recently I was in a Bible study where people were tut-tutting over the fact that the province has mandated "Religions of the World" teaching, but they have excluded Christianity. There was a general sense of outrage and indignation. I was totally unsurprised - in fact would have been shocked to hear that the province was including Christianity in its curriculum.
Being strangers in this land means that we should not be looking around for ways to make ourselves comfortable here. This is not our home - it's a place we must struggle through to GET home. Nobody parks their car in their driveway, gets out, and unrolls a sleeping bag onto the wet concrete with a sigh of relief. "Ah...it's good to be not quite home."
Peter says we're to count it a blessing to suffer for the cause of Christ. He repeatedly calls the early Church "strangers"...and he was one who had experience with taking his eyes off the Lord to look around himself.
Sorry to hijack your comments...I liked your post a lot and this is a subject very dear to my heart. Thanks for writing about it.
I agree, many Christians get entangled by hedonism.
It's worse than putting their hands to the plow and looking back. They never walk over to the plow in the first place. Instead they park themselves in a lazy boy with the remote control.
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