In my circle I believe that the church suffers a low-grade fever. Something is ajar in our system; yet it doesn't stop us from going to work. We are suffering malady due to diversion and division.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The way is Jesus; not our multi-five-step approaches. The truth is Jesus; not the gathering of connected Bible texts. The life is Jesus; not aggressive work and energetic enthusiasm for shuttling ministry throughout any week. Jesus is the frame and the heart. We are to come to him....John 5:39ff.
Evangelism is to be about Jesus; not our programs and not our approach. The latter matters, for sure, but if the goal is not to develop Jesus in the heart of the student we will possibly baptize for the count; but not for the discipling thrust.
Worship is to offer intense glory to God in the Spirit of Jesus. To check off the five main features with little relationship to Jesus during the exercise...is merely religious exercise which ultimately dries and withers the heart.
Service is about the presence of Jesus. Activity can be a mask for failing to spend time learning of the person Jesus. A relationship with him can be absent while the church calendar is jam-packed.
Preaching is to be about Jesus. Sermon outlines may be creative; yet Jesus is the life in the sermons. The delivery isn't as key as we preachers would like to believe. The relationship to him and his presence leaves us able to "get" the message. Due to his magnificent grace he will override both our creativity or our fumbling. Jesus will communicate (beyond the formation of our English words) and the listeners will have heard him for they know his voice.
How shall we measure these challenges? Take note of two things.
- When you work do you think about him and the joy and the provision he brings or are you oblivious of his presence at the expense of rolling up your committed sleeves and jumping in with both feet? We must be sober about developing our lives directly into Jesus. All else is futile and the result is disappointing failure.
- Do you spend time in prayer talking it over with him or do you roll up your committed sleeves and jump in with both feet?
1 comment:
Challenging! Most needed and well received!
This post is exactly where we are in the church were I serve. We strive to ensure Jesus is the centerpiece, not us.
I love how you framed the entire post. Your post is about Jesus!
Thanks!
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