We let our faith and belief be shaped by what we see around us and what we feel as well as whether this whole “doing” thing is working. We’re Americans after all. If it doesn’t work, why bother to keep trying? But being a Christian is far more than what you do. In fact, I’d argue that being a Christian has far more to do with your identity in Jesus than with what you’ve done.
We are addicted to sight. We are addicted to needing to know. We are addicted to control. Some of you plan way in advance. Some of you do tons of research before you even think about buying something. You might get nervous before you travel. You worry that something might not go according to plan. I don’t think a single one of you wants to live a boring life.
I can’t help but wonder what we as Christians do, say or think that is particularly indicative of our specific culture or upbringing that is influencing us. What things from our culture are influencing us that are un-Christian? What things might influence us that contradict our faith? What things could we be learning from Christians from other time periods or other countries and therefore from other cultures?
We’ve got tons of Christian websites, Christian music, Christian movies, Christian political groups–in effect we’ve created an alternative to just about everything the secular world offers and slapped a Christian-approved stamp on it.
Who is someone you could go out and encourage today? What random stranger could you give an unexpected, unknown encouragement to? Your encouragement to them today will mean a lot coming from you. You could give a random friend a hug and tell them you’re happy that the two of you are friends. You could call up a random friend and tell them you miss them and are praying for them.
You see Christian, you and I are the watchmen. We must show the love and grace of Jesus. We must not pull the punches and fail to speak when there is truth that must be declared. We must be brutally honest. This world needs (though often does not want to hear) the truth and it needs to be bold in our proclamation of what is true. However, we must speak the truth in love.
You have churches popping up all over the place and yet still more and more churches are dying out. It’s like a consumerist propaganda, each church is trying to sell themselves as having what the guy down the street doesn’t have and I hear people comparing churches like they compare hamburger joints. The preferences over theology, music, eschatology, liturgy, and preaching style have caused a great splintering of the evangelical Church in America.
