II Timothy 2:16-21, John 15:9, Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:15
What is it about being Christ-followers that we are not getting? We seem to be missing in action. It's as if all of this Sunday morning activity has nothing to do with our lives on a day-to-day basis. Our culture is becoming more Godless and we Christians are not standing up and making an impact. We are not to participate in evil, we are to face it down.
Do we even know the 10? I am talking about the 10 Commandments. Can you write them down right now without flipping over to Exodus? Probably not. How can we stand up to wrong without even knowing deeply what is wrong. We are sucked in by the culture, we bend to it, compromise to it and then we look and act just like the ones who have never met Christ.
The good news is that Jesus came and left to those of us who accept him a power we must have to stand through the corruption. The bad news is that Jesus raised the bar. While the 10 Commandments are a perfect way to begin to be God's person in this world, Jesus made our call impossible without this power to save, guide and sustain us.
In II Timothy 2 we read: 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Paul is pointing out that there are some teachers who have departed from the teachings of Christ who getting some attention. Well, we can all agree that this is happening here and now. Before you listen to a preacher, look hard to understand their true motivation. Don't be swept up into thinking you can send a few dollars to some TV preacher and God will just take care of your life.
We don't need coach potato Christians as we are called to put ourselves into action in the world. John 15:9 says: 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus is saying that people will only know we are following him when we, "love others as I have loved you." That is the impossible assignment which is the reason I am sure most of us just pretend to follow Jesus. What? I have to be willing to die for a stranger? I have to put other people ahead of my own self-interests? I have to get to the back of the line to make room for others? Yes. That is the call. And, there is more!
Matthew 28:19-20 reads: 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
First we are to do the loving thing day in and day out and to every person we encounter. Second we are to "preach" the gospel to every person. Preaching is just talking. For us as individuals living out our lives it is more like being in conversation and being willing to tell others why following Jesus works.
In the II Timothy passage we see that each of us is unique and God wants to make you and me holy and useful. Romans 10:15 says, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel." Let's let God have his way with us and let's put into action what we know is right and true and beautiful.
