Some rough thoughts for your comments:
It is a fairly popular comment nowadays--even listed in the "Hills We Die On" list from Xchurch--proudly stated, that we bring God our "A-Game".
Some of you may just laugh when you hear this. You may find it hard to believe that Christian Leadership would present such a slogan as discipleship material.
some of you may be offended that I highlight this in a critical frame. How could we ever do anything less than our best for God?
some of you may think I'm just mean. Some of you may think...Some of you may think... some of you may think...
Well, I don't live and serve and work for any "some of" anyone. I, and all of us, are called to live and love and work and play and pray, fast, feast, sleep, and love--unto the Lord. We are called to be holy, as He is holy. We are commanded, not called, actually. "Calling" is in there, yes. We are called to a heavenward life. We are called to live worthy. We are called to glorify God in our bodies, since we were bought with a price... But that's not exactly the business of this post--whom I serve...
What is the business of this post, is that Psalm 51 describes the sacrifice that God desires as "a broken spirit". It says that a "broken and contrite (really, really sorry) heart" will not be despised by God. this theme is echoed throughout Scripture. It finds a clear articulation in 2 Cor. 4-5, and 2 Cor. 12, we have the whole "strength in weakness"/"boasting in our weakness"/"earthen vessel" thing going on. In 1 Cor. 2-3 we've got the whole "God has chosen the weak...foolish things of the world to ...shame the strong...wise..."
So what's with this confusing "A-Game" thing? How about admitting that our best "A-Game" is filth (Is.64:6) in the presence of God, and that our service to Him in this world is a gift (Eph. 2:8-10). How about just plain admitting ourselves before God, becoming a community of radical HONESTY, in confession and mourning before Him, humbling ourselves under His mighty hand, that He may exalt us in the proper time... (try the whole book of James).
I mean, I get the "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind soul, and strength" thing. That's best done in amazement that we actually belong to Him... That He LOVES us so, despite our straying! That he has redeemed us at the price of His own pain... What a mighty salvation!
But the Message of Jesus is not best framed in our "excellence". It is best framed in honest admission and humble pursuit of greater grace... This is a life that says "No" to unrighteousness (titus).
Do you read the Bible a lot? If not, why not? Maybe that's why thousands of people are flocking to such a shallow and pale version of the Spiritual Life that the Scriptures present.
Remember the prophet Amos? How he excoriates the "excellent" worship of the People?
How about Isaiah?
You don't need to take my word for it. Before you've read 5 chapters in either book, there's an incisive revelation of God's opinion of our "A-Game". I dare you. Read it.
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ANONYMOUS, COMMENTS: (posted by Lew)
ReplyDeleteSo Lew, are you saying that we should just do nothing and sit there and just sit on our hands and do nothing?
...are you saying that we should just sin and sin and sin, since God doesn't want anything from us, now?
...are you saying that we should just be mediocre in our work and our religious service?
What do you suggest? That we just shut it all down and just cry and pray and get really humble and strip it all down to dumb boring stuff like feeding the hungry and ransoming the oppressed?
Who wants to come to a service like that? What kind of church do you think that'd be?
How do you expect the church to grow without the proper ad campaign and infomercialism?
You're a punk, Lew. a real punk. quit tearing down your brothers and just crawl under a rock, where you belong...
LEW SAYS: I DECIDED TO POST YOU THIS TO SEE WHAT I'M NOT SAYING, ALL.
comments like that last one really miss the point. As usual, there are a thousand things I'm not saying. I rely on you, the church, or the seeker, to look into Scripture and learn the boundaries of Truth for yourselves.
ReplyDeleteThere are many things I am not saying. I'm not saying sin and sin and sin (Rom. 6).
I'm not saying "do nothing" (the whole Bible).
I AM saying that we need to repent. In fact, why don't we remove ME from the equation. The Scriptures, what's more, Jesus says that we need to really repent. No kidding. We're like, friends with the world... what?
Dude, I am totally digging you on this post. I hear grace grace and more grace here. Claiming His righteousness and trusting in that. I love it.
ReplyDeleteIs this a license to sin? Of course not.
What I hear you doing is calling out the religious spirit. Identifying it for what it is. Shining light on it.