Righteous Responsibility

A certain minister had a reputation for being eccentric. One Sunday morning, he told his congregation that he believed his church was dead. You can imagine the murmurings from the pews when he said, "Come back tonight, I'm going to preach the funeral service of the church." The members were shocked, the attendance for the evening service was larger than it had been in years.

 

In front of the pews was a casket and as people sat in stunned silence, the pastor delivered the message. After the last amen, the pastor said, "Some of you may not agree with me that this church is dead. So that you may be convinced, I am going to ask you to view the remains. I want you to file by the casket, one by one, and see who is dead!

 

In preparation for his unorthodox presentation, the minister had placed a mirror in the bottom of the casket. It is obvious who everyone saw when he came to view the deceased.  (This excerpt taken from David Jeremiah's book, Escape the Coming Night, pages 67-68).

 

Those of you who read my commentaries know that I spend a good deal of time ranting about the condition of the church in today's world. That certainly isn't about to change any time soon as long as the current "state of affairs" continues.

 

However, I do and must admit that I haven't spoken enough about each of our own responsibilities concerning personal growth. Certainly we need to hold our church leaders accountable for teaching sound doctrine. But also, we each must take responsibility for ourselves as well.

 

As an example, we see in Christ's seven-church teaching of Revelation 2 and 3 that no matter what condition the main body was in, there was always a remnant that persevered, no matter what. -- These people that constituted the remnant didn't look around for excuses nor did they play the "blame game". They took it upon themselves to rise above the predominant sins of their fellowships and made a difference. -- Should we be any different?

 

Let's for a moment look back to the beginning. The church was primarily underground and persecuted. - Look at Paul. He was not popular in his day. He was little-known, despised and rejected. -- And what about our savior, Jesus Christ? As Billy Graham so aptly said, He was "Despised and rejected with nowhere to lay his head. He was born in another person's stable. he died outside the city walls, an outcast, having come to his own who received Him not. He was buried in another man's tomb."

 

In His footsteps followed the heroes of the faith who were tortured, mocked, imprisoned, stoned, torn asunder, slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, afflicted, tormented. They wandered in deserts, in mountains and in caves of the earth. (See Hebrews 11:37-38)

 

Now let's fast-forward to today. Still, in many parts of the world, being a Christian means suffering and martyrdom. - At last count, some fifty-two nations reject Christianity with a vengeance. Here in America, however, giving your life to Jesus brings little persecution. - As a matter of fact, unlike our predecessors, its difficult to separate we Christians from the rest of our society.

 

Again, we can talk about the reasons, but our primary mistake is that too many of us have geared our lives to gain worldly favor. We argue that humanity is more "Christian" now that we need not suffer as our forefathers did.

 

The truth is, times are not brighter. We Christians are a foreign influence, a minority group in a heathen world. -- If we, as individuals and the church, are acceptable to this present age of spiraling sin -- If we are not stirring up trouble and suffering reproach -- then God have mercy on us! -- If we are at peace with this world, then it is because we have sold out to it!

 

Simply stated, we in the church are making a great mistake by trying to make Christianity popular and pleasant. We have taken away the cross and substituted cushions. -- But Christ said the world hated Him and He predicted that it would hate us. -- As Dr. Graham said, "He invited us not to a picnic, but to a pilgrimage. He offered us not an excursion, but and execution."

 

Nowhere in the New Testament do I find that Christians are to expect to be popular and successful. Quite frankly, the more you live and profess your faith in this world, the more isolated you will become.

 

As all of you are aware, I truly believe that we are living in the last hours of the "times of the Gentiles" (see Luke 21:24). - Matthew 24:12 says, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."

 

Are you a Christian and proud of it? Are you willing to profess your faith regardless of political correctness or personal safety? -- You should be able to say with Paul, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." (Romans 1:16).

 

Continuing, Hebrews 10:25 states, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching."

 

I close this week with encouragement for each of you to stand strong for the Kingdom of our Savior. -- Remember, no matter what the circumstance, it is only about sharing the love and eternal salvation of our great King, Jesus Christ.

 

Finally, let me leave you with a previously used statement -- one that I find uplifting and relevant to our purpose in this world:

 

 

"The evening news is a commentary of the darkness of our world. It is a graphic visualization of the absence of God in many places in our communities ---

 

 

 

 

Until next time,

Red