1 Corinthians 3: 1 - 3
"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" (NIV).
Human appetite is an interesting thing. There are certain things that I like to eat that I think I could eat every single day... forever. I even made the mistake once of saying to my wife and others: "I could probably live on beef jerky and diet coke for the rest of my life." Nothing says "I appreciate all the time and effort you put into making me meals" quite like "I could live on beef jerky and diet coke." My poor wife. I am so lucky she is gracious to me.
The truth is, we can often become satisfied with the way things are and never move on. Paul was yelling at the Corinthian church in these verses because they refused to put worldly things behind them and become mature in their faith. The problem with comfort is that it really does hold back necessary development. There is a process for maturing and each step is necessary. With humans we start on milk, and then there's the gross mashed up food, and ultimately... beef jerky and diet coke. If you have a new baby and jump strait to solid food bad things will happen. The same is true for Christians, there is a process to our growth.
What would happen if you tried to put a third grader in a college level psychology class? You're right, they would pay better attention - but they also wouldn't know what was going on. Now imagine the opposite - what if you're 21 and instead of going to economics at the community college you were still trying to pass your finger painting class? You wouldn't be content with where you are - and we shouldn't be content with where we are on our discipleship journey either. We need to be constantly making steps and growing and not stopping when we are satisfied with where things are.
My challenge for you is to make some practical step towards growth. Set bible study goals (notice I said study - check previous post), make prayer a priority at different times of your day, join a new bible study or small group - just do something to make sure that you aren't trying to coast your way up the narrow road. When we as God's children decide that we are no longer satisfied on our milk diet great things will happen. Don't be fooled by the hilarious commercials with milk mustaches (italics are the sarcasm of the type-written word), milk is only good for babies.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
What if Christians actually lived ready?
Matthew 24:44 "You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected."(NLT, emphasis added)
It's popular now-a-days to try to avoid "cliche"church things like saying "what would Jesus do" or "live every day like Jesus is coming" - but if we don't ask these questions or do these things we are ignoring what Jesus himself commands us to to in His word. Living a "ready" life is something that is often talked about an encouraged in church, but is hard to understand practically. I am, generally, never fully prepared for anything. I am a procrastinator. When you regularly struggle to be prepared for trash day, it's really hard to imagine being prepared for the second coming of the Messiah.
So how do we do live like Jesus is coming back today? Well, we have a choice. I think many people, if they were honest with themselves, would probably just do whatever they wanted if they knew Jesus was coming back today: call family, spend a crazy amount of money at restaurants, listen to some of Pastor Dave's past sermons online... If it were me, I would probably want to take my wife and daughter somewhere awesome and spend as much time showing them my love as I can - because that's what I love doing. However, I don't think I would allow myself to do only that - and I hope you wouldn't either. I love my family more than anything in this world, but if this is the last day I have on this earth I pray that I live it trying to get as many people as possible to see God's love and know His Son. I hope I would be like Isaiah who said: "Here I am, send me (Isa. 6:8)."
For the record - I in no way agree with those who neglect their families for their ministry - that isn't what God wants either, however if the Son of man is coming when we least expect it, we all need to make sure that as many people are ready as is possible.
My question to you is - did you live ready today? When you go about your day, from place to place, are you looking for opportunities or do you hope no interrupts you so you can do what you went there to do?
My challenge for you this week is to pull out that w.w.j.d bracelet that has been hiding in your sock drawer and realize that it's better to be cliche than to miss what God wants to do through you. (Then if you're like me, you will put the bracelet right back in the drawer.)
It's popular now-a-days to try to avoid "cliche"church things like saying "what would Jesus do" or "live every day like Jesus is coming" - but if we don't ask these questions or do these things we are ignoring what Jesus himself commands us to to in His word. Living a "ready" life is something that is often talked about an encouraged in church, but is hard to understand practically. I am, generally, never fully prepared for anything. I am a procrastinator. When you regularly struggle to be prepared for trash day, it's really hard to imagine being prepared for the second coming of the Messiah.
So how do we do live like Jesus is coming back today? Well, we have a choice. I think many people, if they were honest with themselves, would probably just do whatever they wanted if they knew Jesus was coming back today: call family, spend a crazy amount of money at restaurants, listen to some of Pastor Dave's past sermons online... If it were me, I would probably want to take my wife and daughter somewhere awesome and spend as much time showing them my love as I can - because that's what I love doing. However, I don't think I would allow myself to do only that - and I hope you wouldn't either. I love my family more than anything in this world, but if this is the last day I have on this earth I pray that I live it trying to get as many people as possible to see God's love and know His Son. I hope I would be like Isaiah who said: "Here I am, send me (Isa. 6:8)."
For the record - I in no way agree with those who neglect their families for their ministry - that isn't what God wants either, however if the Son of man is coming when we least expect it, we all need to make sure that as many people are ready as is possible.
My question to you is - did you live ready today? When you go about your day, from place to place, are you looking for opportunities or do you hope no interrupts you so you can do what you went there to do?
My challenge for you this week is to pull out that w.w.j.d bracelet that has been hiding in your sock drawer and realize that it's better to be cliche than to miss what God wants to do through you. (Then if you're like me, you will put the bracelet right back in the drawer.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)