Double-Sided Coin

Here's what we'll talk about this Sunday, September 4

From the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10 (The Message):

²⁵Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"

 ²⁶He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"

 ²⁷He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."

 ²⁸"Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live." 

 Do it and you'll live.

What was the "it" Jesus was referring to again? Oh ya, Love God... and love your neighbor. Let me ask you a question... How well do you think we're living and practicing both sides of that all-important coin?

I mean... I don't know about you, but I find the first part easier than the second part. Worship is easier than mission, right? Do you find it easier to go to church on Sunday... or serve a homeless shelter on Wednesday? Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly difficult to truly love God with any level of consistency. My passion (and obedience) goes up and down like a roller-coaster out of control. Like the Apostle Paul in Romans 7, I don't understand my own motivations sometimes:

I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 

But Jesus says if I want to live, it's not about focusing on better behavior. It's not about my determination to be a better person. It's not about digging deep down inside myself to find the strength to do good. Nope. It's about (a) looking upward (worship), AND (b) looking outward (mission). Both/and, together... an organic link between the two. We don't get points for doing one really well, and completely neglecting the other. And we certainly don't get points for making it about me, me, me. My piety, my churchiness, my holier-than-thou attitude, my "sacrifice" to read or pray, etc. Hmmm... I think part of what Jesus is saying here is that when we try to earn God points, we don't get the real point of God!

But getting back to the main point (sorry, I can't help using that word)... Somehow, some way... by some supernatural act of the Spirit in and among us... I believe we lazy bums have to wake up and smell the roses. We have to start taking Jesus' words more seriously. We have to get off our collective Christian butts and start participating on the other side of the coin with more consistency. You know... Love your neighbor as yourself. (What would that really look like?)

Let me ask you a question: When is the last time you served God's kingdom? Now, we could justify ourselves and say we are nice to people (gasp, even to sinners!)... or that we already have a role in the church (board member, musician, coffee server, etc.), which counts as "service" to others. But is that really what Jesus meant when He commanded us to love our neighbor? In a world gone completely amuck, is being nice to someone really a profound fulfillment of what Jesus requests (requires?) of us? Or does serving...or giving at a church - important as that may be - really get us off the hook mission-wise? Are we not called to get our hands dirty? Are we not called to "go" into the world? Are we not commanded to be light in the darkness? Are we not called to lift up the oppressed, and feed the hungry, and heal the sick? Are we not called to make a positive difference in our community? In the world in which we live and breathe and work and communicate and interact with broken people?

By all means, we should worship together... as the Church.

By all means, we should serve together... as the Church.

Which is it... heads or tails? Assembly is necessary... but so too is mission, right?

Let's face it: double-sided coins make for good magic tricks. But they aren't real currency.

I don't want to live an empty, meaningless life - too busy or too selfish to serve others. I want to live a full life. A meaningful life.  Eternal life. Don't you?

Are You In Christ?

Text: Romans 8: 1-17, 37-39 (NIV)

So... what does it mean to be in Christ? I mean, the Apostle Paul says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ... and that sounds pretty attractive doesn't it? I don't want to be condemned, do you? No, of course not! But what does it look like to be "in Christ"? Does it mean that somewhere along the line you heard the preacher say Jesus died for your sins, and you have to accept him into your heart to be saved - so you came to the altar and invited him in? Is that it?

But what about an hour later... or a day later, or a week later... or certainly a month later? What happens after the emotional fervor wears off, and you're back to being the jerk you were when you walked into the sanctuary in the first place? What about when you act rudely to the people you (supposedly) love the most? What about when you fly into a rage in traffic when someone has the audacity to commit automotive injustice? What about when you give into temptation?

Are you still "in Christ" at that point? Or has the glory faded? Has the newness worn off? Has reality set in that - you may be saved - but you're still the same old sinner you've always been? 

If, through Jesus the law of the Spirit has indeed set us free from the law of sin and death (v. 2)... then why in blazes do I still so often feel imprisoned in this dark cell made of flesh and bone? 

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. 

Really, Paul? So why do I feel so close to God... so utterly saved at times (so full of God), and yet so completely lost at other times (so devoid of God)? Which is it... does the Spirit of God indeed live in me... or am I on my own in the realm of the flesh?

I guess I'm saying this: I feel as though I have dual citizenship - full access  and privilege in both worlds... that of the flesh and that of the Spirit. But why? How?

I want to live. I want to see. I want to be free. I want to experience ongoing peace. I want to know I'm an adopted child of God who can call out to my Daddy, "Abba!"

Who am I, Lord? Am I a son of Hell, bound for the fire...? Or am I a son of the Almighty, a co-heir with Christ... sharing in his sufferings and in his glory?

You know, when it comes down to it, God knows our hearts. Hes a perfect judge, not bound by systems or principles, or even written codes... the only code he follows is that of divine love, bourne out of His holiness. He knows our secrets, he knows our lies, he knows our regrets, he knows our motivations... he knows every sin we've ever committed. And yet He says over and over again that He loves us... not just like I love movie theater popcorn... no, I mean he loves us more than we could ever, ever begin to imagine! And that he forgives us when we seek it. All it seems to take is a genuine movement toward him as he reaches up for us. And in the midst of that kind of all-encompassing love, I believe God knows how to filter out all the evil deeds of the flesh verses all the righteousness and humility that pours out of a heart that's been captured by Christ.

I may be screwed up a bit... but I'm a disciple of the best rabbi who ever lived... the greatest prophet who ever spoke... the most powerful healer who ever prayed... the most awesome human being who ever got dust on his feet... because he also know what it felt like to have blood run down his face. I'm not just a disciple of Jesus... I'm thoroughly, completely in Christ. In spite of the warts, wrinkles mistakes and stretch marks... God sees me as spotless and blameless sheep thanks to the power of the Cross.

I don't need to worry... and I don't need to feel ashamed. I am part of a family that is called more than conquerors...

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen, Brother Paul. Amen! So, in response to all that, let us live according to the spirit who raises us from death to life.