Text relating to the sermon/discussion at The River this Sunday: Matthew 6:1-18 (NLT)
So... why do we humans have such a hard time being honest with ourselves and with other people?
You know what I mean, don't you? We're experts at living in denial of the truth.
Case in point: If you're part of a family, have you ever gotten into a real ugly fight before leaving, or even on the way to church... only to stop the screaming and cussing at one another once the car rolls into the parking lot? Everyone (or nearly everyone) gets out wearing smiles and giving Christian compliments... when in reality, they would much rather duke it out with boxing gloves (or perhaps knives?).
If you're not part of a family... then let me ask this: Have you ever given in to a behavioral sin on a Saturday night... or even Sunday morning, only to dust yourself off and go to church pretending everything is hunky-dory during the worship service? Not just all smiles... but I mean really attempting to wear the holy countenance that completely denies the truth of how you're really feeling inside?
Whatever you do, do NOT let anyone in on the reality of your life. They will:
- Judge you
- Laugh at you
- Condemn you
- Scorn you
- Gossip about you
- Reject you
Nope, no way... do NOT, under any circumstances, reveal who you really are deep inside. Frankly, the real you is too ugly, too sinful, too frighteningly dysfunctional for anyone to truly understand. It's better to just cover it up, put on a happy face, use the dress and lingo of Christianity, do the church thing... and hope that whatever it is you're hiding from the world will just go away.
Church just doesn't move you anymore. The truth is, it's become too comfortable, predictable... monotonous... downright boring and lifeless. You want to feel close to God, but no matter how many things you do on the outside, the inside remains numb. You know you're just doing your religious duty... going through the motions... pretending so others won't suspect anything. And sometimes you have to wonder if it's even real... if it's even worth it. Hell, maybe it'd be more satisfying to go up in the hills and worship God through nature rather than through organized religion?
And it's not just happening with you. You can sense it in just about everyone else around you as well. Everybody's trying to live the abundant life (supposedly) found in Christ... and yet, it doesn't seem to be happening. The rate of divorce is almost the same within the church that it is outside of it. Depression is rampant among believers. Church services seem to be lacking in passion and creativity. Pastors seem to preach the same boring kinds of sermons. No one seems to be dedicated to reading the Word, or prayer, or missional service. In fact, the whole church seems more concerned about surviving the upcoming week than changing the world for Christ.
How in the name of all that is good can we escape this endless loop of religiousity, hypocrisy and spiritual deadness? How can we re-capture the New Testament culture of authentic discipleship? How do we get more out of life... out of our faith... than what we're currently experiencing? 'Cause quite honestly, this kinda sucks!
That's probably the biggest reason Jill and I took up the challenge to plant a church in Ellensburg. Life is tough... really tough. And an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ has the amazing power to transform broken lives, strengthen the weak, give hope to the oppressed... and even provide actual purpose and meaning (i.e., direction) to people who spend their lives wandering aimlessly in the darkness of American consumerism.
But, unfortunately, "church" is typically not where their creativity is stirred... or their passion unleashed... or their giftedness fully realized and utilized. Nope... church more often than not becomes something to do out of habit and obedience. Please do NOT hear me criticizing other churches in these words... I don't for one second think The River is somehow better than other churches as we strive toward authenticity. No, the problem is far more systemic than individual churches... we ALL suffer from the same potential disease.
But nevertheless... shouldn't body life be about more than going through the motions? Shouldn't church be the place that stirs our soul to the truth of the Gospel? Shouldn't church be the place where it's safe to take off our masks? Shouldn't church be a place that demands (and accepts) our most audacious attempts at passion and creativity and full living as followers of Jesus? Shouldn't church be a place that makes the kingdom bigger in our minds, rather than smaller? Shouldn't church get us excited about serving and giving and living life to the hilt... rather than pressing us down through the play-doh factory of mediocrity? Shouldn't church challenge us, inspire us... and invite us to break out of our boring, mask-wearing, vision-less, cautious, even fearful lives?
Yes. I deeply believe it should. However, I have found that exactly how that is done is not easily answered. All I know for sure is this: We need to strive toward authenticity. We've got to continually encourage people to stop pretending and stop hiding from the truth. We've got to confess our sins to one another... and not just our behavioral sins... but what sin does to our minds when we try to hide our real thoughts from one another... our fears, our unhealthy desires, our illogical failures, our self-centered motivations. We've go to quit trying to look the part... and just trust that God wants to give us real energy for real living in the real world serving His real kingdom! God wants to do sooooo much more with us, but He won't coerce us into a life of deeper authenticity... He merely provides the means... calls out to us by name, and quietly awaits our response.
So what is your response, O Christian... do you believe a deeper life is possible? What are your priorities? How can you (we) break out of the monotony of a dull, lifeless, humdrum faith? More specifically as The River, how can we grow as a living, breathing, striving, and going body of Christ? How can we stir one another on toward love and good deeds?
Jesus tells us to give... pray... and fast with sincerity... not as the hypocrites do.
I may not have all the answers... but at least we're continually asking the hard questions meant to keep us from falling into the rut of same old, same old. One of my greatest fears as a pastor is allowing my flock to slowly, sleepily drift into the path of aimless, lifeless, meaningless religion, that is... hypocrisy. And believe me... I fully realize I'm just as prone to that state of being as anyone else. Man, I'm truly grateful that I'm part of a body that keeps me accountable to my calling. No one can truly follow Jesus in a vacuum of isolation.
Thoughts anyone?
A life of mediocrity I think so often is linked to comfort. If we worship, live, love, share only out of a base of what is comfortable, then life truly becomes monotonous. Our God is a God of passion...he would not have sent us the Holy Spirit if he didn't want us to be passionate. Jesus carried his disciples into places where they weren't comfortable, often kicking and screaming (and sometimes leaving). When I look through the writings of Paul, it is often in his most unpleasant of circumstances that his writings become the most inspired, the most urgent, the most passionate.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, God can lead us all to a place of urgency, a place of passion, without it being too much of a life changer.
I have been blessed by God's call in my life to urgency. Mostly I'd rather not be called "like this" but I am grateful, so grateful for the gifts I have been given through it. I have certainly not been comfortable and there is certainly a sense of urgency not previously present in my life that has brought so much to the relationships in my life and the appreciation of this amazing life gift...
I concur with you Jeff, leave your comfort zone. Let go of the security blankets in your life. That's where the passion of a redemptive God and Savior is found!
Paul