Low Sodium, Low Watt Christians

            Several weeks ago my wife and I came across an interesting article that praised the efforts of a local “church” that was making a tremendous impact on their local school(s).  What was disheartening was the fact that the “church” had decided to take measures to ensure their ability to get into the school(s) to serve, but it would be at the expense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The “pastor” along with several other “leaders” would make sure no one filling out cards to the students wrote “God bless” or “praise the Lord.”  The work would be done without any credit to the Lord or even an explanation that they were doing it out of their love for God and their love for them.  They were sterilizing the intent and motive of why we are to do what we do.  The local school leaders and people of the community praised the “church” for its efforts to avoid the controversy of evangelizing while meeting the needs of these children and their families.

            Who gets the credit?  Who is glorified? Is it the Father or Jesus?  Or is it man?

Jesus in Matthew 6:1-4 warned us about taking credit for what God does through us.

   

¹ “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.² “So when you ^]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men.  Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Either God gets the glory or you do?  But, if you receive the glory of men then you have received your reward in full.  These people may have received the warm and fuzzies because they did “good” in the eyes of the world, but this type of “good” is like the filthy rags of Isaiah 64:6.  Everything we do must be done in faith or it is sin (Romans 14:23).  We must understand that this faith is faith in the Resurrected and Glorified Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died for our sins that we might live for God our Creator.  Faith in the very One who commissioned us to make disciples, to baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach them all we have been commanded (Matthew 28:16-20).

Far too many churches in recent days are seeking to be relevant and acceptable through the compromise of the Word of God and at the expense of God’s mission for His Church and people in sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Jesus in Matthew 5:13-16 called us to be salt and light in a sin-sick world.

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

We are the very vessels God has chosen to minister His message in a desperate world in need of a Savior.  The savory taste of salt keeps one coming back seeking yet one more taste.  Just imagine trying to eat only one potato chip.  The flavor that draws man in also makes him thirsty for the Living Water, Christ Jesus (john 4:14; 7:38). 

            We are called to be light in the darkness.  It doesn’t matter how big and brave you may be, in the dark a fear wells up within of what might be in there with you.  Don’t believe me?  Go into a dark and unfamiliar room then hear a creak or a thump in the dark, your scream will move up at least three octaves as the hairs on the back of your neck become porcupine quills and your heart begins to drive its way through your chest.  The Light of Christ is to shine through our cracked and fragile lives.  Who in utter darkness is not drawn to the comfort of even the dimmest of light?

            The world only offers darkness and bitterness, we must be the savors of Christ as salt and shine as beacons of hope in the darkest of moments.  We can only do this through the message of the Cross of Christ.  If we should do any less we lose our saltiness and are good for only paving the pathways of the worldly and if we should hide the light of the Resurrected Savior we only bring forth the shadows of demonic forces.

            A low sodium diet might be good for your health and low watt light bulbs might be good for the environment, but spiritually speaking neither are good for your soul or a sin-sick world.

 

            New York Times Article

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/10/us/help-from-evangelicals-without-the-evangelizing.html?_r=0