Jump Start # 4003
1 Peter 4:16 “but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”
There seems to be a hymn that just resonates in my head and heart these days. The opening lines of that hymn say it all, “Troublesome times are here, filling men’s hearts with fear…”. There is a lot of unrest, unhappiness, bitterness and angry that is filling the streets, the social platforms and talk shows. Some are loud and demanding. Some don’t know what to think. And, before one tries to figure out who is the good guy and who is the bad guy and which side of the spectrum you fall on, let us remember that we belong to the Lord. There is a higher calling, a defined path and a nobler way that we need to follow. Filling our times and our heads with much of these things can pull us into arguments, debates and fights that we do not belong in. There is not a lot we can do about these things other than continue to let our light shine and continue to follow our Lord.
For many, especially younger ones, there hasn’t been anything like this that they have seen before. But for us older ones, we remember the Civil Rights movement and a lot of the turmoil that came from those that didn’t want to see change. But, further back, historically, the nation was split during the Civil War. Brethren were on both sides of that, each believing they were right. Before that, there was the Revolutionary War. Before that, many troublesome times throughout Europe.
On a much smaller scale, some have experienced the internal trouble of church splits and divisions. Brethren who once sang, “Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love,” now can’t stand one another. They won’t talk to one another. Threats, name-calling leads to some leaving and never coming back.
Troublesome times. Nothing new to this planet. I wonder if the Lord shakes His head and thinks, “Here they go again. Will they ever learn? Why can’t they get along? Why don’t they listen to Me?”
Throughout all of this, there are some things we must remember:
First, our citizenship is in Heaven, first, foremost and always. Our politicians, on both sides of the road, do dumb things and things that are wrong. My allegiance is to Jesus. Pride and political position will keep people from ever admitting that they were wrong and never lead them to apologize. And, even if they did, the other side would not forgive. People of God must rise above those petty attitudes.
The Ephesians were told: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (4:31-32). Those powerful words must color our attitudes, words and tone of speech.
Second, we must stop trying to make Christianity fit in with the world. It doesn’t and it won’t. The world is rapidly going the opposite direction from Christ. Anger, offensive language and mean threats don’t fit in the core principles of Christianity. Compromise is just a polite way of saying you have sold out. Pressure can make a person do that. The world doesn’t like Christ. Jesus said that in John 3. Men love darkness rather than light. Our choice is to put a basket over the light and cross the bridge to the other side, or stand tall with the Lord and realize we will be called names, mocked, ridiculed. But, so they did our Lord.
Third, we must stop trying to make the message less offensive. You can’t do that unless you change the message. The LGBTQ+, and what other letters that are added to that, tries to twist the message of the Bible to conform to their sinful choices. Loud on social media is the statement that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality. He did. When Paul wrote the Corinthians about those things, he reminded them that what he wrote were the Lord’s commandments. Sex before marriage is wrong. Worshipping God anyway and everyway is not what you get from the Bible. Tone down the message, stop preaching doctrine, and you may please the crowds, fill the church buildings but are you doing what the Lord wants?
Preach the word is what Timothy was told to do. The time will come, he was warned, when people want their ears tickled. Don’t do that. Preach the word.
Fourth, we must stop trying to make the church like all the other churches. It is not. Israel tried that idea with a physical king. They wanted a king just like all the other nations. A king that would lead the troops into battle. A king that would sit on a throne and you could bow to him. And, they got just what they wanted. Corrupt, ungodly, and weak leaders that led the nation into idolatry and captivity, just like all the kings around them.
The kingdom of Christ is different. The church is unique and special. God’s church is not going to do what all the other churches do and the reason is that it is set to follow the pattern set forth in the Scriptures. Churches of the land do not do that. So they will feed the community. They will offer services that bring health to the body, finances to the wallet and make your dog’s tail wag. They will wash your car. Do your taxes. Provide a place to babysit your kids. Great services, but is that what God wants the church to do?
The function of the church is to honor and praise God and get people to live righteously as they anticipate spending eternity with the Father. God’s church has a spiritual mission. Taking care of the community is important, but that may fall into the hands of individuals or other organizations. God’s church has a divine mission and it must stay with that.
Troublesome times are here. They have been here before. And, they will continue to be here until we are somewhere else. And, as our verse today reminds us, we must not be ashamed to be called a Christian.
Roger