we, the church
As I was writing the last post, a question arose... One that has risen many times before.
We have been called, as a church, to "...preach this message: "The kingdom of heaven is near." Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
Who is meant to preach?? Is there any question who is meant to preach?? 'We' are meant to preach. Are we to ask Jesus to preach? Are we to pray that Jesus would preach, plead with him to preach, present a case about how this so & so, this seeker, deserves to be preached to? Promise to give him 'all the glory' if he would but preach to us just this one time...?? Preach through us? Yes, but, we cannot keep our mouths firmly clamped shut. We must actually open our mouths and preach, to our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, our children, whatever other sphere of influence we've been entrusted with. Not preaching, as in, a half hour neatly crafted 3 point sermon, unless that's what we've been called to, but preaching, none the less, in sharing a different point of view, a different sort of hope, a kind word, a building up, a gentleness, a different quality of life, as in real life, as in Christ's life in us, through us. There is no question WHO is meant to DO the preaching. WE are.
Who is meant to heal the sick?? to raise the dead?? to cleanse those who have leprosy?? to drive out demons?? Who did Jesus call to do this?? He called US. He called us to DO this. Not to ask him to do it. Not to beg him, not to plead with him, not to bargain with him, but to DO it.
Check through the examples of scripture. Jesus did not pray to God and ask him to heal the sick. He healed the sick, directly, one to one. And the people gave glory to God. The 12 disciples did not pray to God and ask him to heal the sick. They healed the sick. Jesus had given them authority to do this. The seventy two? the apostles? A policeman does not run and get the judge to aprehend a thief. He aprehends the thief. He has been given authority to do so. Jesus commended the centurion who had an understanding of authority. He called it 'great faith'!
Jesus has given US authority.... What on earth does it look like, for US to heal the sick?? to cast out demons?? The disciples came back 'amazed'!! It must have looked extrodinary! I wonder if they were scared the first couple of times?? Maybe every time?? I wonder if they struggled with the 'who do you think you are?' accusations?
How many people did they set free? How many lives were changed?? How many lives would change if we, the church, understood this stuff? If we took it seriously?? Whatif... I....
We have been called, as a church, to "...preach this message: "The kingdom of heaven is near." Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
Who is meant to preach?? Is there any question who is meant to preach?? 'We' are meant to preach. Are we to ask Jesus to preach? Are we to pray that Jesus would preach, plead with him to preach, present a case about how this so & so, this seeker, deserves to be preached to? Promise to give him 'all the glory' if he would but preach to us just this one time...?? Preach through us? Yes, but, we cannot keep our mouths firmly clamped shut. We must actually open our mouths and preach, to our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, our children, whatever other sphere of influence we've been entrusted with. Not preaching, as in, a half hour neatly crafted 3 point sermon, unless that's what we've been called to, but preaching, none the less, in sharing a different point of view, a different sort of hope, a kind word, a building up, a gentleness, a different quality of life, as in real life, as in Christ's life in us, through us. There is no question WHO is meant to DO the preaching. WE are.
Who is meant to heal the sick?? to raise the dead?? to cleanse those who have leprosy?? to drive out demons?? Who did Jesus call to do this?? He called US. He called us to DO this. Not to ask him to do it. Not to beg him, not to plead with him, not to bargain with him, but to DO it.
Check through the examples of scripture. Jesus did not pray to God and ask him to heal the sick. He healed the sick, directly, one to one. And the people gave glory to God. The 12 disciples did not pray to God and ask him to heal the sick. They healed the sick. Jesus had given them authority to do this. The seventy two? the apostles? A policeman does not run and get the judge to aprehend a thief. He aprehends the thief. He has been given authority to do so. Jesus commended the centurion who had an understanding of authority. He called it 'great faith'!
Jesus has given US authority.... What on earth does it look like, for US to heal the sick?? to cast out demons?? The disciples came back 'amazed'!! It must have looked extrodinary! I wonder if they were scared the first couple of times?? Maybe every time?? I wonder if they struggled with the 'who do you think you are?' accusations?
How many people did they set free? How many lives were changed?? How many lives would change if we, the church, understood this stuff? If we took it seriously?? Whatif... I....
posted by toomanywhatifs at
9:33 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home