We live in a small town in Tennessee.  We have always had religion and usually by the gobs.  We hear about atheism in the academic elite and recite with pleasure the Psalm, “A fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ “  We’re confident and have really, become pretty complacent.

And yet we live in a culture where our people, our neighbors are living like atheists.  It’s hard to find somebody who would say, “There is no God,” but how many folks really love the Savior and not just church?  How many people wake up wanting to know Him better, not just going through motions?  I’d wager not as many as we think.

Look across the yard or down the street and you’ll see many who walk out to their cars on Sunday morning, content to endure 2 hours of church, but I don’t think they really know why.  I don’t think their churchgoing is an outflow of their love for Jesus, but just what you’re supposed to do.  Why do we celebrate birthdays?  Does anyone really need a poited hat and cake with candles to celebrate moving from 42 to 43?  Can you tell me why there are streamers involved?  We just do it.  It’s the culture.  In the south, Christianity for a lot of people is just the culture.

I am not content with this husk of a faith and neither is our Father.  When you die, God doesn’t care how many hours you logged in a pew or even how many dollars you put into the plate if it isn’t an outflow of your love for Jesus.  Sacrifices like that offend God because they aren’t real.  They don’t represent a passionate love like a man loves his wife, like an artist loves his instrument, like a mother loves her child, they represent lip service to a habit.  You can set that trash on fire. 

Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’  For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”  In this verse Christ throws our works down.  He has come to call our attention not only to the words we speak or what we drink or how we raise our kids, but to who we love.  He called out saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.”

Do you love Him? 

Are you pursuing Him in prayer, His Word and service?

Or are you just playing a game?

I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t care.

Ben

pulpit

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at 11:24 am and is filed under Encouragement.