LIKE CHILDREN ON A PLAYGROUND!

LIKE CHILDREN ON A PLAYGROUND!

Luke 7:31-32

31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

          Some time ago someone relayed to me the frustration felt by a member of another church in town. This man said: “The people are carrousel Christians!” The image is of a child on a playground who rushes to climb upon the merry-go-round but will not take a turn to push. They love the thrill of the ride but expect others to make the machine go. Soon nobody is pushing and they just sit there. You can get your own swing to move but first you must kick off and then strain at the chains. The teeter-totter requires the counter balance of another partner.

          Jesus complained that the people of His generation were unresponsive. No matter what game you suggested they did not want to play. If you played happy music they would not dance. If you tried to catch their somber mood then they would not mourn.

          Both Matthew and Luke include this commentary of Jesus. The context is the comparison of John Baptist’s ministry with that of Jesus. John was a recluse and they said he had a devil. Jesus was social and they called him a glutton and a drunkard; a real party animal. Jesus pointed out that the real problem was that it was impossible to please them. They were like pouting children who would not play the game no matter what game was chosen. An unresponsive spirit is a clear sign of apostasy. It was demonstrated by the people in Malachi’s time.

Mal 1:13

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

[Ye have snuffed at it] A metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it; and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it.

(From Adam Clarke's Commentary.)

          It’s time we grew up! We are too often like spoiled and pouting children, unresponsive and peevish. Let us do what this following verse says to do.

Eph 4:14-15

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Dear Lord, keep me from acting childish today. Help me to be eagerly responsive to your promptings. AMEN

IT’S ALL ABOUT WINNING!

IT’S ALL ABOUT WINNING!

Phil 3:7-9

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

          American football has been elevated to a religion! It’s all about winning! Now, before you stone me as a blasphemer, you need to know that I love the game and played the game as a teen in high school. But the devotion to this sport is, to some, all consuming.

          Chris Norman, heroic outside linebacker for Michigan State, was drafted by three teams after college but he has rejected those offers. He has abandoned the National Football League, along with its riches and glory, so that he can enter seminary to become a minister! All this because he read a book by John Piper called Don’t Waste Your Life! His inspiring testimony can be viewed by clicking on this link. http://www.desiringgod.org/drafted

          The Apostle Paul also gave up a career in the Jew’s religion to become an itinerant missionary and writer of scripture but it was not a book that changed his life. It was an encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. In telling about his transformation, he mentions all his privileged accomplishments. “A Hebrew of the Hebrews” is what he called himself but he abandoned it all so that he could WIN Christ. It is still all about winning but now the prize is worthy.

          Think about those things that make you stand to your feet, cheer yourself hoarse, and wear your colors. Is your desire to win and the deep disappointment at every loss worth the effort? Paul, after an honest evaluation, counted his former life as rubbish in comparison. His new team became “the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

Dear Lord, remind me from time to time what is truly important. AMEN

WHAT’S STAMPED ON YOUR PASSPORT?

WHAT’S STAMPED ON YOUR PASSPORT?

Heb 11:13-16

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

2 Tim 2:4

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

          We Americans see the world through glasses that are tinted red, white and blue! I heard from a missionary to Africa who said he would rub the American logo from his passport cover so that he would not have so much trouble at border crossings. He does not wear USA branded clothing with flags and such. He is a stranger and a pilgrim. He is a soldier in the army of the Lord.

          Strangers are visitors, guests, and aliens in a foreign country. All around they see a culture that is not their own. So it is, or rather should be, with every believer. We are to be holy as He is holy because the atmosphere of our country is holiness. We now live in a world of wickedness. Let us not forget what country is stamped on our passport!

          Pilgrims are resident foreigners for so is the rendering of the Greek word parepidemos. A pilgrim establishes a colony of his own countrymen in a foreign land. In every large city you can see places that are called Chinatown or little Italy. In our world we call them churches. These are small communities of believers each owning the citizenship of heaven.

         Soldiers are to conquer and occupy! As a soldier he must focus on his assignment which, as a believer, is to make disciples. Soldiers gain and hold ground. The soldier longs for home and endures the hardships of conflict so that he may please his Captain. He knows that one day he will be going home.

          Do you feel the strangeness of the world you are in? Does your spirit long for heaven? Do you crave those times when you may come together in a community of believers so that you may escape the culture of the world and enjoy the culture of Christianity? Don’t forget what is stamped on your passport!

Dear Father, I long for home and for the language and culture of heaven. Help me to remember that I am a stranger, a pilgrim and a soldier. AMEN