This morning I was struck by something as I was listening to a message on the life and letters of Paul.
God’s work continues whether we are a part of it or not. God’s work continues whether we sit on the sidelines or get involved in the game. God’s work continues whether we want it to or not.
That’s an amazing thing to think about. As I thought about it, here are some things that came to mind:
- Churches will be planted whether existing churches get involved or not.
- Lost sheep will be gathered whether Christians communicate the Gospel or not.
- Lives will be redeemed whether we seek those hurting lives or not.
- God will be worshipped whether we sing or not.
- Jesus will reign whether we bow or not.
- God’s majesty will show whether we will thankful for it or not.
- Jesus resurrection has conquered death whether we believe in it or not.
- God will be faithful whether we are or not.
But the thing that will be missing if we are on the “NOT” side is the unspeakable joy, awe, wonder, beauty, purpose, experience, and love that we would have otherwise experienced.
Make no mistake: God is not beholden to our participation in the mission. The mission will advance with our without us.
Which leads me to a question to ponder for the day: Why do we hold up the mission of our churches for people that are obviously not willing to participate in it? Why do we cater to people who are sitting on the sidelines in our churches? And why are we afraid to move on without them?
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback -->The cynic in me would say that we’re afraid to move on without them because even within the church circles the equasion “more people = more Jesus” holds true. It doesn’t matter if 4,999 of the 5,005 people in your church don’t do a single thing for Christ…you have a 5,000+ member church. It’s a status thing.
It’s not right…but that’s the way it is.
Now, don’t automatically rule out the folks on the sidelines. I’ve been on the sidelines for the most part for a number of years because God’s been refining me and taking crud out of my life that needed to be gone. I know that I’m going to be back in the game…but the Great Coach is just making my skillz a little better (yo) so that when I’m in the game I can play at the right level.
I don’t want to jump in the game and be the center because that’s where I feel most comfortable when God wants me at the point and running the plays.
Now, I know some folks use that as an excuse…but some of us are sincere in that.
I’ve been on the sidelines for the most part for a number of years because God’s been refining me and taking crud out of my life that needed to be gone. I know that I’m going to be back in the game…but the Great Coach is just making my skillz a little better (yo) so that when I’m in the game I can play at the right level.
I would argue (and I think Biblically) that there is no “right level” to jump in at. And I also don’t have in mind church activities or ministries.
What I have in mind is Jesus as King. Reigning, ruling, and in absolute sovereign command of our lives. He is faithful, whether we are or not. It’s not a thing of being “improved” so then I can get in the game.
If we believe in “waiting” until we’re good enough, or until Jesus has done enough in us, then I don’t think we have a proper understanding of God’s holiness and our sin. We’ll never be good enough.
The beautiful part of the Gospel is that God invites the most broken, the most hurting, the most sinful, the most incompetent into the mission and says to them “Watch what I will do through you”. That’s why the Gospel is so amazing. Jesus, though rich, became poor and goes looking for the same kind of people to advance the mission of redemption.
Saul, become Paul, is a perfect example.
It’s our human nature to want the world to revolve around us. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to sit back and watch God use someone else, while we sit there chomping at the bit.
I’ve had to do this and it’s not easy.
Yes, but didn’t Paul spend years working with the disciples before he went out on his own to do the ministry for which he is most commonly known?
I guess you need to define what you mean by the sidelines.
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