Sleeping on the Job

Something To Think About Sleeping on the Job:

A very common image for the church--it applies to both churches and The Church—is the Body.  1 Corinthians 12 is one of the most extensive treatments.  One point that is abundantly clear is that every part needs to do its part. A crisis, or maybe it was a “pre-crisis,” developed in the early church.     "As the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food."  Acts 6:1 (NLT)   I’m looking back at my time as a pastor, and at the record of pastors I know.  My (our) tendency would be to put on an apron and make sure the soup distribution was equal.  The Apostles were too wise for that. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said,    “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.  And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.  Acts 6:2–3 (NLT)   There are times when I have gotten up from a chair to find that my foot had “gone to sleep.”  I suppose I could have just crawled to where I needed to go, letting my knees fill in for my slumbering foot.  The wiser course of action though is to massage the foot, or even gently stomp it on the ground to get the circulation going again.   Getting the foot back in the game is good not only for the rest of the body, but for the foot itself. What in the body should be doing? What might be being neglected because you are not on the job? It’s STTA.

Preaching: Is Anybody Listening?

Something To Think About, Preaching, 2:

STTA started out as a radio program.  I'd go down to the local radio station and sit in from of a console and a recorder.  I age myself when I tell you I started out with a reel to reel.  I'd sit there with a stopwatch in my hand and read from my script.   Sometimes it came out right.  Often times I'd have to start over.  I made good use of the rewind button.  When I finished, the tech-guy at the radio station would put my spots on a cartridge that looked a lot like the old eight-tracks that used to be in automobiles. "Something to Think About" was broadcast right after Paul Harvey.  After his iconic, "Good Day," my, "Hello, my name is Howard Merrell, this is Something to Think About," would go out to radio-land. Back in the day it used to be common for local businesses to play the local radio station over their public-address systems.  A few times, I was giving my order to a waitress, or getting my change from a checkout clerk when my radio-voice came out of the speaker.  Some made the connection, others just kept counting nickels.  It never was really clear whether anyone really listened. Is anybody out there tuned in? I'm not on the radio anymore, but it is still a question I ask whenever I preach.  People may look like they are paying attention, and often they are--to their cellphone, a grocery list, a mental replay of the fight they recently had with their spouse, or even "twenty-five reasons why this guy is all wrong." When the preacher steps down from the platform or the teacher finishes the lesson, we are never quite sure what has been accomplished. Anything? From time to time we preacher-types get word from the other side.  It happened to me recently.  Somebody took the time to come and let me know that yes, indeed, someone was listening.  Somebody out there in the sea of faces zeroed in on the message in the message and applied it to their heart.  A life was changed. Is anybody listening? Most of the time we don't know. Preaching is an act of faith.  I believe in the power of God's word (see here).  To teach Sunday School, to preach, to read the Bible to your kids before they go to sleep, involves believing that God works through His word.  It's encouraging to have that trust reinforced from time to time.  I'm thankful to my new friend for giving me a peek at what's going on out there. Yes, somebody listened.   It's STTA.   A fictional preacher-friend of mine has the same question in his heart that many of we flesh and blood preachers struggle with.  Sometime it seems like Nobody is listening.  You might identify with Parson Smedley's musings.

Somebody ought to do something.

It's one of those videos we would rather not see.  I know I certainly don't want to see it again.  A star football player is seen punching his fiance', now wife, and then dragging her out of an elevator. In classic dysfunctional form, the woman expressed remorse over her part in the incident.  Which means:  1) She had a part in the incident.  She was involved in some behavior that provoked the unjustifiable response, and/or 2) She has assumed the role of victim, including taking blame that should be placed on someone else.  It's broken, either way. "Somebody needs to do something!" Well, yeah. I'll leave the debate about what disqualifies someone from being a football player to others.  Should criminal charges be filed?  Perhaps.  Again, I'll leave that to someone else. The fact is, though, somebody is doing something, has been doing it for a long time, and will continue to do so, as long as opportunities present themselves.  When I talk about doing something, I'm not talking about staged outrage, scripted for the next news-cycle, or feel-good, knee-jerk reaction, tailored to pander to one constituency or another.  In fact what this someone is doing more proactive than reactive.  It certainly is more substantive than symbolic. The church of of the Lord Jesus Christ has done more to promote peace and stability in the family, and to protect the vulnerable than any other group in the world.  Take a map and color in the places where the church has had the greatest impact, and then color the places where women have been treated with the greatest dignity, then take one more pass and fill in places where kids grow up with the greatest opportunities and chance at a decent life.  You'll find that you are largely covering the same territory.  Every Sunday I look out on families that have been and are being reclaimed.  Eyes that once were blackened, glared with anger, or were made red with bitter tears, now shine with joy, because of the difference Christ has made, not only in individual lives, but in families. So, here is a recommendation.  Instead of searching the internet for another video of another derailed relationship, why not look for a church that proclaims the life-changing, family-redeeming message of the Good News found in Jesus Christ. It's Something to Think About.   Here is an interesting picture of what is wrong with the world (including families) and how God's message makes it right.

Satan Hates the Church:

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT     I've never been very impressed with the popular "Spiritual Warfare" movement.  I tend to plead to the Lord of the universe rather than rebuke the prince of the power of the air.  Having said that I'm greatly impressed with the evidence in the book of Acts that Satan hates the church.  When I say "church" I'm not talking about a building at 2140 S. Carpenter Drive, or even many organizations that go by that name.  I'm talking about those gatherings of God's people, who band together under the heading of "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-6)    The church I have in mind preaches "Christ, and Him crucified."  (1 Corinthians 2:2)  These are folk who have no back up plan.  If the world-changing, death-defeating, salvation-securing event that left an empty tomb in Jerusalem is somehow false, then "we are of all men most to be pitied."  (1 Corinthians 15:19)  They hold to a two millennia old story with a confidence that some outsiders find arrogant, others call foolish, but in the heart of hearts of the naysayers there is desperate craving for that security. Billy Graham and Larry King January 1988 Make sure you listen to Larry's final comment. . Why would the prince of darkness be concerned about a nickel and dime real estate deal?  Yet, Acts 5:3 clearly says "Satan filled" the hearts of this admiration-craving couple to lie about their finances.  Ananias and Sapphira likely weren't even pawns on the devils chess board.  They were dust that got brushed away when one moves a pawn.  What was important to Satan was this church exploding in Jerusalem--reaching into every area of society--soon to metastisize (from his perspective) and spread to Samaria, Antioch and the world.  These social climbers were nothing more than a scratch in the church's skin.  Satan figured it was a place where his virus of pride could infect the church, and cripple her with the moral compromise of falsehood.   Meanwhile, Saul of Tarsus, an up-and-coming, hard-charging young rabbi, began "ravaging the church."  (Acts 8:1-4 & 9:1)  After Saul became one of us--The Apostle Paul--he identified the source of that maniacal rage.  He told the Thessalonians to pray that he would be "rescued from perverse and evil men"--the very kind of man he used to be--and then he assures them that the "Lord [will] . . . protect you from the evil one." (2 Thessalonians 3:3) He educates the church at Ephesus,  "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against "spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."  (Ephesians 6:12)  Paul had always been a warrior in that battle.  He switched sides on his trip to Damascus. There is at least one other place in the early chapter of Acts where we can see the devil's fingerprints.  One of his names means slanderer; he is the accuser of the brethren.  (Revelation 12:10)   The squabble that introduces Acts 6is from a well-worn page of his playbook.  Feeding the needy is important, but it is not the supremely important, and besides arguing wouldn't provide any bread.  A church devoted merely to doing good, rather than dedicated to the supreme good is no good to God and no threat to Satan. Satan hated those Jesus-followers in the early chapters of Acts.  He still hates those who follow in that way.  His fiery darts  are dipped in the poison of "dis"--distraction, discouragement, and disgrace.  When churches fail, outwardly and obviously, but even more when the failure is under the radar, leaving a church-like shell that does him no harm and God no good, the church is disqualified for the task to which he pumps his fist and says "Yes!"    Lord, keep me on the right side.  Help me to lead the Covington Bible Church to be a church that Satan hates.  Keep me (us) fighting!   Amen  It's STTA.