Is the church being passed up?

On my way home from a meeting I found myself behind a slow truck and boxed in by a slow driver to my left. You understand my frustration, but that is another blog entirely. As I travel slowly behind I was definitely close enough to the bumper of this truck to read the message to impatient drivers like me.

"Top Speed Set at 60."

At least I couldn't blame the driver for the ridiculous speed he was traveling. In fact he was more stuck than I was, he couldn't pass himself. However, at the chance of getting by I shot past him in a fit of freedom feeling like Jeff Gordon.

Later it hit me that in some ways this is a great parallel to the modern American church. For most in the west the church is on cruise control. It's safe, efficient, predictable for guests, profitable and the people may be stuck. This is against everything the church in the NT experienced and lived as and it is everything I'm working tirelessly to plant into the DNA of Origin.

The church has been passed by as influential, necessary, beautiful, transforming, loving, sacrificing, good because although there is plenty of horsepower under the hood, the cruise control is set. There is little life. I want to be a church with the winds of the Holy Spirit flying through my hair, with the top down and the cops chasing behind just trying to domesticate the gospel. Who's with me?

Idol of self-Dependance (stubbornness)

Jeremiah 2:14-19 - “Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?
Why then has he become a prey?
The lions have roared against him;
they have roared loudly.
They have made his land a waste;
his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.
Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have shaved the crown of your head.
Have you not brought this upon yourself
by forsaking the Lord your God,
when he led you in the way?
And now what do you gain by going to Egypt
to drink the waters of the Nile?
Or what do you gain by going to Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
Your evil will chastise you,
and your apostasy will reprove you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
for you to forsake the Lord your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
declares the Lord God of hosts.

In Jeremiah chapter 2, God addresses idols which finds their place deep in the human heart. In the previous blog I wrote on the "idol of influence". In this blog, I want to look at the idol of self-dependence. We idolize our own freedom and dependence in may ways but here, in Jeremiah chapter 2, God focuses on a particular nuance.

Notice in verses 14-16, God describes how ravished the land is. Remember that Israel is divided into two kingdoms at this point in their history. A northern kingdom, Israel and a southern kingdom, Judah. In verse 14-16, God is asking the people to look at their circumstantial mess. They are war torn, drought stricken, unproductive, weak. God wants them to take stock in their circumstances and come up with some conclusions. The main conclusion is that they are the reason for their circumstances. Verse 16 points to this, "Have you not brought this on yourself...?" God's people were suppose to look at their surroundings and realize their sin. Of course they don't, none of us like to point the finger inward. So what do they do? Instead of turning towards God they turn away and go seek water (life) from their enemies (v. 17). They would rather go to drink from the rivers of their enemies than the life giving [spiritual] water of their King and God (Jeremiah 2:13). That is deep rooted self-dependence and stubbornness.

For some it takes a brick across the head to learn, hear and acknowledge God's working and way. That is not the way of God. There are some places where experience is the best teacher. Not in godliness. Let me say that again. We are not meant to learn godliness by experience. We are meant to hear the words of God and INSTANTLY apply them, live in them, hold to them and teach them. Some of us are so hard headed, and self-dependent , in pride we wait for a crack up the side of the head to hear God's words.

God sees it differently. He says to his people. Your life is a mess! You have made it a mess. In verse 30, God tells them he has been disciplining them and there has been no turning. We should not have pride in our rebellion as if having to learn to follow God the hard way is a good thing. It must grip our heart thinking of how we had to live, following and commit to continual sin before I learned my lesson and came to faith in the work of Jesus for me. Don't eat poop to know it's poop. That is not the way of God. Look around you, have you brought the messes of your life upon yourself because of your stubbornness? It's meant to lead you to repent not continue in self-dependence.

Questions I asked on Sunday night:

Is your past evident of your refusal to hear or understand God's will for you?

Does your life currently reflect a past of not listening?

Do you find yourself always coming up against the same situations only for you to blame it on others and your circumstances?

Do things have to hit you like a brick in order to get to you?

Do you ignore wise counsel because you can't imagine admitting you are wrong?

Idol of Influence

This past Sunday night at Origin we walked through the hard message of God to his people in Jeremiah chapter 2. It was both beautiful and painful. Beautiful because Jeremiah preaches so well and because most have never even cracked it's pages. Painful because the message is relentless as it batters against the door of my pride. God hates idols. People love them. This is the essential problem of the human heart. Jeremiah chapter two exposes several idols which drive us, and the people we influence, away from God.

THE WORTHLESS LEADERS OF ISRAEL AND THEIR IDOL OF INFLUENCE.

Jeremiah 2:8 "The priests did not say, 'Where is the Lord?' Those who handle the law did not know me; The shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit."

This was God's commentary of the leaders of Israel. The priests were not taking the people to God. They weren't even aware or cared of God's presence. The Rabbis and Scribes, who were interpreting the scriptures had no personal connection to the the author. It was just work. The shepherds or rulers of the people were sinning and leading the people into sin instead of away from it. The prophets were not speaking on behalf of God but of false gods and therefore false worthless wisdom.

It always starts with the leaders and you may say you are not a leader but you are an influencer. Everyone influences someone. A younger sister or brother. Husbands leading their families. Moms leading their children. Elderly leading their great-grand kids or nurses. A friend influencing their group of friends. Teachers leading students. Managers influencing office workers.

We all influence someone and sometimes our influence is an idol instead of making much of Jesus in our leadership. Sometimes our cowardice is the idol above being a godly influencer.

Here's the questions I asked on Sunday night so that they can continue to work their way into our influence or leadership.

Do you love influence over loving people?

Can you go all day without even a thought to "Where's God in this moment"?

Are you seeing worthlessness in your influence in people's lives (as a parent, friend, sister etc.)?

Do you lead people to reject the wisdom of God?

Do you lead your family in the folly of your own sin by worshipping other idols and not Jesus?

Are you a coward when you should have boldness as a godly influencer?

Are you prone to bow to your cowardice?

Don't be a coward. Ask the closest people around you to answer these questions on behalf of you. Then humbly hear the answers and seek change, first in forgiveness from Jesus then in putting away worthless living which brings about worthless leading.

Each day I'll post a set of questions for each idol God's people worship in Jeremiah chapter 2.

In Christ Alone

I have been going to this song over and over this week. I just thought I would share the words here. This song is so powerful. Not musically but in truth. I hope you meditate on it and it messes you up, then it radically brings you to the cross.

In Christ Alone

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.