Over the past three weeks I have been involved with a new worship service. This service is particularly aimed at calling God's people to action and challenging them beyond their status quo. This all seems like something that most Christians should already understand, but I'm convinced it really isn't the case... starting with myself!
This past Sunday night, I conducted an impromptu poll during the service. I asked the congregation to raise their hand if they own a shirt with the name or logo of their favorite sports team. Probably 75% of the people in the room raised their hand. Next I asked how many people own a shirt with their favorite music group, TV show or movie. Once again I would say about 60% of the congregation raised their hand. Next I asked how many people are ashamed to wear those shirts in public. Not a single hand went up.
The point of the poll was to explain how much emphasis and enthusiasm we put behind things of this world... even things that we aren't even remotely involved in. We like to celebrate the lack of mediocrity among OTHER people.
Imagine what this world could be like if we had the same lack of shame for "wearing" Jesus on a day to day basis. Imagine what it would be like if expressing our faith in God was as simple and effortless as grabbing your favorite sporting team's shirt out of the closet for the day. Imagine what it would be like if our response toward worship and praise to God equaled the response that we often show while watching someone make a touchdown or cross the finish line neck and neck with another opponent?
Imagine what it would be like if we entered into things like communion with full appreciation of the greatest gift ever given us... instead of just following the crowd.
Grown men will jump out of their chairs and scream at the TV in "worship" of a couple dozen college kids... whom they have never met and know nothing of their character... running into each other on a big plot of grass.
That same man will sit bored out of his mind in church on Sunday morning after having spent the past 6 days "avoiding" God... the Creator of the universe... ignoring the fact that we have a specific relationship with God through Christ and are therefore purposed for His work and worship. We aren't just a spectator with season tickets.
God designed us to be passionate people. Christ showed several times over that He Himself responded WITH (not BECAUSE of) emotion.
So... I challenge you... I challenge me... when you are sitting down to listen to your favorite CD this week, ask yourself if you've spent the same amount of energy in understanding God's beauty as you have your favorite song lyrics and chord progressions? When you watch the latest movie or your favorite TV show, ask yourself if you've spent the same time understanding God's story as you have following Jack Bauer? When you watch your favorite sports team compete on the field, ask yourself if you've spent the same amount of enthusiasm being a witness for Christ as you have being a fan of a group men or women.
In Him,
Jim
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I've thought about that a lot myself... I mean how many lyrics or lines in a movie can I quote proudly, then how many scriptures can I quote?
Obviously it's not about memorization, but about dedication.
preach it brother!
Jim,
Good thoughts. I'd never thought about doing a t-shirt poll, but it certainly illustrates the point well. Our passions and affections are always drawn to things that never fully satisfy. It is so ironic isn't it.
Post a Comment