God's Word to the Wise

A person met with the elders of the church of which they were a member. They tearfully requested to be removed as a member of the church. The reason? They were not a Christian. One time while filling the pulpit in a local church a person abruptly got up saying, “What you preach is too hard,” and walked out of the church building. These individuals understood something many, and possibly most “Christians” do not. To be a follower of Jesus is an all or nothing proposition. Sadly they chose the nothing option, though I have been told the second person later surrendered to King Jesus. 

In Matthew 19 we read of a rich young ruler asking Jesus a sincere question; “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” When Jesus told him to go sell all that he owned, give the proceeds to the poor, and come follow Him, he went away sad because he possessed great wealth. Jesus explained to His disciples that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. There is the tendency to see this only in a rich versus poor way, but it begs the question. How do we determine who is rich? 

I would propose that most of us have in our possession something(s) that would be hard to give up. In America most of us are rich in opportunity. One example of this are those who have the opportunity to play a professional sport. There is a problem however. What does one do when the sport requires them to disobey the 4th commandment? I realize that some of you will answer that there is no longer a 4th commandment. (Matthew 5:17-19)  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” 

Oops, that dog won’t hunt! 

Such a person can give all glory to God for their talent. They can kneel in prayer after a game, and I will not criticize this, but imagine the impact not playing would have. Just imagine someone drafted in the first round of their sport announcing they cannot sign a contract that requires them to disobey their Lord and Savior, Jesus. Oh yes, most will mock them, but the world would begin to take notice that, “these Christians are serious about their relationship with their God.” 

Now allow me to bring this down to the masses. Imagine the impact if “Christian” parents faithfully took their children to worship on Sunday rather than to the ball diamond, or the soccer field, or the basketball and volleyball court. Now with professional Christian athletes it probably wouldn’t register a blip on the cultural radar screen. But I think in the arena of youth sports it would have a much greater impact. If every family that attended worship on those Sundays that there is absolutely nothing else on the calendar began attending worship 36 Sundays a year, I believe youth sports would have to adjust its schedule to accommodate this. 

Still some will argue that going to church doesn’t make a person a Christian, and they would be correct. But allow me to leave this blog post with God’s Word (Matthew 6:21 & 24) “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.” Dear Christian what’s it going to be or more to the point, who is it going to be?