Are We Living for Christ Or Dying To Get Through That Yellow Light?
Good Morning Friends,
There are many people within what we call “church” that hurt today. A careful look in the rear view mirror shows that we lack love. We are filled with pride. We lack unity. Our reflection when we look in the mirror is blurred. Maybe it is our eyesight. Well, the Bible is filled with examples of people with poor eyesight, maybe their stories might help. Usually it is about those that have a more serious problem than Presbyopia. It can be a bit humbling not having perfect vision, even if it is corrected. One tends to misplace things. Like one’s glasses. Without vision life can be pretty dangerous. Thankfully there is a spiritual side of seeing that helps us to love beyond the blind spots. The point is that we are to risk reflecting Christ in our life. We are to be part of a changing church and recognize that we all desperately need a changeless Christ. Friends, we live in a divided world with all the symptoms of failing to see Jesus…of failing to reflect Christ… of not risking to love. Somedays we all are jerks. What is the problem? Are We Living for Christ Or Dying To Get Through That Yellow Light?
Scripture: For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
Philippians 1:21 (NRSV)
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NRSV)
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NRSV)
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7 (NRSV)
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:1-8 (NRSV
He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
John 9:25 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s scripture is not just about the problem of eating sacrificial meat sold in the market. It is about allowing anything to replace God as the most important priority in our lives….even our own lives and that my friends is hard to swallow. So today’s message is about not being a stumbling block to others faith. It is about dying to self. It is about not being a jerk. It is about freedom and responsibility. It is about putting God first. And to grasp this and believe it is a hard lesson. Here knowing is not enough. We have to experience Jesus. Here we contrast the principles of grace against selfish individualism and firm legalism. If you want to know what I am talking about think about the experience every time you get in a car with heavy traffic. Here on the journey as we glance in the rearview mirrors and through the windshield to the traffic ahead, we need to be sensitive to the reality that we are not all understanding…all seeing. We need to realize that as Christians, even though the future is hidden, we need to see some things through the Holy Spirit so that we can do what is right. This becomes clear…when it comes to others spiritual conditions… real knowledge is not insensitive. If Christ died for that person that cut us off in traffic, perhaps we too should share the freedom we experience in Christ with greater responsibility….with love. So too, being in the community of the Spirit should teach us to have a heart…to put ourselves aside and to help others get ahead in the church. We need to forget ourselves long enough to remember to lend a helping hand. Like Christ we are to set aside what we think is status and privilege. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are to heal the hurting church by having the same mind and attitude that Christ had…. always building the capacity of others. So, brothers and sisters, if the church is going to be healthy, then each one of us must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We need to reflect the mind of Christ. We are to take seriously His example. We need to remember the good in us all and we need to look for that good. We need to praise that good. We need to realize that the good in others may be better than the good in us. We need to win the battle for our mind. We need to see Christ’s reflection in us. So, what are you living for? It is an important question. For our answer to that question will determine the direction of our lives. If our purpose is wrong, our direction will be wrong. If our purpose is vague or incoherent, our direction will be blurred. If we do not know our purpose, we will just be swept along by the currents and traffic of our age, doing what seems to bring happiness and being blind to the truth. Friends, we are to glorify God but also enjoy and love the life we have been given. Therefor it is crucial that we be clear and correct for it is all too easy to make things into idols. Our purpose is to live for Christ…for this is to live for God. We are to see through the eyes of love. For seeing through the eyes of Christ brings life.
Pray we see that love in more important than just being right. Pray that we show our strength by not being a stumbling block to the weak. Pray that we not wound the weak because of our lack of spiritual sight. Pray we be built up with love, not puffed up with knowledge. Pray that the Holy Spirit use the sight we have to encourage and equip others to serve in Kingdom assignments. Pray we learn to love carrying out our God given purposes. Pray that we understand that the gifts we have been given are best shared in a relationship with God. Pray we understand that we have been blessed to be a blessing. Pray that our personality be more about love than knowledge. Pray we see others pain, their hurt and sorrow and reflect Jesus’ love to them. Pray we realize that success is found in the Lord and in His purposes for our lives. Pray we live to serve the living…Pray we live for Christ. Pray we learn to love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 