In the course of my sermon on Feb. 20, near the end, I said something like this (it was not in my notes and I've not listened to get an exact quote): "I-Pads...who gives a rip...people all around us are under God's wrath and need Christ!" Here is what's behind that outburst...
It is not that I-Pads and other electronic tools are bad in and of themselves. Many of these "gadgets" are useful and, yes, cool and fascinating. But they are not worthy of our worship! They are not! Stay with me please...
Here is the danger of I-Pads or sports or cooking or home decor or movies or travel or politics or computer games or other attention-grabbing things. They can be so attractive and fascinating that we find ourselves mentally and even emotionally preoccupied and passionate about them. We worship what (who) we are attracted to, fascinated by,and passionate about, and we talk about (witness) what (who) we worship. Witness flows out of worship.
And true witness flows out of true worship.
All around us there are people who are under God's wrath, spiritually sick, blind and dead, who need to know about the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the gospel! Let's check the pulse of our life of witnessing: Does Christ (or electronics, football, the Oscars, the economy) come up in your conversations often? Let us take time to stir up love for Him, and fascination and passion for Him! Let us abide in the Vine (John 15), nurture our lives in Him by the Scriptures, and seek Him in prayer! Let us remind one another of how stunning God's mercy and grace to us in Christ is! When we are together for gathered worship or ABF or Bible study or LIFE groups or meetings or ministries or meals, let us encourage each other by speaking about Jesus! Let us pray together for lost people, for incoming military personnel and their families, for opportunities to share Christ, and for growing fascination with Him! This coming Sunday, let us all encourage someone with words like this: "Isn't our Lord Jesus great?" Or take someone aside and pray for expansive hearts for Christ's glory and your lives of witness. How does that sound to you?
"O Lord, please work in me so that my attraction to you grows, my fascination with you intensifies, and my passion for you multiplies because you are great, and "in you all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell..." (Col. 1:19). Help me to worship you truly and to bear witness to your greatness and power to give life and save those who are lost. Give me courage to speak of you with conviction and faith. For your great name's sake, and my joy in you, Amen."
Very important words about our priorities and focus. Eternal things and our eternal home are to have our interest and pleasure the most by far, but how far that is from the truth for most of us. This is to our shame. And not only with gadgets, but our homes, vehicles, vacations, etc.
ReplyDeleteNot only for the sake of witnessing, but for all that He commanded, and for glorifying Him in all we do.
I never understood why, when believers gather for conversation, it often falls on anything and everything but the Lord. You give some good advice here as to what more fitting conversation might involve. Thank you.
It was a very blessed and God-glorifying morning from first note to last "Amen"!!
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