Hello once again from
Community Christian Fellowship,
How many of us have done
something or seen someone else
do something, and it was either
wrong or it didn't turn out the
way we thought it would. So, we
ask "When will we (I) ever
learn"? We like to think that we
should know better or that
others should have learned from
their previous mistakes or
experiences. So, we just expect
things to be better or at least
different from our previous
experience. Unfortunately, as
most of us know, that is not the
case. So then what?
I have been speaking from
I-II Corinthians for the last
few months in our sermon time.
The more I study these letters,
it is my opinion that the church
in Corinth could have been one
of Paul's greatest challenges.
Here we have people who are
getting drunk, eating so much
they vomit, then bragging about
it and eating more. And this is
what they were doing for the
Lord's Supper Ceremony! They
were suing each other for social
status and power, participating
in unspeakable sexual activity,
and were so politically
motivated and fearful that one
of their leaders may have
actually caused so much division
that Paul had to leave the city
because it was too much for him
to handle emotionally! And, this
was the church that we're
talking about!!
The thing is, we can look at
that and say "I'm SO glad we're
not like that now". But, we are.
And that is the hardest thing
for all of us to admit. Given
the "right" circumstances, with
the "right" people, it is within
all of us to think of no one
else but us. When this happens,
we start doing a lot of things
that usually end up making the
situation worse. Like, getting
angry, defensive, scared,
discouraged, judgmental, bitter;
you name it, we can do it.
Now, our responses may not
look as obvious as some of the
Corinthians, but in God's eyes,
it really doesn't matter. He
looks on the heart. And when He
does, what do we think he sees?
I know what he sees in mine, and
it isn't pretty. So, what do we
do? UH OH!!!!!!! There we go
again, thinking that we can
actually do something to make
all of these dynamics change and
go away. So my point is this,
when we talk about these
"things" we always seem to want
to know what to do about it. And
by doing so, we have forgotten
that God has already done it for
us!!!! This "mystery", as Paul
calls it, is so simple, it's
very hard to believe. Because if
we really do "get it" the only
thing we can do is love and be
loved. Now "doing that"
perfectly is impossible. That's
why God did it for us.
We as Christians need to
consider that by asking "what do
we need to do" may actually be
the wrong question. Instead, we
should consider "how do we
affect those around us". And
then, if we think about those
that are affecting us
negatively, and say, "man I wish
they would just get this!" we
still may not be getting the
picture-when will we ever learn?
Do we realize who dogmatically,
and with NO doubt at all
understands that we will never
get it all-ever, God. And that
my friend is all that really
matters. Until next time, Pastor
Mark
