Between having some special time with visiting family this week and dealing with the fog of head cold/allergies or just Missouri Crud, I haven't been able to even think about doing a blog. (By the way, did you ever think about how incompatible a runny nose and a mustache are?) Nevertheless (love those big theological words) I have been thinking a lot about this Sunday's approaching sermon topic: Be Real: Am I passionate about unity. The challenge being - am I as passionate about it as Jesus was - since He's the one I want to be like. Yes, I'm talking about unity on Easter Sunday and I think it's the perfect lesson for such a day.
I've been amazed and somewhat troubled to think about how differently I would have preached his sermon twenty or thirty years ago. I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who would simply say that as "Old Root" has aged he's gotten liberal and started watering down the "pure Gospel". And maybe to such folks the "pure Gospel" means checking off the "five acts of worship" like it was done in 1950 in all faithful Churches of Christ nationwide. And those only count if you "obeyed the five steps of salvation". Don't even think about unity unless you are in full agreement with our formulas, steps, and patterns - not to mention a few hundred other potential battle lines that any rational student of the Bible can see drawn in the sand of truth.
I suspect that Paul, if he heard about all this, would feel like he was right back in the middle of his struggle with those brethren who were Judiazing teachers. Leave it to us to complicate God's plan. His will is simple - love Him and love others as we love ourselves. The Gospel? It's not a formula or some steps. It's Good News - remember? It's two words - HE'S ALIVE! Just look at what they said in Acts every time they had a chance to speak. GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD! It's a fact! Since it's a fact - it means He is the Son of God and the ONLY name under heaven through which we can be saved!
The irony of Easter, as I see it, is that on one hand it's one of the most divisive days of the year, with more people in more churches emphasizing more divisions! Yet, on the other hand, it's a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus which is the foundation - the heart and soul - upon which all unity must be based. Yes, there are some serious differences, but I am so thankful that so many realize how important the Resurrection of Jesus is! Easter is a celebration of The Gospel, which is Jesus! Have you ever thought about what a powerful witness it is that hundreds of millions of people around the world are declaring the Resurrection of Jesus to be a FACT? None of us is totally right about everything, but most of us are right about the most important thing. Remember what Paul said? "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Yes, there may be more - but there's nothing if it doesn't start with His resurrection.
1 comment:
Trying to incorporate the Easter Bunny into what you just said is quite a challenge! :)
I love your thoughts, Dad. I want to do a good job teaching our kids the importance of the resurrection. Sometimes I feel like I don't fully "get it", which makes me feel inadequate to teach it. But, I know growing and learning with them is okay, too.
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