What's New?

Whatever has happened -- that's what will happen again; whatever has occurred -- that's what will occur again.

There is nothing new under the sun.

As a general rule, I do my very best not to get overtly...political. If I'm being honest, I am tired of politics. One of my favorite sayings (jokingly of course) is, ministry would be great if it weren't for the people. But the reality is, when there are people, there are politics...it is the nature of things.

Jesus dealt a lot with politics. Consistently he was dealing with questions from the religious leaders of the day, who in the time that Jesus walked the earth, were also the political leaders of the day.

Jews, in the time of Jesus, had to deal not only with their own laws and regulations, but they also had to put up with the political and military occupation of Rome, which was not exactly a free society.

All of this though has me thinking a lot about the Church. You know, it wasn't long ago when topics like church split, and Biblical Authority were our biggest issues. I mean, honestly, they really still are, it's just that I think we have become so hyper focused on COVID-19 that we've put all that other "stuff"  on the back burner.

But if we are really paying attention to what is going on around us, our national politics, our church politics, even our own local church politics, the Teacher of Ecclesiastes couldn't be more right. 

There is NOTHING new under the sun.

I often think about this statement. Every time I hear something on the radio or the news regarding politics, my mind goes to a place where I can see the same dynamics happening in the church. Do you know what this means?

We have become too much like the world and not enough like Christ!

Yeah, I know...I'm meddling now. Which reminds me, I had one of our members send me a link this past week to a song from the band, Casting Crowns. You can listen HERE.

Here are some of the lyrics.

 We Want our Coffee in the lobby.
We watch our worship on the screen.
We Got a rockstar preacher
Who wont wake us from our dreams.

We want our blessings in our pockets
We keep our missions overseas
But for the hurting in our cities
Would we even cross the street.

But we want to see the hearts set free and the tyrants kneel
the walls fall down and our land be healed
But Church if we want to see a change in the world out there

It's gotta start right here
It's Gotta start right now
Lord, I'm starting right here.
Lord, I'm starting right now.

That's just the first verse and chorus! Talk about meddlin...

My brothers and sisters, we are called to be the church. Fear has no place among us. God does not call us to safety...he calls us to freedom. There is a BIG difference.

We know the answer to that. Because "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)


Let us pray

God of us all, we repent of our desire to be like the world. We know that by even saying that Satan will try to attack us, but we believe that because we have been crucified with your son, Jesus, that it is he who lives within us and we no longer need to be afraid.

Help us to live as emissaries of your light to the darkness. Help us to truly be free.

In the name of Jesus we pray.

Amen.