What’s your influence – Merchandise or Mission!

The Great Commission is always the highest priority of every Church and Christians. Jesus constantly clarified this purpose during the three and a half years. He addressed the issue of the heart, moved us from ethical moral standard to becoming holy, redefined the meaning of worship, redesigned the meaning of Church (moving from locatable place to person), and making us His image bearers. God’s plan for man’s redemption through His son Jesus made all the difference who clarified His mission and the core priority, ‘to seek and save the lost’ which is also the mission for us all. Today, most of Christians and Churches are focusing on good moral living and commitment only to the Church’s obligation. The reality and the priority have been changed drastically. Weekly, monthly and yearly activities have been successful in bringing the Christian community together. The funny part is every Church or organization, or so-called Mission leaders are holding to parts convenient for their identification and security.

This is no compromise when it comes to holy life, but then becoming like Christ enables a person to also be His witness for Him, becoming a carrier of the gospel and a powerful influencer. Let me remind you to refocus on Christ’s primary Mission which is the ultimate core responsibility of every Christian.

 

Matt 15:24 “I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Matthew 9:37-38 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

John 17:18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”  

John 20:21 “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”. (This is after resurrection)

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.". 

Matt 28:18 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,”

Jesus Christ’s Mandate is mandatory for all, and is therefore called 1. Great Commission Mark 16:15, Matt 28:18-19) and 2. Supplement commandment to the Great Commission, Acts 1:8 “you shall be witnesses to Me…”

Let me remind you of some of the metaphors Jesus used to help us understand that our life must add value to others and attract them to Christ who promised abundant life and eternal life. I am pointing out few metaphors, out of many that Jesus used. The first four what Christ described and the last two by Apostle Paul who continued to explain to us through metaphors.

1) Leaven 

Matthew 13:33 “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.”.  The little leaven that gets lost in 50 pounds close to 23 kgs and yet influences the whole flour. This resembles the Christian life. We are supposed to be like this powerful influencer. Brian Zahnd states, “We change the world, not in loud, forceful ways, but in quiet, hidden ways. We hide the kingdom leaven of gospel and grace in the three measures of mean around us- family friends and neighbors. Eventually things rise.”. 

2) Salt

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth.” (The most essential and important part in human life). It is very difficult to live without it. Salt is not expensive at all but it is crucial to add taste and flavor. Likewise, we are expected to add taste and flavor in the lives of people. 

3) Light

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world”. Today instead of becoming a light to show direction to people we want to be in the spotlight of being famous. Christ meant that this light should be powerful enough to evict all darkness from people’s life. In verse 16 the purpose is defined that people see our good works and glorify our father. 

4) Large net

Matt 13:47-48 “…Large net thrown into sea. It collected every kind of fish...”. You are a large net. Never forget this fact. To catch people of all kinds without being prejudiced.

5) Fragrance

2 Corinthians 2:15 “For God we are the fragrance of Christ…”.  With good perfume you are sure to catch attention of all the passersby. Similarly, if you have Christ in you then for sure you have the capacity to draw people to Him.

6) Epistle

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 An epistle where people find an opportunity to read us and know Christ. What are people reading from us. Is it the still gospel to lead them to life, or success, career, commodity, materialistic blessings, positive living, etc?

Study shows Jesus spent three and a half years, 1,230 days, visited close to 175 towns and villages in Galilee, and influenced approximately 200,000 people that is 162 people daily. There is no other purpose than influencing lives and drawing them to Christ. Stop merchandising mission, ministry and Church.

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Another Jesus!

We all understand that that there are different ways by which one finds Christ.  Example: through someone sharing the gospel, association with Christian friends, encountering Jesus through dreams & vision, gospel tracts, getting to read through the New Testament, making investigation of gods and finding Christian faith convincing, healed of their sickness, going through near-death experience. There is also a big group which is born in a Christian family, encountered Christ personally and becoming a follower of Christ. However, if we interview Christians from different countries, contexts and denominations about their faith and belief system we are sure to get diversified answers that contradicts with the core foundation of the Biblical worldview. Everyone assumes they are right in their understanding of who  Christ and His mission is.

Paul in the letter to Ephesians states, “There is one body, one spirit - just as you were called to one hope at your calling - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”.  Ephesians 4:5-6. Why then there is so much of fragmentation in Christianity? Why there are so much of doctrinal confusion? Why Churches have become institutionalized to an extent that it exists as a religious shrine? Why is Church facility posed as God’s dwelling place? Why attendance to Church on Sundays made to look that it is a qualifier to entering the kingdom of God? Why are offerings and tithes shown as the fulfilment of Christian obligations?  Why Pastors and leaders represent as saviors? If you ponder carefully you would find that there are many more “why’s” that are points of contradiction from the Biblical pattern and principle. Most of the “why’s” are still lingering because of its selfish agenda which is turning Church and His mission into an enterprise.

Let me bring to you what Paul addressed to the Corinthians to your attention. “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or different Gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with it”. 2 Corinthians 11:4 CSB. Eugene Peterson in his message version puts it this way. “It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot “apostles,” why can’t you put up with simple me? I’m as good as they are. It’s true that I don’t have their voice, haven’t mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I’m talking about. We haven’t kept anything back. We let you in on everything.”. Paul is surprised knowing how they were attracted to the people who spoke about another Jesus. People then, and now are still preaching another Jesus. There are still people falling for it and are comfortable with a compromised gospel that preaches Christ no doubt, but robs and negates a person  from being a witness, and obeying the Great Commission. A God who demands from you nothing is just an idol.  

Today, we preach Jesus as a bridge to success through philosophies like, name it and claim it, profess it and possess it, blab it and grab it, declare and decree and many such so called unsupported Christian philosophies. We assume we can achieve whatever we want if we exercise the power to claim for oneself. Where is God's sovereign will in all these? Many Churches today have become a life coaching program center teaching them how to live, how to lead a happy life, how to raise kids, how to pray and get things, how to be blessed. Every testimony shared in the Church of their material success is made to look God has made a better progress in their life compared to some who are still struggling in their day-to-day life. I am not sure if the apostles of Jesus would be seen as blessed or stupid losers. Everything revolves in Christendom around commercialization, business deals and sustaining the cash flow.  Eventually, people have learned to drag  God into it. Don Wilton puts his thoughts so beautifully, “we have become an increasingly idolatrous people. God cannot be pleased. We worship so many of our blessings instead of simply thanking God and enjoying them. We worship sports, celebrities, clothes, money, church buildings, politics, positions, abilities, and capabilities. Idolatry is the worship of anything and anyone other than God.”

The book titled “Third Jesus,” Deepak Chopra talks about transcendental meditation famous in Hindu theology. He states that there is not one Jesus, but three. First, there is the historical Jesus, the man who lived more than two thousand years ago and whose teachings are the foundation of Christian theology and thought. Next there is Jesus the Son of God, who has come to embody an institutional religion with specific dogma, a priesthood, and devout believers. And finally, there is the third Jesus, the cosmic Christ, the spiritual guide whose teaching embraces all humanity, not just the church built in His name. He speaks to the individual who wants to find God as a personal experience, to attain what some might call grace, or God-consciousness, or enlightenment. Ultimately, Chopra argues, Christianity needs to overcome its tendency to be exclusionary and refocus on being a religion of personal insight and spiritual growth. In this way Jesus can be seen for the universal teacher He truly is – someone whose teachings of compassion, tolerance, and understanding can embrace and be embraced by all of us. People like Him in a tactful way subtly attempt to deconstruct the faith of those many so called Christians whose belief system are on everything other the true essence of what Christ taught and entrusted to all.  I wouldn’t blame Deepak Chopra much on this. If in Christendom there are so many who are preaching another Jesus and a different gospel, I am not surprised if people who are not from Christendom take the courage to  skew the truth.

Let us not forget even in Jesus’ time there were big majority of people who clung to another Jesus and a different gospel that satisfied their hunger and addressed their need of the physical body. It is stated in the gospel that a large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs He was performing on those who were sick.  John 6:2 summarizes the result as follows:

1. They followed Him because of the miracles.

2. They exalted Him because of the meals and,

3. They abandoned Him because of the message.

In John 6:66: As a result of this ("this" = all that Jesus had said to them from John 6:26 through John 6:65) many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. Is this not the same today - both in the church and in the world? Mark what Jesus stated, then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24.

Stop preaching another Jesus and a different gospel. How do you know that you are preaching the right Jesus and the correct gospel? Simple, at least 75% of your believers are witnessing Christ and sharing the gospel on a monthly, weekly and a daily basis. May the Lord help us to find the truth. Let us fight against heresies of all kind. 

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When information rules conviction fails!

 

The news of mission and great commission is not a surprise anymore. I don’t believe if someone says people are not well-informed about the great commission. It is not true at all! Over the ages and centuries, we overheard about the mission, missionaries, outreach ministries, mission model, gospel tools, support to the mission field and mission needs. But then, still most of the statistics state that 90% and more Christians have not shared the good news even once in their lifetime.  Do we have an accurate diagnose of the problem yet? Churches, Parachurches & Mission organizations may blame each other for this big problem. All the entities, including the Churches, Mission organizations and believers are responsible to a larger extent for failing to demonstrate the gospel to the dying world. The question is not about effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the churches, believers and Mission organizations, but somewhere we have compromised Christ’s mission with our personal objectives, building our Churches, organizations and institutions. 

The history of the early Churches records that they grew daily in numbers. Observe that the political scenario was not favorable at all for Christians then. They were brutally persecuted and killed for their faith, yet the disciples and the Churches grew in number, daily.

Acts 6:1 state ‘in those days as the disciples were increasing in number.’. And in verse 7 it says, “so the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number.”. Disciple is a strong word not limited to Church attendee who thinks he/she is doing an obligation to God and to the Church. By simple definition the disciple-makers are the disciples. Allow me to explain how a disciple was motivated. In one instance it is said that Paul and Barnabas “strengthened the disciples” by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”. How do we encourage our believers today? We promise God will bless them with all they want and riches of His providence. So as a result, Christians today are more sophisticated expecting abundance, blessings and satisfaction as an end goal. 

In Acts 2:47 talks about the Church growth in Jerusalem which says, “Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”  And then in Derbe and Lystra it is described likewise, “So the Churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”.  When the disciples grow, Churches grow. Disciples are the one who take the Great Commission seriously and become a witness by sharing the good news. Dan White Jr. puts this beautifully, “Most seminaries don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most Bible studies don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most sermons don’t disciple people, they inform people. Most sermons don’t disciple people, they inform people. Lots of information- very little formation.”.  The Information about disciple, missions has overcrowded Christendom with an agenda. Christian leaders, Churches and missions assume they have informed people well about going, sharing and discipling without modelling, and demonstrating what is the meaning of the true Church. 

Let me quote Ezekiel where God Says, Ezekiel 7:14 “They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready. But no one goes to battle. For my wrath is on all the multitude”. Is it not strange? Money in abundance is raised, spent, transactions made, yet no one or very few goes to battle. This is the same situation today. I want to metaphorically resemble the sound of the trumpet to the call of believers to go and share Gospel. It is up to each one of us to decide how we want to internalize it. I am in the mission world serving more than 25 years and I see somewhere most of us have become too busy in managing the institutions and securing our personal security and future, and the future of our ministries and organizations. 

And the second reason why all the Churches and believers are not active in sharing the gospel can be related from a unique example given by Paul in his writing to Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 14:8 when referring to tongues states, “If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for the battle?” The trumpet blowers have a specific tune which mobilizes people for war. If it is a soothing tune to a music,  people will be entertained rather than go out to fight the battle. Today many are entertained rather than warned about their failed responsibility. 

Peter and John state Acts 4:20 “for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Paul States in 2 Cor 5:14 “for the love of Christ constrains us”. How could one encounter God and experience the forgiveness and the big salvation and not talk about it. Something is wrong with the puzzle, don’t you agree? Today we have in abundance the various gospel tools, literatures, seminars, strategies and pep talks about how to share the gospel, yet we are struggling to reach our families, relatives, friends and people in our influence. It is time to repent and think how we could prioritize Christ mission  to people without adding our agenda to it, and for sure the hearts of the people will be moved.

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Mistaken Agenda, Misinterpreted Priorities!

 

The story of Jesus saturates the meta-narrative of the Bible. One scholar, J. Barton Payne, has found as many as 574 verses in the Old Testament that somehow point to or describe or reference the coming Messiah. Alfred Edersheim found 456 Old Testament verses referring to the Messiah or His times. Conservatively, Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophecies in His earthly ministry. The pharisees and the priests did realize that Jesus was the fulfilment to all the prophecies concerning Messiah but unwilling to accept Him so. The Sanhedrin, Pharisees, Sadducees, the scribes were operating in a religious institution setup where they were holding tremendous authority and position in the society. But when they found a large crowd following Jesus and accepting Him as Messiah, they were afraid the religious institutions and synagogues will no more be revered, and they will lose their ground. Their fear is portrayed in their remarks which says, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”  John 12:19.

 

Let me highlight some of the mistaken assumption of the disciples, Pharisees, the crowd, the Roman governors regarding Jesus’ agenda:

• To overthrow the Roman kingdom and establish His own Kingdom and restoring the kingdom to Israel.
• Hold on to equal or more power than the government,
• To be the king of the Jews,
• To establish a clear divide between Jew and the gentiles
• To approve and establish the temple concept,
• To build a tent and a shrine for Jesus (In the mount of transfiguration)
• To cater to the largest crowd. 

Assumption 1: Overthrow the Roman Kingdom and Restoring the kingdom to Israel:

 

The disciples assumed that He will at some point overthrow the Roman government and establish a new government. To a larger extent, Judas thought so. And why would he not? He was managing the finance, and he would have soon realized that there is a good portion of power and authority attached to it. Hence, he mistook all of Jesus’ deliberation which included feeding a big crowd, healing all types of sickness, challenging the government, and law enforcement as gaining power to overthrow the government and becoming the king. Even though Jesus demonstrated servant leadership by washing the feet of the disciples, some were subconsciously always expecting that he would restore the kingdom. After the resurrection when Jesus was about to be ascended the disciples at the final moment clarify it.  ‘Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”’ Acts 1:6. Jesus had said lot about His second return and restoring the kingdom, but they mixed this with the present time. And that is why we see Jesus responded by saying “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” Acts 1:7. And then, Jesus gives them the supplementary commission in verse 8 of Acts 1, “You will be my witnesses”.  We are still getting it wrong; don’t you think so? Today it is all about establishing our own jurisdiction, little kingdom for Churches and Christian Organizations. Disagree with me if it is not the case. Denominational powers, positions, dynasty are so evident in Christendom, making it similar like any other religious bodies existing. 

 

Assumption 2: To be King of the Jews:

 

The people mistook Jesus’ agenda like others. Seeing Him feeding the big crowd of more than 10,000 people at one time with just a handful of meal of the little boy. The crowd was trying to take Jesus by force and crown Him to be the king. The reaction of Jesus is recorded in John 6:15 “Therefore when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him King, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”. Today we don’t have a dearth of Christian celebrities whose sole moto is to make their followers worship them as heroes. When Jesus knew the intention of people he slipped away from the crowd. But celebrity pastors / leaders today ensure a coronation ceremony is prepared every time to be heard and known for a larger crowd, nationally and internationally. 

 

Assumption 3: To establish his own nation:

 

Pilate the governor thought too, that Jesus is the leader of the Jewish Nation. During the trail He said “Your own nation and the chief priests handed over to me. What have you done? Jesus had to immediately clarify by saying “My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:35-36. It would have been shocking for Pilate to hear what Jesus responded. Probably the Roman government have heard a lot of Jesus going to be the king. Even the riding on the donkey which generally indicates the trait of one becoming a king. But what he would have failed to understand is when Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of the world,” that it is not for now. 

 

Assumption 4: To be a powerful team:

 

The disciples when soon realized that Jesus had tremendous power to heal any sickness and cast demons, wanted to be identified as a powerful team. They probably believed Jesus will endorse exercising their power at any situation at any given point. In one instance when they enter a Samaritan village it says they did not receive Him. Immediately James and John say, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” John 9:54. There are so much undue powers exercised by Churches and Christian organization that only feeds their agenda. Mega Churches pastors/leadership team are like gods and demi-gods. Such Churches/organizations, pastors and leaders have become become brands. People are made to feel that they lose if they don’t make it on Sunday.  And this has only widened the gap more between the clergy and laity, Missions and responsibility.

 

Assumption 5: To keep racial and multicultural distinction:

 

While the Pharisees, Sadducees and the Scribes believed to keep the divide between Jew and the non-Jew, Jesus breaks it by going to the Samaritans and sharing the good news of the Kingdom. He broke anything that would bring a divide between any groups of people who were downcast and poor. How is the situation today? Are we still not divided by caste, race, culture and then superficially display feigned love to the world? In the book of James, he addresses on the sin of division. James 2:2-7, “If someone come into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes…”, how do we treat them in comparison to the normal person visiting the fellowship. The attention and focus immediately falls on such group.  They soon will be consulted for every decision in the Church. They become the voice in the group.  These are not just happening subtly, but outrightly. We boast about them and exalt them Sunday after Sunday because they happen to be the prime source of income. 

 

Assumption 6: To approve and establish the temple concept:

 

The temple dignitaries were not happy because Jesus was rebuking them on the superficialities, meaningless rituals, on observing laws, obligations and on the concept of Sabbath. They were holding the synagogue as private membership for the Jews who abide by the laws and do not question them. We see a man in the Bible in John Chapter 9, who was born blind and was healed by Jesus. But when the parents were interrogated by the temple priests and leaders. They were not willing to take a stand and endorse how their son was healed because it is recorded that they were scared they will be thrown out of the synagogue. Jesus was not the one to approve the institution which was soon turning to be a business and power center. Jesus soon predicted the demolition of the temple which happened in AD 70. If you still believe that Sunday meeting place is the holy sanctuary and is the Church, then you have miserably failed in your understanding of Church. I have addressed this in many of my previous blogs, the true concept of Church. Christ never meant the building facility to be the Church. The grandest temple was running parallel while Jesus the Lord of the temple was in their midst. Therefore, before the end of His time on this earth, He predicted the demolition of the greatest temple.  Meeting together is not wrong at all. But when the purpose of meeting is not met, then there is a problem. How is the Church body carrying out Christ’s mission today? Churches exist for themselves for Christians alone. We are deaf and dumb to the crying world.

 

Assumption 7: Establish a mega Church Model:

 

Jesus was always moving from one place to another. He went through the village, towns, and cities to share the good news. Study shows that Jesus visited close to 175 towns and villages of Galilee. He never meant to institutionalize Church and generate funds and then connect to the Mission. It was the other way around. When we see in Mark 1: 35-36 Jesus was in a deserted place praying and the disciples find Him and inform Him that the crowd is waiting for Him. The disciples assumed Jesus would prefer to address a crowd from where He is and continue with the follow up meetings like what we have on Sundays. But Jesus had to immediately abandon the idea of staying there and wanted to go to a different place where they are yet to hear the good news. We assume staying in one place where opportunity opens to build a structure in spaces and call it a Church. Hence, many Churches are doing a life coaching program without equipping their congregation to get out of the comfort zone, be a Church, and include the people in their empty space. 

 

These are some of the mistaken agendas we follow and settle with a new religion calling it Christianity. Money, power, fame, building a kingdom, income generation programs have become the underlying agenda in Christendom sadly. The actual gospel is manipulated and muddled by the so-called Christian giants who have made the mission their profit and Church an income generation coaching center. It is time to repent and realign our agenda with Christ’s agenda. Jesus’ coming to this earth is to seek and save the lost. Unless all our initiatives are aligned to this, we are doomed and waiting for God’s wrath to descend upon us. Today our priorities have completely shifted. We are no more a witness for the gospel, but just settled with the Christian name. If you have not reached someone with the gospel and lead someone to Christ in your lifetime, then it is time to check your Christian faith. If your Church is not missional then it is going towards a slow death.

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The Conversion of the Powerless and the Powerful man- Celebrating Good Friday!

 

Tradition attracts many people to observe the Lent season ardently. Churches bring to memory the line of events which happened during the crucifixion and the jubilee of His resurrection. New dresses, parties, family fellowship and with the digital revolution, sharing resurrection pictures, music videos have become the ultimate end results of expressing the joy of the Easter Season.  But for Paul and his team, the need for establishing the gospel everywhere and mostly in hostile environments in those days were a pressing need than just to celebrate with friends, families and Church. It says in Acts 17:3 “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.”

The greatest event, the resurrection in history was the central message for the early Church to establish the proof about Christ and His deity. Remember, life was not easy for people who followed Christ then, including the apostles and the disciples of Christ. They were thrown out, beaten, shamed yet relentlessly went about sharing the resurrection story. People called them as babblers (Acts 17:18), some ridiculed them (Acts 17:32), but they never restrained themselves from sharing the gospel, Today, Good Friday and Easter have been reduced to observing, celebrating and commemorating it as an event.

Looking back at Christ’s Crucifixion, two people are identified in the Scriptures and history to make an immediate commitment by acknowledging who Jesus was. One was the powerless suffering thief on the cross who the Church later called him Dismas. And the second was a man in power, the Centurion. The thief in pain who sought Christ mercy begged Jesus to include him in His eternal kingdom. This thief, as named Dismas, denied any instant gratification like the other thief who in pain mocked Jesus and asked to display his power by saving him and himself. He got an immediate confirmation of eternal home. The dying thief departed with hope and satisfaction.

Life did not make sense for the other thief who failed to acknowledge the Saviour though he knew who Jesus was. He challenged Christ to show his power and rescue him from his immediate pain and not deciding on the eternal kingdom. This tells us that all those who are in pain necessarily do not acknowledge God. The second person who was the centurion was a man in power. According to the information published by the Research Scholars of Oxford University: 350 soldiers and 50 horsemen dragged JESUS - whipping, beating on the streets of Jerusalem. Probably he along with his team of soldiers inflicted pain on Jesus. But then witnessing Christ's death on the cross brought a strange divine conviction to say what he said. 'Surely this man was the Son of God!' (Mark 15:39). The important fact here is the convert did not get an opportunity to witness Christ’s resurrection yet made a commitment to the Lord.

Today, we have the whole scenario of crucifixion and resurrection. We have the privilege of understanding forgiveness of our sins yet many Christians are yet to make a commitment to be a true disciple for Christ. When are we going to be prepared to take the good news to thousands outside the gate of the Church who are leaving the world without Christ? Churches are willing to spend their time in all types of fellowship, activities and worship programs to satisfy their existence as faithful Church members but never prepare someone who could risk their lives for the name of Jesus and for the sake of the gospel (Acts 15:26).  

We allure people by inviting them for a better life, great career and a prosperous future and keep them in the fold. And as a result instead of becoming a disciple for Christ many are just Christians by name. Leonard Ravenhill makes this bold claim, “I’m sick to death of people making cheap invitations “come up for this”,  “Are you afraid of the future?” “Are you afraid of ___-forget it! The altar in the Bible is for two things only: one is for sacrifice the other is for death. If not, keep away.”. Churches and organisations are accomplishing all their goals including their ministerial and financial status by inviting people for a luxurious wealthy life. Where are the true converts who are daring to make a commitment to follow Christ? All are distracted searching for a happy and comfortable life. Puritan Thomas Brooks states, “The minds of weak saints are more interested in joy, peace, comfort, and assurance than their responsibilities of waiting on God, believing in God, walking with God, and acting for God.”.

Christless young people are growing in our culture day by day. They don’t have time, interest or conviction to have a backbone being a Christian. They want to be entertained and hear words of hope for their future and career. And then events like Christmas, Good Fridays and Easter become mere excuses to buy dresses and be entertained. Jesus has become a mere gateway to achieve all their dreams and stability in the future. It is time we contemplate our true conversion experience and be bold to commit ourselves for the Mission Christ entrusted us. If you are not a witness or a disciple maker by now you have no right to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The greatest joy is to lead someone to Christ.

 

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In search of the holy place!

Among the various reasons that trigger war, claim on holy structures tops the list, both at national and global level. Monuments, Cathedrals and the holy shrines always attracted attention in human history. Special days are observed even in Christendom like other religions. Religious places have become integral in various business deals. Let me point out some of the business activities that were happening in the temple at the time of Jesus. John 2:14 states, “In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there.”. As we know Jesus overturned the tables and made this bold statement, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my father’s house into a marketplace!”.

Let’s pause on the word marketplace and compare it to today’s Church reality. Is our Church facility used for the original purpose for which Christ established the concept of Church as in Caesarea Philippi or is it a mix of marketplace to provide satisfying Church activities? Throughout religious history the so-called holy places were camouflages for enterprises. If we follow the story we read that the Jews wanted a sign for doing what Jesus was doing. Jesus states this, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” John 2:19.

During the trial Jesus was questioned by the members of the Sanhedrin were finding ways to prove Him guilty. It is recorded in Matthew 26:61 that “…Finally two came forward and stated, “This man said, I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.”. Note this specific phrase of the allegation. Jesus was accused of saying He can destroy the temple of God. The God of the temple was right in front of them, yet they were so blinded and believed the temple structure as the holy zone. Before Jesus' crucifixion He prophesied the destruction of the temple, which was institutionalized with legalism and political governance. Jesus replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down." Matthew 24:3.

What is important gets the attention. Institutionalism had ingrained people to the point of rejecting the obvious truth and embrace the lies of the so called holy institution, in other words the synagogue. The story of the blind boy in Gospel of John chapter 9 is a clear indication of the institution having hold over the lay people. 'His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. ' John 9:22 . People adhere to the institution for recognition and support during good and bad times. Nothing more than that.

Every religion has a special place for worship be it Ram Temple or Mecca. However, the Bible refers to a religious place differently. Until we hold on to a religious place as a structure and continue to conduct activities, Christ and His mission will continue to be ignored. We are disciples of Christ and carriers of the gospel. In other words when I say the word disciple it means we are the disciple maker as Christ commissioned in Matthew 28:19.

Let’s take Stephen’s life in the book of Acts. Stephen was anointed and powerful in establishing the gospel. He was accused over the holy place too.  The Bible states, "They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law. [14] For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”  Acts 6:13-14 CSB.  And we all know how the story ended for Stephen. People fail or refuse to understand that when Jesus is present, a particular worship place is meaningless.

Church is a force, not a great monument or a beautiful cathedral but a group of people worshipping the living Saviour. You are the temple of the living God. The facility becomes irrelevant. And then most importantly, it equips the believer to relentlessly take the gospel in ones sphere of influence.  If a Church fails to understand this then it becomes a prison, transacting funds with its believers for its activities and survival. It grossly fails to equip and empower its believers to carry the gospel, which Christ has entrusted to all. Invest your time and energy to build a strong evangelistic force and observe Christ and His mission as holy than settling for the structure which is always at risk given in the present scenario. 

 

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Prayer for the Year 2024 – 'Lord, Increase our Faith!

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5 CSB

Having entered the New Year 2024 what is the biggest need you expect God to fulfil? We are at times ritualistic in making wishes to God only to forget them over the following days and months. Usually it’s the unfulfilled needs, wants and wishes of the previous year, which become our new year goals. If we are asked to make a list of expectations for the New Year, the list will be filled with tangibles like commodities which can make one wealthy and self-sufficient. We all like to present a Wishlist to God and then start chasing them. We improvise and plan to make things happening exactly as we wish. The cliché “better life” is defined based on one’s status and position, which usually changes and shifts its position much earlier or once they reach their desired point and state of life.

When we read the gospel about the disciples, we find that their need was to have increased faith. The kind of faith where you will need to have 100% dependence on God.  You don’t find a single prayer or request from the disciples for a better life, enriched family life with a great social status, riches, or any other things that is to do with this earthly life. In fact, we are all aware of the great sacrifices each of the disciples made as martyrs. The greatest need of the mission invaded them so deeply that they all became radicals and revolutionaries.

The disciples were clear about the difference between the present life and the eternal life. The beautiful thought Paul reminded is as follows, “If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.”. 1 Corinthians 15:19. Christian life is filled with cares of this present life. Today’s Churches are battling and trying to manage physical and economic well-being of their members by trying to build fellowships, address family issues, prayers for sickness, blessings for their business, prayer for job needs, counselling the wayward youths and so on. Enormous materialistic needs and brokenness is what the Church Pastors and leaders are firefighting to manage.

Rich Villodas says 'The disciples being with Jesus at one point finally understood and felt the dire need of having a good amount of faith. And therefore, requested Jesus to increase their faith. Sometimes I feel faith is overly used in Christendom without its right implications. Every individual puts his/her faith in some god and have stories of how he/she has been blessed. The non-Christians don’t always need a message from us to tell how God will bless them abundantly, as they assume their gods have already blessed them a lot. Unfortunately, we have failed to understand that this is not a blessing competition.  Often, we confuse the gospel with the over usage of the word ‘blessing’. Increase of faith, was not used to request materialistic blessing but to be witnesses and carriers of the gospel.  Jerry Bridges states, “In order to trust God, we must always view our adverse circumstances through the eyes of faith, not of sense. And just as the faith of salvation comes through hearing the message of the gospel, so the faith to trust God in adversity comes through the Word of God alone.”.

Jesus expressed His concern while He stated this, “… Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”. Luke 22:10-11 CSB. We are all street smart, functionally literate to be self-reliant, trusting our possessions and wide worldly knowledge. Only when things are out of our control do we find the need to approach God, worse through our favourite spiritual gurus of whom we are ardent followers. It is time to put 100% faith in Christ Jesus and demonstrate our responsibility towards the mission in this New Year. The author of Hebrews in his book 11:6 states “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him much believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”. Let’s not be tempted with the usage of the word ‘reward’ here to some materialistic blessings. Faith is used in chapter 11 in a totally different connotation. We all love the first few verses of Chapter 11 and wilfully ignore the verses from 36-39 where it narrates incidents of people whose faith were approved “…but did not receive what was promised.” Do you have enough courage to accept this as faith and be prepared? May you find the need for increased faith as a dire need in this year 2024.

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