PRESENCE VS PREACHING

God’s Law is freeing; man’s rules are restrictive.

God’s Presence is transformative; man’s teaching is informative.

God’s ways are simple; man’s ideas are complicated.

It’s perplexing to me when I listen to a debate by very learned teachers and pastors that I respect on how often their churches offer Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the “Do this in memory of Me meal”.   The responses centered around time, or lack of time for its observance.  The issue is how to squeeze it in and still have an hour for the preacher’s sermon.  What I derive from this is, what the preacher has to say about God is more important than remembering and celebrating God’s Presence with His people.  Somehow in my soul that feels wrong.

I absolutely think that teaching, especially expository teaching from the Word of God is crucial in the life of the believer and in the invitation of a relationship with God in the life of an unbeliever.  But there are seven days in a week for that to happen.

This is why I question the whole concept of church.  Everybody has an opinion; everybody has their way of doing things; everybody follows rules set down by human beings and human doctrines.  And then we wonder why the concept of church is failing in the world today.  Does anyone remember the statement that, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor, labor in vain”? 

There are many external problems in the churches today; there are many internal problems in the churches today.  But I believe the number one problem in the churches today is that the people who make up these churches still refuse to listen to the words God spoke to and through Jeremiah in Jeremiah 2:13

“For my people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me, the fountain

of living waters,

And hewn themselves cisterns-

broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

TEACH AS A SERVANT

Knowledge is a good thing that can lead to bad things.  I appreciate the work and study that some people put into religion.  But it can lead to pride, power, and control.  There are teachers who I respect and there are teachers who I fear.  The teachers I respect have let the knowledge work humility in them and have an attitude of servant hood in sharing what they know.  It is reflective of Jesus as he taught, always acknowledging his Father as his true authority.  Jesus taught his disciples, “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers…Neither be called instructors for you have one instructor, the Christ.  The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:8-11).  This teaching is shared in the midst of the seven woes to the scribes and Pharisees, those responsible for the attending of God’s people.

God does give us teachers and preachers but they must remain true to the teaching of Jesus and keep God as the only authority.  Teach as a servant, not as a lord and leader over people.

WHO'S TO SAY?

I get uncomfortable in groups when issues of control overstep Biblical principles.  I want Truth and I believe there is absolute Truth in the Scriptures that needs to be taught.  But when issues like how one worships, what one wears, what kind of music is acceptable, and these issues that are truly personal preferences become doctrine, I stop and think.

Boundaries are necessary but tight control over things that are not found in the Scriptures is sketchy to me.  I think there is a danger in getting too picky, which was a trait Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees for.

I have personal preferences but I don’t turn them into principles and doctrines for everyone else to follow.  I visited a church and had some major difficulties with the service and found some it offensive to me.  Rather than complain and condemn them, I just choose not to go there again.  I know there were many sincere people there; it just wasn’t suited to my style, my

understanding of what a worship service should be.

Those who teach and preach the Sovereignty of God need to let God be Sovereign in the lives of His individual children.

BEYOND WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD

Jesus talks about a life that is to be lived inside out.  The motivation for what I think, say, and do comes from an inward desire to please God in all that I do.  That motivation comes from my heart that has been regenerated and filled with the ways of God.

Jesus talks about a life that is not looking for external validation, not bent on pleasing itself or merely going through the motions of obeying what is said or written.  The rich young man seeking eternal life had obeyed all the commandments and was asking Jesus what to do.  He left empty and unfulfilled because he failed to obey Jesus and he could not give up his external wealth and security.  He was not motivated from a heart filled with the ways of God.

Jesus talks about a life of the Spirit that is obedient to God, serving Him alone with joy and abandonment of Self, living in the desires and needs of the flesh.  The Self wants and needs; the Spirit is fulfilled and gives.

Jesus talks about life in the Kingdom of God.  That life is different than      life  that is lived in this world; different in that it is lived inside out, motivated by the ways of God that transcend ‘what you have heard”.

YOU'RE GONNA SERVE SOMEBODY

The ways of the world and in our society are clearly not interested in producing the righteousness of God.  They are interested in producing human individual rights that are built on self expression and self exaltation.  Under the guise of freedom we are held in bondage to the enemy of God and eventually the enemy to self.  As Bob Dylan once wrote, “You’re gonna serve somebody” and this world chooses not to serve God.

The ways of the world and now the ways of much religion have eliminated the distinction between righteousness and wickedness.  What God declared evil is now humanly declared good, acceptable, and to be tolerated.  The world’s ways encourage us to ignore God’s ways of righteousness and legitimizes wickedness so that the Self can supposedly find wholeness, expression, and satisfaction; live your life the way you want; be angry and let it all out; sow discord and disrespect among each other; be all you can be no matter what it cost of no matter who you hurt.  But in the end wickedness brings destruction.  It is a faulty foundation and a rotting root.  Not connected to the Source it becomes self generated; anger produces anger; violence produces violence; lust produces lust; wickedness produces wickedness.  No good thing can come from the ways of the evil one.

God creates only good.  When His ways are followed only good can be produced.  We are told to remember the law of Moses, the statutes and rules that God commanded for our good.  We are told that Jesus is God’s beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased, and we should listen to him.  We are called to produce God’s righteousness in our selves and in the world.

The time is coming, the appointed time, when all the arrogant and evil doers will stumble because they are unconnected and unrooted in God’s righteousness.

          “Then once more you shall see the distinctions between the righteous

            and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not

            serve Him” (Malachi 3:18)