II Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. "
Red Sox Nation - what a victory last night. But the way it was approached by Sox fans is similar to our approach to Christianity in America. Sox Nation has many parallels with God Nation.
Before they won the Series in 2004 - we were desperate. We didn't care how they won, as long as they won. A sweep, a 7-game series, the other team getting abducted by aliens - who cares. Desperation just pleads for the result - everything else is superfluous. Now, however, it's not enough to simply win the Series - we want it done in a particular manner. Winning it in Denver? That won't do - lose a few games so we can win it at home!! Can you imagine thinking that way back in 2004?
This is exactly the problem with Americanized Christianity. There's not enough desperation. We have everything handed to us, so we dictate the terms. The right sound system, the right temperature, the songs we want, comfortable chairs, the best audio/visual system, preaching that tickles our ears. If not - I'm somewhere else, a place that will suit my desires. We've lost the desperation for the Truth.
As a pastor, this is hard for me to figure out. Just because we live in a comfortable society doesn't mean I should make myself purposefully uncomfortable just to prove a point. If we have good technology available, or comfortable seats - we'd be foolish not to take advantage of that. But as the demand for these luxuries increase, it makes it harder and harder to get to the Truth. Just as Sox Nation is not satisfied with the victory in the Series, God Nation is not satisfied with the victory in Jesus. The luxuries take the place of the Necessity.
One more parallel between Sox Nation and God Nation - and it pains me to say this but it's true: We are both obnoxious. We're everywhere, beating the drum for our cause, suffocating any other thoughts. We think we have everything just right and everyone else is just wrong. (Please note: I'm not saying there are other ways besides Christ - I'm saying the obnoxious approach does nothing but make us hated.)
The true fact is that this really isn't or ever was a true Christian Nation and any attempt to espouse that idea just drives us further away from being an effective witness for Christ. We better be careful, because a nation that thinks it's a God Nation - when it really isn't - is just a step away from Damn Nation.
2 comments:
Damn Nation? That sounds like Yankees territory.
Sorry, Dave.
fantastic one Tom! I'm sure that you knew I would love this one. The only "nation" we are truly members of is the kingdom of God. This nation is one that calls on us to be lovers of those that deserve death. We are called on to serve our enemies, not to kill them. People don't want to hear that. We want to kill the people that want to kill us. This is not the way of the cross. We want to hear that God loves us and not them. Our "itching ears" long for a God that is for us and us alone. We want everything laid out perfectly for us. No sacrifice required.
A tightening of the screws may in fact be necessary my friend.
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