He’s only mostly dead
I don’t pretend to be a writer, nor a teacher, nor…well anything other then a caterer and Dad who loves Jesus and can’t seem to quiet my mind about several things, so I write them down. Here.
Something has been really bugging me this week.
Due to budget problems the worship leader of the church I am part of was laid off, or chose to leave, or was terminated, or had his hours reduced, or whatever… what’s important is he is no longer leading worship at the church, Which sucks. We have a good replacement for him but it still bothers me that we have allowed finances or whatever to consume our reliance in God’s provision. Say what you want however you want to say it. Church is not a business. We don’t compete with other churches for people, we don’t adjust our programs to draw folks from other fellowships. Church is not where we fit best and therefore we mold the body to the whim of the believers or pastoral staff or anyone else for that matter. Church is the body of believers. Bumps and bruises blemishes and all. We will draw people by being His, loving and real…bruises and all.
I used to be a member of a group of pastors that met for prayer. The measuring rod several of them used to compare themselves with one another was number of butts in seats on Sunday. Secondarily was the offering… We have a rather large church in our area that was planted by a metro area baptist church, they put on a recent multi million dollar addition and are in the process of a church plant near our church, which appears to have ruffled the feathers of a few of the leaders in my fellowship. I even heard we were giving away a TV in a raffle to draw folks with kids. geesh what has happened? What’s next? To what end? For what purpose? Why are we here. IS IT NOT TO SERVE A LOVING KING? and proclaim His good news?
That said, last week the former worship leader guy, had a worship session which he called “Bleeding Through” which was a great worship time, unfettered and uninhibited worship. It became evident that the leader and some others are starting something “new“ which unfortunately may be partly in reaction to the negative experiences he has had over the past 25 years. I need to say here I would like to do EXACTLY what he is doing. I get it. I understand it. I have thought of it myself over the years. As long as it is rooted in Jesus and not in reaction to a wrong real or precieved, I think he is on the right track. If however any human hopes to create any community of believers and not have it be the same as before, one must be rooted in love. Bitter root comes to mind here.
This whole thing is what got me thinking about what is bugging me. Not the situation or really anything about church. My mind works in strange ways.
September 19th was national Talk like a Pirate day! It got me thinking about dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride.
After running into the villain (read satan in the garden) Dread Pirate Roberts is thought as dead…Until…He’s Only Mostly Dead (Princess Bride)
Then this is how we seem to storm the castle… Mostly dead
Luke 16:16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
This in particular captures my complaint. The kingdom of God’s subjects are somewhat like Dread Pirate Roberts in this clip when we have been made fully alive.
In this thought I was brought to John 11:
John 11:1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
John 11:4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
John 11:7 Then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
John 11:8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?”
John 11:9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light. 10 It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”
John 11:11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep;” but I am going there to wake him up.
John 11:12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
John 11:14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Heard God say real loud WAKE UP.
That’s the flippin gospel…isn’t it. That’s what I get from 1 Corinthians 15.
Just what is the gospel? The good news?
As I remember It’s why we signed up for this Christian thing in the first place. Isn’t it?
But we live as if it were gonna be true in the future rather then had been accomplished.
I have said this before We WIN! Why oh why are we flopping around as if it were a trick.
What are we studying for. It’s time to graduate and do the stuff.
What happened to John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
