Matthew 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (NKJV)
There is a lot of bemoaning lately about how Christians are persecuted in America. In fact, as a believer, I have to tell you that I’m actually really tired of Christians complaining about how they are treated. There are so many problems with this kind of thinking and this kind of behavior beginning with it’s simply selfish and narcissistic. And the fact is, I’m convinced that 90% of the reaction that the American Church is getting these days is simply the consequence of our own choices, of our own sin!
The unsaved really want Christians to start acting like Christians. They want for us to be the called-out ones who refuse to embrace the evils of this generation. They want for us to shine the righteousness of Jesus in the darkness. They want for us to love as He loved, to walk as He walked, to live in the Spirit as He lived in the Spirit.
They want for us to be like Christ.
How do I know this? Because I talk to people who are on the polar opposites of the Religious Right (political conservatives). I read op-eds by atheists and gays and transgenders. I befriend addicts and adulterers and drunks. Just like Jesus did. And even though I’m in the early stages of doing this, I’m finding that we aren’t the Christians we think we are and we certainly aren’t the Christians the world needs for us to be.
1 Peter is an amazing book that talks, I believe, directly and specifically to these times. In chapter 4, Peter writes:
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. (v. 12-15).
"Let none of you suffer as an evildoer." Peter is explicit in his admonition, and yet, I believe we are suffering often as evildoers and then claiming foul when the world berates us. We hold our heads up in pride (sin) and shake our finger in judgment at our neighbor (sin) to justify our actions (sin), when we should, instead, be humbly reaching out in love and forgiveness.
The other day, a former student and friend of mine who is now exploring her gender-ness asked why Christians celebrate Halloween which is a witch and Wiccan holiday. Her points were so valid! Why do we celebrate Halloween? I would challenge you to study the history of this "holiday" and then decide if you really want your Christian witness to look like this. This is only one small example of how the world is looking at us.
When will we start acting like Christians? How should Christians act?
"And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:7-8 NKJV).
I find Jesus’ commands so simple and yet we have seemed to put so many requirements on them. (Can you say, "Pharisees?") What does Jesus actually tell us to do?
"Heal the sick. Cleanse the lepers." If that sickness isn’t miraculously healed, then minister as doctors assist in healing. Be there. Be present. Be sacrificial.
"Raise the dead. Cast out demons." Unfortunately, most Christians in America don’t believe that people can be raised from the dead nor do we seriously believe in demons. And yet, we are commanded to do these things. Why?
"And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city." (Acts 8:6-8 NKJV).
Miracles (and healings) are not for the purpose of making Christian lives easier, but are signs to the unsaved that God is present and all-powerful. We work miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit because God wants to pour out His love to a lost generation. But we are so worried about whether or not we’re going to bake a cake for a gay wedding, that we’ve forgotten to reach out to a world that is dying! In our efforts to be right, we have lost our righteousness!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Good works consist entirely of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). A Christian—a Church—that becomes a lampstand is one that is willing to divest itself of all things that encourage selfishness and self-indulgence. It’s a Church that can’t contain its desire to reach out to the hurting and lost. It’s a Church that refuses to demand that the society around it clean up, but instead wants so to love that the holiness of God permeates from their very existence. It’s a Church that gives and gives and gives and keeps on giving because it trusts God to provide. It’s a Church that keeps one foot solidly on the earth, searching out the hurting, while one foot is gloriously in heaven, waiting for the day God calls us home. It’s a Church that gives its cloak when its coat is demanded. That will walk two miles when its required to walk one. That lives out the life of Jesus Christ every moment of every day because the only reality that’s important is preaching the gospel to a world going literally to hell.
If we can become this Church on the hill, then we will finally become relevant and desirable to our generation. Until then, we are simply another privileged group sucking the life out of the poor, the desperate, and the disenfranchised.
Which do you think Jesus wants us to be?
© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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