Jump Start # 3684
Genesis 25:8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.
Our passage takes us to the end of Abraham’s life. He was an old man. But more than that, he was satisfied with life. What a journey he had been on. Called to leave his home to a place unknown to him. Promised a child late in life. Ordered by God to sacrifice that child. He walked, he trusted and he knew the Lord. Abraham became the pillar of the faith of Israel.
I want to do a little twist to that expression, ‘satisfied with life.’ There is a greater satisfaction that is the bedrock of the heart of a disciple. It is being satisfied with God. That means being content with God. And, not just God, but God’s word and God’s way.
There seems to be a shift taking place among younger Christians. And, it’s coming from those who are second, third and fourth generation Christians. It’s coming from those who ought to know better. Unhappy with what the church cannot do, they seek to change things and when that is not accomplished, off they flee to a church that satisfies their liking. And, the trade off is enormous. They leave the doctrine of the N.T. because they want a church that does more in the community. They leave the standard of God for a church that offers more social programs. They leave what the N.T. teaches to embrace the call of our culture today and that is tolerating those who are indifferent to God. Out the window goes the distinctive nature of the N.T. church. And, running as fast as they can to find a church that loves and emphases grace, they have ignored and forgotten plain N.T. passages.
What’s behind this movement? Why are so many twenty to thirty year-olds off to community churches, that have no doctrinal foundation but they are full of programs that they are looking for? Some are simply not satisfied with God’s way. They are not content with that God wants. They think the church ought to do more, even though what they want is not found in the Bible. They want less teaching and more feeling. They want a church that looks like the churches around them. And, in communities after communities, young Christians are leaving. Their children will grow up not fully understanding the N.T. way.
Content with what God says. Naaman the leper wasn’t. He wanted a prophet to show up, not his servant. He wanted a show, waving arms, commanding voice, not dip in a dirty Judean river. He went away. He went away a leper. It wasn’t until his own people convinced him, that he followed the orders and went to the Jordan and was cleansed.
Felix wasn’t content with what God said. As Paul preached to him about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix kicked the can down the road. Another time. When I find the time, I’ll call for you. The message wasn’t what he wanted. He wasn’t satisfied with what was said.
The culture of the world can sure color how we see things. Accepting without judging. Accepting without changing. Changing God’s word so people will be happy. Steering clear of touchy subjects. “just as I am,” becomes the anthem. This is who I am, take it or leave it. And, what is missing in the jumbled up theology that is being presented on social media today is that the first mark of discipleship is to deny self. It’s not what I think. It’s not what I want. It’s not about me. My satisfaction is secondary to God’s satisfaction. If I strive to make myself happy, but in so doing, I by-pass what God says, then the Lord will not be happy.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, were the words of the Lord. Here are some thoughts:
First, too many want the church to do what they could do on their own. The flavor of the month is to put the word “ministry” behind any other word and then it is run through the church, financed by the church and operated by the church. So one will hear of “singles ministry;” “Bike ministry;” “Cooking ministry;” “Puppet ministry;” “Senior ministry;” “Youth ministry;” “Camping ministry;” “Support ministry;” “Grief ministry;” “Dating ministry;” and, on and on and on it goes.
Want to do things with people your own age? Call them up. Invite them over to your house. Have a study, a singing or play games. But it doesn’t have to be a “ministry.” It doesn’t have to be filtered through the church.
Think more ought to be done in the community? Then do it. Volunteer at a shelter. Take items there. Serve food. Pick up trash along the streets. Adopt a rescue pet. Be a foster parent. Go to charity events. Do a 5K run or walk-a-thon for cancer. These things do not have to be run through the church. Could it be that some are wanting others to plan it, finance it, advertise it, and they simply show up? If you find a cause you believe in and is Biblical, be a part of it.
Second, leaving what the N.T. says because I want the church to do more than what God has specified is extremely self seeking and lacks the contentment with God. Once that door is opened, it will never close. You want the church to do more in the community, so you make a trade off and find a church that does what you like, but you have had to sell your soul and your beliefs to do that. Along comes someone else, and he wants God to be more forgiving. So, he’ll toss aside baptism and discipleship because those things are too narrow and people don’t like them. Another comes along and wants the church to be more of a democracy in how it is run. Another comes along and wants women to have more of a voice in matters. Another thinks anyone, member or not, ought to have more of a say in how the church is run.
And, now the door stands wide open. The wind blows so hard that no one can close it. If I can leave the N.T. pattern to find a church that extends more grace than what the Bible says, why can’t someone else find a church that does what they want? Satisfied. Not satisfied with what God says.
And, the flimsy ways to justify such things show a lack of Biblical understanding and depth. Jesus fed the 5,000 and so ought the church, many are crying today. Yet, all through the letters to the churches are passages about helping needy saints, not needy citizens. You want to help needy citizens, do so. That’s the good Samaritan story. Jesus wasn’t giving a pattern for the church to follow. He was demonstrating that He was God on earth. Jesus also turned over tables of those who were abusing God’s way. Ought a church do that as well?
Third, satisfaction with God’s way comes from understanding that our way and our thoughts haven’t worked well. It was our ways that got us into the mess that we are in. Our ways led to sin. The prophet tells us that God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. That right there ought to stop us. When we begin reading what we think, how I feel, what I like, into the Scriptures, then we have lowered the impact of the Bible. Let God speak for Himself.
Abraham was satisfied with life. I wish we could be satisfied with God’s way. You can’t improve upon God. This is something we can work on together.
Roger