When I first became a Christian, I wanted to tell
everybody about Jesus. He filled my heart and my life with an amazing and
wonderful joy. It was a liberating experience for me because from the moment
that I gave my heart to Jesus, my life changed.
On some Saturday nights, instead of going to the city
pubs, I joined a group of young folks who stood on street corners in the city
center, preaching the Gospel to any passers-by. Sometimes we were jeered and
mocked; on other occasions, people stopped to listen, although most of them
were drunk. I don’t know if we changed any lives, but it did change us. It made
us more connected to Christ and more willing to serve Him wherever He sent us.
When I look back on those times I often envy those young
free-spirited Christians. These days, I preach from the safety of behind a
pulpit or a laptop. The message is still the same, but it doesn’t have that raw
and wild component to it. There’s a lack of spontaneity, and sometimes a lack
of spirit.
I think this is why Presbyterians are losing ground
across the world. We don’t like chaos or improvisation; we feel compelled to
present the message decently and with order. We want to lecture people about
the faith instead of living it. We want to safely control the Spirit and keep
things cozily contained, instead of being moved by the Spirit and sent out into
the shopping malls and city streets.
Perhaps the real point of today’s parable (Matthew 22:1-14)
is that Christians are meant to invite people to participate in God’s Kingdom.
We get too focused on church attendance and denominational concerns that we
forget that Christ’s real work is out there on the city streets and in the busy
malls.
Questions
for personal reflection
Have I shared my faith with someone else recently?
Have I displayed the reality of God’s Kingdom where I live, where I work, and
where I shop?
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, You want to invite everyone to come to Your Kingdom and celebrate with
God. Forgive us for being focused on too many other things, as well as for
forgetting that Your ministry takes place mainly in the world, outside of the
church. Grant us the courage and wisdom to share our Christian beliefs humbly
and joyfully. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make
a comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is one of
John’s popular Fall drawings. It features a wee chipmunk eating an acorn and is
called “Fall Break.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing,
click on the following link: Chipmunk.
