Where Are You???

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one sure is. Do you see the tragic parallel to the modern church? How is it that we enjoy the security of the ‘dock’ while all around us people are perishing? I do not know all the reasons. But, I do know my reasons.

Being painfully honest, I forget what it is like to be lost in sin. It is not that I don’t believe people are lost; it’s just that I forget what that is like. Also, for me, I substitute the many good things I could do for people for the best thing I can do which is, of course, to help pull people to safety. Look at those on the dock. It does no good to talk to a friend about the many activities on the dock. It does not help a drowning man to see me enjoying fellowship nor even to ponder the plight of those drowning. There are so many good things we could do. Yet, as many have said, the worst enemy of the best is often the good. Do you see the man that is ‘fishing’? Does it strike you as odd? To me, he is doing something that he loves. He is like me. There are things that I ‘love’ to do from the dock (think in the church). What I love can often blind me to that which I need to be doing.

Take one more look at the picture. Look away from the dock to the water. Notice how close the drowning are. Need I say more? Finally, notice the two out in the water working from the lifeboat to rescue the perishing. As one is reaching to pull someone in, the other cries for more to come and help. The rescue of the others could so easily be done.

Where are you in this picture? If you are on the dock maybe you too should consider being painfully honest and figuring out why. And, be encouraged by these lyrics from a Jeremy Camp song we sang this past Sunday-

Jesus Saves…
Hope is here, shout the news to everyone
It's a new day, peace has come, Jesus saves
Mercy triumphs at the cross
Love is come to rescue us, Jesus saves

Hope is here what a joyful noise we'll make
As we join with heaven's song
To let all the world know that Jesus saves
Raise a shout to let all the world know that Jesus saves

Pastor Chuck

The Great Commission or The Great Suggestion

Matthew 28:18-20 is a verse that demands our attention and obedience. "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" It has been correctly noted that this is the Great Commission not the great suggestion. The Great Commission is predicated upon Christ having all authority. The imperative is ‘make disciples.’ We have to ‘go’ to do this. Why are we the church so slow to get this? How have we missed such a clear command? What difference would it have made to this point in world history has the church taken this command seriously?

6,754 Unreached People Groups (2% or less know Jesus); 3,784 of those are not only unreached, they are unengaged (No one is making disciples among them). Don’t just see numbers. See people. Many people are included in these people groups. The tragic fact is that unless these people come to faith in Christ they will be eternally lost. May we pray for God to call and for the called to obey? May we be willing to go ourselves? May we give of our financial resources so that those called may go? As the Unfinished Task Clock will show, more than 3 billion people in our world today have not had an adequate opportunity to hear the gospel. Remember, it is not the Great Suggestion.

Pastor Chuck