Standing still, and running on a treadmill cover the same amount of real distance. The prospect of change usually triggers one of two responses (especially I n the church). The first response is to dig down and freeze in place to avoid change, desperately holding on with white knuckles to the safe and familiar. The second response is by busying oneself with so much “busy work” that there appears to be no time for real change. Change is unfamiliar, scary, and implies that the previous way is wrong, or ineffective. It is hard to enter into the unknown, and it is hard to admit that one way of moving one is no longer effective (or maybe it never was). We must be ready to change. In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a new creation in Christ. Our faith has so much to do with change, that we become a new creation. It is true that God is the same, but it is also true that the world changes every day. When Jesus came to earth we matched the customs, the language, and the practices of the place and time he was living in. If Jesus came today and to the United States, instead of 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, do you think we would have still worn a sandal and robes, spoke the same language, practices all the same customs? As followers of Jesus, and as the community of believers we must be ready like Paul to become all things to all people so that we may actually effect the world and save some 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. As those who are redeemed, we look different, act different, and our continually changing to reflect Jesus. The Church must continue to change to meet the world where it is at, so we can bring love, forgiveness, service, and restoration to them. We must change to become better, we must change to become more like Jesus, and we must change because the old order of things is passing away.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Day # 30 March 23rd – Change
Standing still, and running on a treadmill cover the same amount of real distance. The prospect of change usually triggers one of two responses (especially I n the church). The first response is to dig down and freeze in place to avoid change, desperately holding on with white knuckles to the safe and familiar. The second response is by busying oneself with so much “busy work” that there appears to be no time for real change. Change is unfamiliar, scary, and implies that the previous way is wrong, or ineffective. It is hard to enter into the unknown, and it is hard to admit that one way of moving one is no longer effective (or maybe it never was). We must be ready to change. In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a new creation in Christ. Our faith has so much to do with change, that we become a new creation. It is true that God is the same, but it is also true that the world changes every day. When Jesus came to earth we matched the customs, the language, and the practices of the place and time he was living in. If Jesus came today and to the United States, instead of 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, do you think we would have still worn a sandal and robes, spoke the same language, practices all the same customs? As followers of Jesus, and as the community of believers we must be ready like Paul to become all things to all people so that we may actually effect the world and save some 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. As those who are redeemed, we look different, act different, and our continually changing to reflect Jesus. The Church must continue to change to meet the world where it is at, so we can bring love, forgiveness, service, and restoration to them. We must change to become better, we must change to become more like Jesus, and we must change because the old order of things is passing away.
Standing still, and running on a treadmill cover the same amount of real distance. The prospect of change usually triggers one of two responses (especially I n the church). The first response is to dig down and freeze in place to avoid change, desperately holding on with white knuckles to the safe and familiar. The second response is by busying oneself with so much “busy work” that there appears to be no time for real change. Change is unfamiliar, scary, and implies that the previous way is wrong, or ineffective. It is hard to enter into the unknown, and it is hard to admit that one way of moving one is no longer effective (or maybe it never was). We must be ready to change. In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says we are a new creation in Christ. Our faith has so much to do with change, that we become a new creation. It is true that God is the same, but it is also true that the world changes every day. When Jesus came to earth we matched the customs, the language, and the practices of the place and time he was living in. If Jesus came today and to the United States, instead of 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, do you think we would have still worn a sandal and robes, spoke the same language, practices all the same customs? As followers of Jesus, and as the community of believers we must be ready like Paul to become all things to all people so that we may actually effect the world and save some 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. As those who are redeemed, we look different, act different, and our continually changing to reflect Jesus. The Church must continue to change to meet the world where it is at, so we can bring love, forgiveness, service, and restoration to them. We must change to become better, we must change to become more like Jesus, and we must change because the old order of things is passing away.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment