I am rapidly reaching the point where I will officially not care and will begin to act like Jesus. I am so wounded right now by knowledge that has just come my way that I kinda actually have the slightest inkling of how Jesus must feel when I sin. I feel like I am "playing church" like kids "play house": it is a model of the real thing, but nothing like the real thing. Maybe it is my arrogance that prompts this thought, but if I could stop "playing church", then maybe I could have a real impact on the young people around me, maybe faith in Christ and a relationship with God could be a real thing in their lives.
Or, is it as my friend, the too wise for his years Luke Kim says: have we given them just enough Jesus to innoculate them against Him? Young people raised in the church hear all the verses about forgiveness, mercy, the love of God. Young people who come as guests with their friends hear these verses as well. All those verses that ran through my own head when I was 20-something and sinning: Romans 8:38-39, 1John 1:9, Psalm 51...
Of course, as with all Pastors, I need to make sure that all the planks are removed from my eyes before I go about trying to remove the specks, splinters, 2x4's and giant sequoias from the eyes of those around me (Luke 6:42). I know I am a sinner, and this desire to see revival and renewal does not come from a position of self-righteousness, but rather one of exhaustion and wearyness at watching the consequences of sin play out in the lives of young people, tired of seeing the rebellion and regret of teens and 20-somethings.
I am praying that God will use me to reach out and change the lives of young people in this new year. That the Holy Spirit will go before me and open the eyes and hearts of that generation that they may be receptive to the Gospel and that it will do more than innoculate them...something has to give. I can't go on like this. I feel like God is crushing me under this burden. Change must happen. Where am I going, Lord?
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God's Word never comes back void. I remember in high school going to church and not paying attention, but even though I didn't listen, the Scriptures always stayed with me.
ReplyDeleteOur duty is to speak the truth of God's Word. The Holy Spirit, like the wind in John 3, blows "where it pleases". "Salvation is of the Lord" and as I get older, I run into people in the past whom I never would have thought God would bring to Faith, have come to Faith! Of course, all in His time.
We are to plant the seeds, it is God who gives "increase". We must trust the Great Shepherd to gather His Sheep and not lose one!
Some things I wanted to share with you as in this quote by J. Gresham Machen, in his work "What Is Faith?", 1925:
"A new and more powerful proclamation of law is perhaps the most pressing need of the hour; men would have little difficulty with the gospel if they had only learned the lesson of the law. As it is, they are turning aside from the Christian pathway; they are turning to the village of Morality, and to the house of Mr. Legality, who is reported to be very skillful in relieving men of their burdens... 'Making Christ Master' in the life, putting into practice 'the principles of Christ' by one's own efforts-these are merely new ways of earning salvation by one's obedience to God's commands."
So for these kids, a mere call for them to "walk like Christ" will never work, until God changes their heart first. The Law puts us in utter despair, and Lord willing, to seek Christ when we are undone. Unregenerate people cannot "hear" or "see" Christ, until Christ first takes away their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel). This is why a proper preaching of Law and Gospel is necessary, but we cannot mix the two. Some resources I can refer you to as follows:
1) Good blog post on Law and Gospel: "http://www.coffeeswirls.com/?p=2331"
2) "The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel" by Walther is free online here: "http://www.lutherantheology.com/uploads/works/walther/LG/"
3) Podcast (from #1 above):
If you have iTunes, copy this URL and paste it in "Open Audio Stream" under Advanced menu for a great podcast on a discussion of Galatians. I think this will be helpful in easing you in this burden.
"http://podcast.oneplace.com/the_white_horse_inn/podcast.xml"
So to sum up:
"It is certain that we must utterly despair of our own ability if we are to be properly prepared for grace." -G. O. Forde
I hope this helps!
SDG,
Rob
:)