In a time when so much stock is paid to celebrity and what you appear to be, Christians are called to be who they are in Christ, nothing added, nothing taken away (as the advert used to say); Ordinary Everyday People, being who they are in Jesus and living the best way they can.
One of the big issues with celebrity is that it can cause us to mentally downgrade our own ability to make a difference because we are not all famous, well known, owners of expensive cars or homes. Not being famous can mean to us that we have no part to play in God's big picture.
So what about Christian living? How can each off us regardless of circumstances make a difference for Jesus? Well simply by living our lives as Christ would, the recent WWJD bands remind us to ask the question What Would Jesus Do? Well in my reading of the Bible he would be living, working, talking, encouraging, correcting, bringing healing and wholeness to broken people and through his words and actions attracting others to join the kingdom life.
Everyday of our lives we can make a difference for God's kingdom by living it out with our actions. loving each other and our neighbours, loving God and seeking to please him in our actions and words.
As I talked with a young woman today who is a full time evangelist, I was reminded of something I heard years ago ... For each well known evangelist who sees many respond to the gospel message, there are thousands of "unknown" Christians who have befriended someone, helped someone, been a good neighbour to someone who in turn has trusted them and gone to hear that well known speaker and so be touched by the Holy Spirit and accept Christ for themselves.
So each of us has a role to play, no exceptions, no special cases, we are all called to make real the kingdom for others who don't know it or have not experienced it. When we do that we will find our invitations to an Alpha course, a seekers course, or to come to a church service and look for themselves, will not fall on deaf ears - their experience of God's love through us will call them to look further.
There are many who have no experience of Christ, lets be the ones who will take him to them; lets be those Ordinary, Everyday People - Jesus' kingdom people.
One of the big issues with celebrity is that it can cause us to mentally downgrade our own ability to make a difference because we are not all famous, well known, owners of expensive cars or homes. Not being famous can mean to us that we have no part to play in God's big picture.
So what about Christian living? How can each off us regardless of circumstances make a difference for Jesus? Well simply by living our lives as Christ would, the recent WWJD bands remind us to ask the question What Would Jesus Do? Well in my reading of the Bible he would be living, working, talking, encouraging, correcting, bringing healing and wholeness to broken people and through his words and actions attracting others to join the kingdom life.
Everyday of our lives we can make a difference for God's kingdom by living it out with our actions. loving each other and our neighbours, loving God and seeking to please him in our actions and words.
As I talked with a young woman today who is a full time evangelist, I was reminded of something I heard years ago ... For each well known evangelist who sees many respond to the gospel message, there are thousands of "unknown" Christians who have befriended someone, helped someone, been a good neighbour to someone who in turn has trusted them and gone to hear that well known speaker and so be touched by the Holy Spirit and accept Christ for themselves.
So each of us has a role to play, no exceptions, no special cases, we are all called to make real the kingdom for others who don't know it or have not experienced it. When we do that we will find our invitations to an Alpha course, a seekers course, or to come to a church service and look for themselves, will not fall on deaf ears - their experience of God's love through us will call them to look further.
There are many who have no experience of Christ, lets be the ones who will take him to them; lets be those Ordinary, Everyday People - Jesus' kingdom people.
Yes, Interesting how we spend hours talking about the passages we can't fully understand and seem to skip over the clear ones - Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. No debate needed on that. Yet we wonder how on earth we could bring the subject up in conversation - don't want to offend etc.. The other day a person from our church greeted me with 'What about the Arsenal then!' He didn't take much time working out how to say it! If only I had that attitude to talking about my faith.
ReplyDeleteI think thats my point, it should be a natural part of who we are in Christ, being comfortable to talk about our faith in a down to earth, everyday way that does not feel to others like we are preaching.
ReplyDeleteIn some regards its taking practically what 1Peter 3:16 says about being ready to give witness - maybe a subject for the next blog :-)
Thanks Graham.
My mind goes back to the year of 1993 and a profound comment from the ethnobotanist/psychedelic guru, Terrence Mckenna."if the truth can be told in a way which can be easily understood,it will be believed".lol.Many bought into doctor Mckennas teachings from his book food of the Gods,and he was a popular speaker on platforms on the dance hall and rave scenes in Britain and USA, oh and he was often found ministering his earthly religion "set of techniques"to primitive tribal groups around the world.These days like the words of Jesus, "abide in my word and allow my word to abide in you and you shall know the truth,and the truth shall set you free. Ceasar however responded "what is truth".........
ReplyDeletewhen Pilate responded to Jesus with "What is truth?" I suspect he was simply trying to avoid it.
ReplyDeleteWe could argue about truth and how each viewer sees truth differently but I wonder sometimes if thats just because we try to make the truth so complicated.
thanks for the comment
BTW that should have been 1 Peter 3:15 :-)
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