I am not stating the following question to be controversial or adversarial. I’m stating it because I wonder about the truthfulness of it. How many of our pastors and Christian leaders today are “sent” by the Holy Spirit, or are they merely pursuing an occupation?
I’ve lately felt deeply disturbed in my soul. It has to do with my many relatives, friends, and acquaintances that don’t know Christ. America and our communities are saturated with churches and people claiming to be religious, and even more claiming to be Christian. But we have minimal effect on the people around us.
One might quote the saying of Jesus, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” in Matthew 7:13. That person might say that people going on the broad way are going toward their destiny, and there is nothing we can do about it.
I’m not sure why Jesus said those words. In a way it seems fatalistic, like there is no recourse but to let masses of people head toward destruction. Or was He just being realistic in stating a truth?
I think we get a true picture of where His heart was only two chapters later in Matthew 9:37-38. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
And who can forget the Great Commission in Matthew 28. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..."
I think it’s clear that Jesus was just stating a truth in the first Matthew passage, but later in Matthew he showed his passion for people who are lost without a shepherd.
Paul in Romans 10:14-15 further identifies something that I think is a problem in today’s church. He says the following: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”
The crux of the matter is people, whether they are Christian leaders or lay people, are they “sent” by God and His Holy Spirit? And if they are being sent, and I include myself in this, why are we, and I include myself, having so little impact?
See you next time,
Arlen
2 comments:
I think we are ALL sent, Arlen. Just not sure how many of us actually go. Or use God's gifts as effectively as He wishes/allows.
Great thoughts!
Thanks Jo. I have been trying to figure out why Christian leaders don't spend more time/effort to get to know the people/families whom they shepherd. As long as we attend the church and speak to them then we might force them to pay at least some attention to us. But it seems somewhat like groveling. What would the church be like, including myself, to reach out to others BEFORE they are forced to come to us?
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