To My Facebook Friends

To My Facebook Brothers and Sisters in Christ….

Pastor Whoever announced to the congregation the need to extend the section of the commercial building we were leasing. “This is where we [‘we’ being himself and the board of elders] believe the Lord is leading us.” I want you to focus on the word ‘us’…. “the Lord is leading US.” ‘Us’ is the entire congregation. ‘Us’, obviously, included me that Sunday morning, as I was part of the congregation. I suppose everyone thought of him/herself as a component of ‘us’.

Can you see the entrapment? Probably everyone came to the same conclusion: “If the Lord is speaking to ‘us’ and ‘us’ includes me, the Lord must be directing me to participate in (finance) this building project.” Everyone wants to belong; everyone hates exclusion. Evangelicals will pay big bucks for approval and acclamation. To be accepted is as important as being healthy and wealthy. A team player BELONGS. So-o-o-o sweet. He/she is INCLUDED. So-o-o-o comforting. But the price of acceptance/approval is high indeed….

You started your christianity Jesus-and-me. Then you went to church. Soon Jesus-and-me became Jesus-and-us. Not good. Giving yourself over to the group is removing yourself from the lordship of the Holy Spirit. And distancing yourself from the Holy Spirit is distancing yourself from Jesus. That pastor assumed himself to be a little Moses. Not content to lead by example (“being examples to the flock”) he played the role of spiritual executive, contesting the Holy Spirit for your loyalty and commitment.

Beware! Commitment to anyone other than the Holy Spirit is idolatry!

You visit a patient in the hospital. The hospital is both a good place and a dangerous place. While much good is accomplished there, it’s also a prime place to catch a nasty virus. Church is like that. Much good is accomplished, but it’s also a place to catch a nasty spiritual virus…. religion. It’s a place where your relationship with Jesus, your most valuable possession, can be weakened. So what’s the answer?….

When visiting a patient, ask Jesus to protect you. If and when you attend a church service, ask Jesus to protect you. Safeguard your devotion to Christ with the same ferocity a mother bear protects her cubs. Though most are going the way of religion, you must go the way of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”. It’s called loyalty. It’s called wisdom. Remember, at the judgement seat of Christ it will be Jesus-and-me, not Jesus-and-us. Amen?