July 3, 2024

I watched the first half of the presidential debate last Thursday night. That was enough. The current president is obviously and undeniably physically and mentally compromised. He was calling the former president a liar even while claiming to be up for the job and worth re-electing (which was clearly a lie). Is this all we have? Is the best we can do is put a convicted felon up against an elderly man who is simply not competent? No. There are plenty of people who are way more qualified than either of these two and many who come with way less baggage and legal entanglements. Why are we in this position where on a world-wide stage the two men running for the highest office of the world’s most wealthy and powerful nation are arguing over who can beat the other in golf? If that debate was a skit on Saturday Night Live, it would be hilarious. The fact that it wasn’t was sad and deeply troubling.

One of the reasons we are in in this position has to be our obsession with over-inflating then destroying just about anyone in public. The field goal kicker who misses the shot at the end of the game is run out of town by thousands of replays and heaps of verbal abuse on regular and social media. The same thing is true of goalies, basketball players, gymnasts, even local school board members, etc. Mistakes and miscues (which everyone makes) are subject to being replayed over and over. The larger political world is even worse. Who wants to run for office and invite protesters to deface your home, intimidate your family, disrupt your neighborhood and seek to destroy you? Why would you do this to your children? Many people conclude that the good they could do in a public office is not worth the scathing hatred their families would face as a consequence. If we destroy all those who could provide decent leadership, we would become Haiti. What do we do? We may not be able to rescue our country from this dangerous condition but we can provide a compelling retreat from it.

The local church is designed by God to be an aroma of life in the mausoleum of this world. We are to be an oasis of refreshment in the desert of disappointment and a preview of another and perfect kingdom that is coming. In a world where people are hardened by the failures of leaders and frustrated by an inability to effect meaningful change, we can and must be a people who are radically different in a good way. We do this in 4 ways all related to the gospel.

1)      We gather together.

Church means assembly. This church is not on-line (no such thing). It is in person. We gather. We gather because we value one another. We want to see others and be seen. If you are serious about following Jesus, then gathering as his people is a priority. If not, you are kidding yourself.

2)      We love one another.

We really take to heart the needs and concerns of others. That is part of the reason why we gather. We want to look people in the eyes and hear with our own ears the burdens they carry, the challenges they face, the blessings and opportunities before them so we can encourage, rejoice, celebrate and support. This means that leaders love those who are under their care and those beings watched over, love those who are caring for them.

3)      We pray for one another.

The scriptures are very clear in the call of a congregation to pray for her leaders and for the leaders to pray for her people and for her people to pray for one another. The list of members at the end of this blog is one of the means by which we can do this. If we love each other enough to pray for one another, then our tone will be sweet and our affection will be deep.

4)      Honor one another.

“Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12.10b) To honor means to esteem, value, and show great respect toward. This is what the gospel, rightly understood and applies produces. We care so deeply for our brothers and sisters that we have time for them, room for them, and love them. This is not a “make others feel as if they are the most important person.” This is more like, believe that they really are very important and therefore treat them as such.

A congregation that gathers, loves, prays and honors will be a radical and attractive, just like Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s Text: Luke 7.11-17