WHAT A RIDE

When I get to the Heaven’s Gates I don’t want to be in a nice crisp suit and tie with a perfect smile and soft skin. I want to come skidding up, tired out, worn out and used up for God and exclaim, “WOW what a ride!!!!!”

As Christians we seem to get the idea that we are to be peaceable and quiet little people that just float through life. Our greatest fear seems to be that we will do something to “tarnish” our witness so instead we stay “safe” or just do nothing. We can’t go to a ball game because someone may cuss. Heaven forbid we go to a party where they may smoke or even “gasp” drink a beer. We hide behind our veil of pseudo-christianity while real Christianity is made mockery of or simply ignored as irrelevant. We pay our tithes so someone else can go to Jerusalem, Judea and the outer parts of the world. We pay the Pastor to visit the sick and go to the prisons. Maybe, just to show how wonderful we are, we give a little extra to help a family in crisis or to help after a hurricane or other disaster.

Then we sit down in front of the TV so happy because we are good Christians and have done our part. Or maybe you are a more “mature” Christian and spend your evening listening to Sandi Patti and reading your Bible. But through it all we see ourselves as being a “good” Christian or worse a good enough Christian.

What is a “Christian?” Strong’s Concordance defines Christian, as “a follower of Christ.” The word Christian derives from the Greek word Christianos, which has the root word of Christos meaning Christ or anointed followed by the suffix ianos which was originally applied to slaves and came to denote the adherents of an individual. [1] Being a Christian means being a slave of Christ.

Does a slave pay someone else to do their work? Are they about their masters business by sitting in a comfortable chair reading about and studying him all day or is there an imperative to actually go and do his work.

What did Jesus tell us to do?

Jesus, our master, left us with a number of commands. First, and foremost, don’t call him Lord if you don’t obey him, he is the master you serve him. [2] Further, if you listen to him AND obey him you are like a “wise man who built his house on the rock.”[3] Remember also and always that when you have done his bidding you “have only done that which was our duty to do.”[4]
What “stuff” does he tell us to do then. This is a list of some of the things we are to physically do. We are to teach others to obey his commands. [5] To go the second mile, to do more than just what is expected.[6] To do good things for others quietly, you are working for God’s praise alone not the praise of men. [7] Don’t worry about earthly riches – store them up in heaven.[8] Treat others as you want to be treated, including forgiving them if you want to be forgiven.[9] Be a witness of Christ.[10] Take up your cross and follow Christ.[11] Always be alert and ready for your master’s return, when the cat’s away the mice are NOT supposed to play.[12] If you have been given something remember where it came from and give God the honor. [13] Treat others as you would treat Jesus. [14] If someone else is preaching and/or performing miracles in Jesus’ name rejoice – don’t condemn or try to stop them. [15] Humble yourself.[16] Go into all the world making disciples and preaching the Gospel. [17] Go, as Jesus told the "and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."[18]
Nowhere in this list does it say we pay the pastor to go do our jobs. Jesus never said that if you pay your tithes and offerings you are exempt from working in the fields. In fact he said the fields are ready for harvest but there aren’t enough workers. [19]

All too often we treat our tithes and offerings like we are purchasing God’s blessing. When we act this way we are little different than Simon the sorcerer who thought he could buy God’s gift. [20] Peter clearly sets him, and us today, straight - "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.” [21]

Take a few minutes and look at what Jesus did here on earth. He spent a great amount of time in prayer and communion with the Father. But, he also spent time at parties, feasts, and otherwise eating and drinking with the “sinners.” [22]

He sets the pattern we are to follow. We need to get out of our homes and churches. We need to stop wondering who the next American Idol or Survivor is going to be and go look for the idols in our society that need to be torn down and the survivors on our streets that need a hand held out in love. We know the names of the contestants on the Amazing Race but not the names of the family 2 houses down from us.

We pray a generic prayer for a missionary so we feel better but can’t afford to give more than our 10% to the church so they can effectively do our job for us.

I know how it works because I am there. I want God to move in my life and the lives of others but not enough to get my fat butt out of bed and get to church every Sundays.
My God what’s wrong with us – as Keith Green put it in song “Jesus rose from the dead and you can’t even get out of bed.” [23]

I want more – I want to go when called – speak when I am told to – work hard when there is work to do and play hard when it is time to play. When God calls me home I don’t want be a pretty corpse I want to be a slave that worked, lived, and played hard for his master. Like Paul I want to say I want to say I have been “poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” [24]

I want to slide in as the last drop pours out and say “WOW WHAT A RIDE!”

[1] Holman Illustrated Pocket Bible Dictionary, B&H Publishing Group
[2] Lk 6:46, Mt 7:21
[3] Mt 7:24-27, Lk 6:47-49.
[4] Luke 17:10
[5] Matthew 28:20
[6] Mt 5:38-41
[7] Mt 6:1-4
[8] Mt 6:19-21, 33, Lk 12:21, 31-34, Jn 12:25
[9] Mt 7:12, Lk 6:31 & Mt 6:12, 14-15, 18:21, Mk 11:25-26, Lk 11:9-13
[10] Mt 10:32-33, Mk 5:19, 8:38, Lk 9:26, 12:8-9
[11] Mt 10:38-39, 16:24-26, Mk 8:34-37, Lk 9:23-26, 14:26-33.
[12] Mt 24:44,46, 50-51, Mk 14:62, Lk 12:35-40, 21:27-28
[13] Mt 25:14-31, Lk 18:18
[14] Mt 25:34-46.
[15] Mark 9:38-40
[16] Lk 14:8-11, 18:13-14, Mt 23:12, 19:30
[17] Mt 28:19, 20, Mk 16:15, Lk 9:60b, Jn 21:15b, 16b, 17b
[18] Matthew 28:19.
[19] FIND THIS
[20] Acts 8: 9-24
[21] Id.
[22] “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ “ Matthew 11: 18-19
[23] FIND
[24] 2 Timothy 4:6-7