I did this Thoughts From The Pastor in an audio but I started crying and then sniffling so much I figured you all likely would think I have Covid so I better just write it. Man!! I am so discouraged by the Church in our day. I very much feel that this whole Covid thing is doing an amazing job at showing us who we really serve. Who's will we are really willing to fight for and who's purposes we are truly living for. And, I know, I'm known for over stating things from time to time but I truly believe this Covid thing and the movement's response and truly our response to it all is showing us who we really are. Here, let me share with you a little of what has hit me this week. I was talking to a brother in Jesus Christ and we got on the Covid topic. He is very much against everything going on, very against what the government is doing, really quite strongly against the restrictions. And I shared with him that a good friends of Susanna's, who is going through a tunes of different struggles in her life, far beyond just Covid, shared with us that in the wee hours of that very morning a close friend of hers had just passed away from Covid. Now I had been talking with this guy for a while and we were debating about everything back and forth, I was bringing up Romans 13 and Titus, he was sharing his clear frustrations, but the moment I shared this story about this lady dying, his facial expressions just changed completely. (Man, even just writing this I am again crying. It just means so much to me.) His facial expression changed, and he stop and said, "Oh man, I'm sorry."
I didn't say anything at the time but that just has hit me so much the last couple days. See He cared about that one person. No, he did not know my friend, No he did not know the person who died. But in his facial expression and words I could see that the idea of that one person dying matter. I don't know how much it mattered but it did mattered. I didn't know the lady who died but I know it mattered to Susanna's find and as a believer in Jesus Christ I know that it matter terribly to our Lord and Saviour. I don't believe that lady new Jesus. It matters, even just one matters.
A couple days latter I again shared this with another person who is quite against everything going on these days. They are against the lock down, against the protocols, and against the vaccine. I believe they feel its all a hoax to try and gain control or try and kill us all. I shared in order to stress the point that we need to be focused on loving and sharing the good news of Jesus Chris and not get side tracked by everything taking place. That people are needing to find love and grace and help, and they are only going to find it in the good news of Jesus Christ. But this time, there was no change in expression or even flinch of emotion, they just instantly shot back, "Well what was their other health issue?" I assume they have bought into the narrative that people aren't really dying form Covid and everything is just covid related.
And I'm not sharing this to jab back at that person. Its not about that person. Its about each and every one of us who follow Jesus Christ, and claim... yes I said claim, that He is the King of our lives. Because, if He is truly king of our lives then we should be living as servants to His will and His way. We should be submitting to His word, even if we don't like it. Even if it means our Canadian civil rights are being intruded on. We should be focusing on His purposes and His heart to save the lost and mature the saved. We are bondservants of Christ Jesus. Well, at least we say we are.
This is what we are told to do by the Holy Spirit of God in Romans 13. Yeah, I know, as a selfish human I don't like it. As a Canadian citizen I don't like it. But as a follower of Jesus who is my King I accept it as truth and I don't try and twist it so I can do what I want.
Romans 13:1-10 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
And No, No where in this passage do we read that we only have to submit to our earthly authorities if they are God fearing. Do we know the scriptures? Do we know the context in which Paul was writing these words? Do we know Paul's story? Do we know by who's hand he died? I mean, come on. Don't twist the Word of God.
Paul is writing to Roman Christians here. Do we really think that Rome was a God fearing government? No. It was very much the opposite! Yet Paul still writes, verse "The authorities that exist have been put there by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." This is God's Word. You can twist it to make it support what you want to do and what you want to believe but that does not truly change God's word.
Our focus should not be swept away by the upheaval of out day but our focus should remine on Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the Savior and King of our lives, and His will and purpose for our lives. We are to live submitted to His word even if we don't like it. And we dare not try and twist it to try and make it fit our own purposes.
Here, this is what you have to ask yourself. Am I living for Jesus with this as my mindset and focus during this time of Covid? Ask yourself, "Is this a great description of my life and my focus the last couple months?"
Colossians 3:1-17
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Is this what your mind is focused on? Is this the person people are seeing? I get it, as a Canadian citizen our rights are being infringed on a bit, but don't try and twist God's word to fit your agenda and support your feelings. No, His is our King and His word is our guide to faith and practice. We either submit our live, wants, and wills to His purposes and to His Word or we don't. As a Canadian citizen I get your issue, but as a citizen of heaven I need to be making sure that I am not following those and I am not one of those who are twisting God's word to fit my earthly thinking and desires.
Comments