While praying through the Apostle’s Creed this morning, I started thinking about the enormity of what it means that Jesus “was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.” He walked among us and knows - He knows the joys and sorrows of life, and the awful consequences of sin in our fallen world.
He knows our hearts, our hurts, even our day-to-day needs. His recorded miracles include healing people and feeding people, taking care of needs...needs necessitated by sin.
As I sat on the porch, I wondered what Jesus, walking among us as “God in the flesh” would say to me at that moment. Sarah Young wrote the popular book Jesus Calling in which she journals all the things she believes Jesus tells her while she listens.
But, I didn't go in that direction. These verses, what Jesus actually said, came to mind:
Your Father knows what you need. Matthew 6:8
Do not be afraid. Matthew 14:27
I came that [you] may have life. John 10:10
The Son of Man must suffer many things. Mark 8:31
It is finished. John 19:30
Believe in him whom he has sent. John 6:29
Your sins are forgiven. Luke 7:48
Take, eat; this is my body. Matthew 26:26
Take my yoke...and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29
My peace I give to you. John 14:27
I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2
Love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12
Recently, my pastor preached a sermon on James 5:7-11. The sermon was titled Living Patiently, and was to remind us that although we live in an “instant gratification” society, we Christians are to be heavenly minded. Pastor related a frustrating incident he had while waiting in line at a gas station. He became visibly impatient, and to compound his failure, he was seen by someone from his church.
We all know the feeling. We bear the name of Christian, but fail to live up to that standard, and others see it. We’re embarrassed because we know that our actions say something to those who are watching.
And we should try, and try hard not to sin. But, my question is, “How do we react once we sin and someone sees that we’re not perfect?”
We all have an inner hunger to feel good about ourselves, to be righteous, but we’re not...and we hate that about ourselves. We hate to be caught and confronted with our own messed-up-ness.
Again I ask, “How do we react?”
Plebes at the Naval Academy are taught Five Basic Responses. My favorite and the one which best defines life as a plebe is, “No Excuse, Sir,” to which the upperclass normally respond, “You’re right, there’s no excuse for you.”
One of our biggest difficulties to bear as Christians is living with our own imperfectness. But, I submit that admitting our failures to a watching world is huge, and is a testament to our faith.
What if we adopted a “No Excuse, Sir” attitude?
“Yes, I messed up. I’m sorry. I’m not perfect, and I hate that about myself. But, that’s why Jesus came and died for my sins. That’s my peace.”
For a Christian to share his own sins and the gospel with a struggling sinner is medicine the sinner needs to hear. We’re all looking for someone who knows everything about us, who knows we’re not perfect, and loves us anyway, enough to die for us. That person is Jesus. But He uses us imperfect Christians to get His message and His love to others.
To admit our wretchedness to ourselves is also medicine to our own souls, as Paul said:
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 7:24-25
It’s hard to do, to say, “I’m sorry. I messed up.” And, it feels awkward. The sinner inside us doesn't like it - but the Spirit brings a strange yet comforting peace to our hearts when we confess, repent, and hear the gospel. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I saw John today. He's 50, a few years younger than me, and, until recently, he worked at Walmart.
I met John a couple of years ago. As I was leaving the store that day, he was sitting on a bench and called out, "I like your shirt." I smiled. It was a Naval Academy shirt, and he told me about his high school friend who had gone to the Naval Academy and about his own appreciation for our military. We also talked about news and politics.
But what I remember most about that first conversation was John saying, "You're better than me." I told him that wasn't so, and that's when I knew we were going to be friends.
We had many conversations after that. John liked to talk about politics, how great this country had been, Fox News, and once about Star Wars. Sometimes, I'd see John sitting on that bench, resting as he waited for the bus. If he wasn't sitting, he was pushing a cart. I think he worked as a stocker, but he also needed that cart for support, since he was disabled.
Today, as I pulled into the parking lot, John was waiting outside at the bus stop. I hadn't seen him for awhile, so I drove over and got out of the car. He told me that he'd been fired a few months prior - can't remember if he said he was now getting disability or unemployment funds.
Even though it was cold, John had short pants on and I saw how swollen his calves were in relation to his body. I knew he had trouble walking, but had never seen his legs before.
While we were talking, the bus drove up. John told me again that I was special to him. I gave him a little cash from my wallet, and told him to find a good church. He said that he was a Christian, but nothing about a church. We wished each other Merry Christmas, and he got on the bus.
I had tears driving home...and regret that I hadn't given John more, that I didn't hug him or offer him a ride. Because of sin, we're all broken bodies in a broken world. None of us is any better or special than anyone else - we're all "Someone whom Christ died for."
Just saw another sign for a Community Church. And I understand that. When I entered the military at age 18, I wrote “Christian” on my dog tags form. That was a mistake; “Christian” was not a choice. I was sent to a Marine Captain to explain and to pick an approved denomination. No kidding.
Non-denominational churches are growing in popularity. In my local homeschool group, many families request recommendations for a conservative church, almost always non-denominational. Their reasoning is, “I want to follow what the Bible teaches and not a denomination.”
The problem is...different people and churches have different views on what the Bible actually teaches, and each church has to believe and teach something. Let me say that again, “Each church has to believe and teach something.”
Non-denominational churches normally don’t like creeds - however, if you read their websites, they have a belief statement that reads like a creed. In fact, most of these “statements” are in line with the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
Non-denominational churches also “take positions” on various Christian issues. In researching these positions, I’ve noticed that the churches tend to have a Baptist/Wesleyan mix of teachings - believer’s baptism with a focus on living a moral, happy Christian life.
As a youth, I attended a Baptist church where baptism was practiced as an ordinance for believer’s or for those who had “made a decision.” Looking back, I realize that believer’s baptism was taken for granted, and we never studied the Bible to confirm it. Instead, we interpreted verses in light of the believer’s baptism position.
As an adult, I was surprised to read Peter’s direction to his listeners after his Pentecost sermon:
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
I had never thought that the answer to, “How do I know my sins are forgiven?” is “I’m baptized.” I thought baptism was more an act of obedience and a witness to others. But there it is in God’s Word.
And, I’ve since noted important teachings in many Bible passages that I had previously overlooked.
I wonder what the “non-denominational” appeal is. When I was young, I attended church without my family, and I had no “belonging” associated with the Baptist church. I felt like I just “belonged” to the Christian church. Perhaps many young people also lack a family history of church attendance. It even sounds “American” to be non-denominational.
I think “Generic Christian” is a better name for these churches, since the teachings vary from church to church, and often change within the same church. You never know what you might get, and a new leader can mean a new focus, and new teachings.
Maybe the military was onto something. You can’t just be “Christian.”
