Restore

We look around the world and we wonder, “Will we ever be able to get along?” Sometimes what follows is a long laundry list of all the reasons we don’t get along. We focus on our differences, points of view, placement, and politics.

Before we realize it, the people around us don’t even look like people anymore. They become the enemy; someone to fear, hate or be angry with. Before we know it, we’ve deconstructed everything God has told us about ourselves and others. When we deconstruct others in our minds and hearts, we then usually live our lives avoiding the very people that God created us to love.

Matthew was a tax collector and Simon was a Zealot. Two people on two different sides of the political arena in their day. If we look at historical records, we’ll learn that Zealots despised tax collectors even more than Romans! Why you might wonder? Well, because tax collectors made their living collecting taxes from the Jews for Rome; many times, charging more than what was due, in order to make some money on the difference.

Yet! Matthew and Simon spent three years together in Ministry with Jesus. Together. Eating, traveling, living…together. This happened not after several months of therapy or small group sessions to teach them how to get along. This happened as they were. This happened before their hearts were transformed. This happened because they kept their eyes on Jesus.

So, if we take this example and now look at the church, we see a big contrast. Within our Christian communities of the political right and left, we see a huge difference of opinion. Different stands on ethical, political and social issues; and within these differences today we are not seeing the ability to walk together with Christ, like Matthew and Simon. Why is that?

This is a powerful indicator for us, but we’ve been so caught up in our individual stances that we’ve failed to have eyes to see. While we have been busy arguing with each other, the church has been part of a subtle “Take over” of sorts. By who you ask? By the world.

Over time we’ve allowed the world to define who we are. And because we’ve taken on the mirror of the world we handle conflicts as people of the world, rather than people of the Kingdom of God.

See the difference?

We have failed to look back over our shoulder and glance the throne.

We had one job. To reflect the life and love of Christ in all that we are and all that we do. We’ve stopped trusting God. Because if we’re honest it can be easier and more gratifying to run on the fuel of our anger than die to ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom.

Living for the sake of the Kingdom doesn’t take away the tax collectors and the Zealots of the world. But when we walk among them and keep our eyes on Jesus; allowing ourselves to mirror His sacrificial love….we do something so much more powerful than picking a side or drawing a line or winning an argument.

We reflect the Kingdom of God in the world and allow the Kingdom to grow within us.

Right now, we live in a time between the Cross of Christ and the fulfillment of the Kingdom on Earth. We are foreigners in a foreign land. Even more so…. soldiers behind enemy lines.

2 Timothy 2:4 says “Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.”

In other words regardless of our opinions and stances about the problems of society…..our allegiance is to one person….God.

From the very beginning God has called us to be a “Holy people”, and Jesus gave us our marching orders. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations^] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”-Matthew 28:19

If we’re wondering how we are supposed to do this, we find that Jesus has also explained this to us as well in Matthew 25:35-40.

“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

So, let’s go make disciples and care for the world. Let’s forget about trying to fix everything through arguments and stances.

Because what we’ll find is that when we are following the commission of Christ the byproduct of that will be RESTORATION. The issues and problems of the world will start to heal. They’ll be healed and restored by the love of Christ passed through and to each one of us in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

-Pastor Patti