Skip to main content

An Old-fashioned Idea



            “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).
  
          “Preach the word” is not a phrase that goes over well with many people today.  If we have convinced ourselves that there is no “right” or “wrong” and that “everything is ok, as long as it is ok for you”, then “the word” really has nothing to say. 

            Oddly, “Preach the word” does not always go over much better in church settings either.  These days, church discussions often center more around things like presentation, programs and performance than they do on the word.  “How” we do things often overshadows the “why”. 

            In both cases, inside and outside the church, “Preach the word” can come across as a very “Old-fashioned” idea.

            However, just because something is old-fashioned does not mean that it is not useful.  Lifejackets have been around for hundreds of years, but if you are going to throw me into a lake I want one.  Old-fashioned or not, a lifejacket is still useful and (the way I swim) necessary.

            As well, just because something is old-fashioned does not mean that it is not beautiful.  The sun always sets in the same way, but it is often spectacular.  You have been to many weddings, but each one is memorable.  It is the same with God’s message.  Though he has been calling for years, his invitation is still wonderful.  Isaiah says it this way:  “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat… Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near… Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” (Isaiah 55:1, 6-7).

            As Christian people, all we really have to offer is the message of God’s love.  Everything else that people find at church (friends, encouragement, programs) can be found elsewhere (in service clubs, sports teams, etc.).  It’s our message that sets us apart.  It is the hope that we have, based on the story of God, that makes us different.

            Never give up on the “old-fashioned” word of God.  It is still powerful!

            “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Press The Button!

  Consider This:  Press the Button! My favourite TV game show is Jeopardy.  I used to like it even more when my kids were younger, because I could easily beat them and look smart.  These days, after they have grown up and gone to university, it is much more difficult.  However, Jeopardy is still the only game show I will watch. In a book I read, a contestant who did very well on the show shared the secret to his success.  He said (and I am paraphrasing here), “You must press the button before you know the answer.  Everyone on Jeopardy is smart. Everyone knows the answer. The key to winning is to act.  You must jump in and press the button, assuming that your brain will catch up and supply the answer.  If you wait until you are sure, you will be too late!” Press the button! Too often, we hesitate, not because we do not know what to do, but because we do not want to do it.  Sometimes, we fail to act because we are not sure how the situatio...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: What is so Great About Grace?

If you were to drive by our house, you would see that Sara loves plants.  Our yard is full of flowers, and Sara lovingly tends every one of them. Which is why I was so afraid when she left town and put me in charge of keeping things alive. She must have been a little concerned, too, because she sent me two videos with specific instructions on how to water, when to water, and what to do.  Honestly, those first two videos helped, but the third one she sent was the one I liked most.  In that one, she said, “Please do your best. I want the yard to look good for the family reunion in two weeks.  However, if something dies, we will dig it out and pretend that it never existed!” That is what grace looks like!  Try your best, do what you can, but if it goes wrong, it will be ok. Sometimes we talk as though grace and effort are opposites.  That is not true.  They are partners. In one place, scripture asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone c...
Post a Comment
Read more