But Seriously, Folks...

“But Seriously, Folks…”

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A young lady walks into the narthex of a church one Sunday morning, and sees a plaque on the wall with a whole lot of names.  She asks the person handing out programs at the door “What’s with this plaque on the wall?  What are all these names?”

The usher answers, “these are the names of people who died in the service.”

She asks again “The 9 o’clock service, or the 10:30 service?”

But seriously, folks…  The word of God for today is for the church to stop “playing” religion, and concentrate on our relationship with Him.  After all, His word tells us to “Seek Him while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near.”  His word also tells us to seek and save the lost, reminding us that we are saved by grace and not by works (“so that nobody can brag about it…”)  That we are not under the law, but under grace (accentuating the point that legalism has no standing in the Kingdom of Heaven.)   His word also tells us not to judge one another (“… lest ye be judged…”) and strongly offering us a cautionary word that it is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of our sins, but also of our righteousness (or, more accurately, our lack of righteousness.)

I like the words of Comedian, Mark Lowry, on the subject of “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin…”  “Love the sinner, hate the sin? How about: Love the sinner, hate your own sin! I don't have time to hate your sin. There are too many of you! Hating my sin is a full-time job. How about you hate your sin, I'll hate my sin and let's just love each other!" 

Does this mean, by any chance, that I’ve “gone soft” or have “gone off the tracks?”  Absolutely not!  If anything, in these last few weeks, I’ve had opportunities to reflect, meditate, seek the Lord, and regain something that is often lost in the shuffle… a little thing called “perspective.”  Often, in the world of the church, we get caught up in the minutiae of “churchianity” that we are prone to concentrate on the things that seem out of place, rather than focus on the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I am reminded of a Priest I knew years ago, who one morning, in the midst of the service, noticed that one candle on the side altar was out of place.  He spent the rest of that morning castigating those gathered there about having something out of place, that he completely missed out on the greater message… that they were gathered there to worship God in spirit and in truth.  The message of religion versus relationship can be defined thus:  Religion is focusing on us… Relationship is all about Him.

But seriously, folks…  I am also reminded of a young-ish church lady who was very concerned with the status of her church.  She wrote to “Dear Abby” asking for advice regarding her concern that the church suppers, yard sales, women’s teas, and other such activities were no longer  working, and that her church seemingly was deteriorating.  “Dear Abby,” she wrote, plaintively, “we’ve tried everything else… what can we try?”  Dear Abby’s laconic reply was “Try prayer, try worship, try faith, try relying on God.”

The good news here is that we have a God who loves us unconditionally (and yes, our walk with Him is really all about love…)   It begins with the Biblical truth that “God Is Love.”  And it continues with the truth that “Greater love has no one than this, that he lays down His life for his friends.”  And it focuses on the call telling us “beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone that knows God loves God… for God Is Love.”  (Hey, look, I’ve argued this in a circle…)

As we prepare to go back to school, back to work, back to church, and step into the changes that come with Autumn, let us not grow weary of doing good (for we shall reap a harvest in due season), let us not grow weary of doing justly, loving mercy, or walking humbly with God.  Let us stay focused on what’s really important here… Simply this… Is your name… is my name…  written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?  It all boils down to the question of what you did about Jesus during your life.  Did you ask him into your heart to be your forgiver and leader?  Did you spend your life sharing his love with others, not only through your words, but through acts of kindness (whether random or not), and acts of beauty (whether senseless or not)? 

But seriously, folks…

As we step off into the fall season, let us find new and wonderful ways of sharing his love with one another, and with those around us. 

But seriously, folks…  I bid you peace…

Dr. Ken+