“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” – Luke 6:46-49
Jesus had just finished teaching on loving enemies and putting others above a bunch of rules. Here, he brings it all home: Stop listening and start doing.
Seems like the American church is full of a bunch of listeners. I get sick when I hear people say that they come to church to be fed.
Most often this comes in the form of a complaint (insert whiny voice) “I’m just not being fed.”
It leads me to ask a couple of questions:
- Why do we need fed? If it is just to gain more knowledge, forget it. If it is just another fact of the kingdom that will die inside of us, let’s save our time. If all we are going to do is get more understanding from the scriptures and sit on our butts and doing nothing to put them into action, it’s worthless. We become an obese people who’s biggest mission in life is to get our carcass off the couch and get another piece of pie. However, if we take the things we learn so that we can go and do, I am all about that. It is the only thing that sets a strong foundation. Another Bible study will not strengthen our foundation unless we put it into practice.
- Who’s job is it to feed us? Eriwn McMannus says “It’s not my job to feed you, it’s my job to make you hungry.” Bam. Pretty much nailed it. Why do we look to others to spoon feed us? We think it is someone else’s fault. It’s the American way. Point the finger. In response to why his sermons are not verse-by-verse teachings (aka “your not feeding me”), Pastor Wayne Corderio says, “That’s your job during the week with Life Journaling.” Double bam.
Maybe it is time we stop blaming others for our feeding and we start burning some calories. What if for every sermon, every Bible study, every journal entry, we had to account for some action? My scales are tipped way too far in the hearing and not so much in the doing. But, in the doing is where we set the foundation. The storms are coming. A lifetime of hearing will do little to sustain us. It is time to do.
What will you do today? Do a little something small and post your experience.
[tags]devotions, Luke, life journaling, God, Jesus, Erwin McMannus, Wayne Corderio, serving[/tags]
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Kate
24 Sep 2006I love it when people put words to something inside me that I haven\’t figured out how to express! McManus\’s idea about creating hunger is so true. I used to think that what I encountered at eXchange fed me until I realized that\’s a pretty selfish reason to come to church. In all honesty, I do get \”fed\” here through the community found on the way to Christ\’s cause. But maybe it was in this place where I realized that I was hungry in the first place. The modern, sterile version of \”church\” doesn\’t do much to satisfy the hunger. I think Scot\’s right–it\’s in the doing.
Back a few weeks ago on Crash Sunday some of us went to buy some groceries for a needy family. I told the lady if she needed anything else to call me. She called. She\’s trying to take care of the 11 kids in her home and coming up short. So the hands and feet of Christ have yet another opportunity to show up in the flesh.
Dan
28 Sep 2006Right on Scott. Here\’s my experience… We have formed a small men\’s group with the purpose of keeping our focus on God while we serve. We don\’t want to serve to please ourselves and make us feel good but to show God\’s love to others. Part of the agreement within our group is that we not only meet and keep each other accountable in personal growth, but that we CRASH together. I think they go hand-in-hand. So tonight we CRASHed Ryves and had great interaction with some sisters (who interestingly enough happen to be in the family Kate was referring too above, even though I didn\’t know that until about 30 min. ago) and then we met together and broke down how God was working in our lives. And we all agree that God is doing great things! It is awesome.
Jody
29 Sep 2006Last night at Harborside we prayed before we met with the residents, asking God to help us to be sensitive to the needs of those we talk to, letting our conversation be directed by them and by God. I think that happened…we prayed with Nellie, but then she said, \”You\’re not leaving yet, are you?\”. \”What do you want to talk about Nellie?\” \”Christmas. I love Christmas, and it\’s only 2 months away!\” Because of our conversation, we learned she was an orphan, she loves those little Lifesaver books, she loves to play rummy, and she would like to send Christmas cards, but can\’t see to write and can\’t afford the postage. Needs are all around us. Little needs, big needs, right under our noses. It doesn\’t take much sometimes to show love and to put our money where our mouths are.