Crisis of Self

Today I was given another opportunity to share the Word of the Lord with my congregation.  I am always so grateful for those opportunities.  It is work even though I do enjoy it immensely.  During those times I find myself needing to trust the Lord for energy to prevail when I am growing mentally and physically tired (after all, its not all that demands my time). 

I trust Him for intelligence and discernment to rightly handle His Word.

I trust Him  for emotional stability to remain focused on the matter at hand.

I trust Him to lead, especially when I am tempted to do so.

The topic for my message was "Crisis of Self".  It used Luke 10:25-37 as the main passage and was accompanied by 2 Tim. 3:1-5 and a few other supporting passages (Luke 9:51-53, 58, Rom. 3:20, 1 Cor. 3:3 (in NASB, NIV and NLT), Matt. 24:24).

The prevailing thought in my message was the underlying condition of professing Christians overly focusing on themselves.  2 Tim. 3:1-5 makes good on this thought as it points out the kinds of people we will encounter in the end times (I am not suggesting we are in the end times though we could very well be).  Highlighted types are ones who are lovers of self, ungrateful, unloving, malicious gossips, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.  Like some in our churches today, they hold to a "...form of godliness, although they deny its power."  In other words, they behave in a way indicative of godliness, but they have no true connection with God.  Life is about them and religion is merely a process of making sure the bible is interpreted in such a way as to fit in to their lifestyle rather than having their lifestyle disrupted or altered by the bible and their relationship with God.

The lawyer exemplifies this when seeking to be justified by Jesus in whatever answer Jesus gave to the question "Who is my neighbour" (v. 29).  The lawyer knew well the Mosaic Law (they were experts in it) and so his question seems out of place in context of his alleged expertise.

The Levite and the priest also exemplify this crisis of self.  Being servants of God first in the Tent of the Meeting and then, once built, in the Temple of God, both of these men ought to have been more in tune with the Lord's heart toward loving their neighbours.  After all, it was one of the 2 greatest commandments.  How they dealt with the beaten man amplifies the criticism toward those engaged in religion for their own benefit rather than for the expression of God and the benefit of others.

In 2010 we have a society and a church body caught up in a crisis of self.  This is not necessarily a new crisis but, from my own perspective, one that appears more prevelant than ever before.  From divisions in the church over personal sacred cows (such as type of worship, who controls coffee hour after the service, etc.) to people church-shopping to people holding grudges against other believers in their own congregation, etc., the spirit and the form of self is impacting professing believers, and that not necessarily in a good way.

1 Cor. 3:3 really pressed this point home for me:

“or you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?” (NLT)

Conclusions may be difficult to reach with such little information as I have here, but here's some of the thoughts that I believe will lead to a sound conclusion on the matter of a "crisis of self":

• Do not seek to justify myself before the Lord: the Word of God and my relationship with God is not meant to justify my selfish tendencies.  I need to always be sensitive to the tendency to do just that: seek justification from a source God never intended.

• Do not seek to fit the bible and my relationship with God into my lifestyle: my lifestyle is not meant to impact God and the truth of His Word; God and the truth of His Word are meant to impact my lifestyle.  If there is a conflict, my lifestyle must bow.

• Let love rule in your heart: Martin Luther King said it best in his "I've been to the mountaintop" speech:

 And so the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by.  And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"

So much more could be said on this subject matter but I believe enough is here to give you pause.  And while pausing, reflect.  And while reflecting, pray.

Know that the Lord is more interested in you sorting this out than you are.  Let Him work in you, allowing you to work in the lives of others, to the benefit of us all and to the honour of our Lord.

Amen.