Progress

Over the past months I have learned a thing or two about progress.  I used to view progress as moving forward.  But C. S. Lewis makes a point that I think applies to our progress.  "We all want progress, but if you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an-about turn and going back to the right road."  The Bible calls this repentance.

Do you remember John the Baptist saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (Matthew 4:17)!"  The Bible (and C. S. Lewis) knows that the word "repent" means, turn around.  If you are sliding into a ditch, you must first slow your acceleration.  If you find yourself in a hole, first stop digging.  So ... let's STOP and consider where we are.

First, we are the Church.  We are part of the Ecclesia of Matthew 16 that Jesus said would prevail against the very gates of hell.  The Ecclesia is "called-out" of the worlds chaos to offer the truth, the way and the life contained in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So, let's stop.  Read and review what we believe.  The Church prevails against the gates of hell by becoming a place/source of truth ... a place where we offer a direction ... a place that "offers them Christ (Wesley)" so that they may have life, and have it in abundance.

Second, we are kingdom-bringers.  I offered a quote from N. T. Wright (the great Bible scholar) who said, "We are not here to get ourselves to Heaven ... we are here to bring Heaven to earth!"  When Christ comes close (like in the story from Matthew 4) the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Third, we are all worship leaders.  Last week we sang, "give thanks, with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy one."  We professed and sang about the "goodness of God."  We reminded the congregation that "in the mountains, in the valleys, in the shadows of the alleys, in the fire, in the flood, always is and always was ... there was Jesus."  Can we become engaged, excited and thankful about these truths?  I sure can!

Let's stop, turn around if necessary, find the road Jesus has drawn out for us, and go down that road with a new song in our mouth (Ps. 40), praising God for what He has done.  Today, on the first Sunday of Advent, let's remember that the Jesus we worship didn't come to encourage us to keep moving on the road to destruction ... He came to (as the song says) "set His people free."  Randy