Today's message was SUPPOSED to be the 3rd in my series, Culture in Crisis, focusing on three matters present in our culture that push against us being all God intended. Today, my 'Crisis' topic was "Idolatry", and the biblical cure, or antithesis, was to be WORSHIP - of CHRIST. So...
I got up this morning and headed to the church with message in hand - ready to deliver the solution. For 23 years I have awakened on Sunday morning with one thing, often most primary, on my mind - Parkwayhills - and, well, today I learned that maybe this pastor might need to learn a thing or two himself.
When I arrived at the church I was informed we had no power - not to any part of our building. Our campus was dark, the new children's building not accessible, no air, no coffee, no lights in the hallway. Absolutely pitch black. Inconvenient and frustrating, for sure, but remediable, or... so I thought. However, as the morning wore on it became ever more clear that power was NOT going to be restored to the building any time soon, making the already hectic day increasingly unsafe - especially for those of our congregation most vulnerable. And so, after a quick meeting with our Executive Administrator and Board President, the decision was made, and, one by one we began to inform people that 'worship' - at least the service scheduled for 10:45 - was cancelled.
Now throughout the day I have thought a lot about this - and from many angles. How much of our Christian experience, that which we call "our" Christianity, is really just a matter of social setting only? A matter of friendships, our group, and not a matter of a true relationship - an everyday, intimate kind of relationship - with the One whom we call our Saviour?
Then, this... I thought about myself this morning. Perfectly poised and ready to preach a message on Idolatry. To preach to people who, in my mind, needed to give up the things of this world so they could focus on God, and worship Him. Then it happened! God pulled out from under me one of the very things that I most worship. That's right, church! I worship (spend an inordinate amount of my time, energy and money) "worshipping" church - often, confessedly, forgetting the very One who came and now stands as the church's Bridegroom. Did I really need to meet at 10:45 am at 2700 North Dallas Parkway to worship Him? Was His power turned off this morning? Well, we all know the answer don't we. Not at all!
So that was my Sunday. A preacher without a congregation, a voice without a pulpit (at least for my one hour today), but, certainly, a preacher - a worshipper - who was NOT without a Saviour.
Yes, Idolatry comes in many forms, and the Bible teaches us that God despises them all! And that is is why He said...
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, ... ... Exodus 20: 1-5a
And we all can learn from Him about this! :-)
Till Sunday, then,
Pastor Sam
