May 26, 2015

“Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:35ff

“If Luther himself, the excellent man, reappeared, without being recognized, and began to teach in many places as he once taught in the Symbolical Books, in his Preface to the Epistle to the Romans, in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, he would be denounced as a Pietist and Enthusiast and chased to his fellows in hell. It seems as if the world does not wish to have anything to do with the whole of true Christianity; it wants either godliness without change of heart and faith, or faith without preceding change of heart…” Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (1711 – 1787) “For All The Saints” volume IV (p. 14-15)

It is my opinion that we have many concerns within Christianity today. The first would be, as Henry Melchior Muhlenberg states, people call themselves Christians but they have not been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel, the good news of Jesus must transform how we live, act, and love before we can say, truly, that we are Christians. Attending a church once in a while is not being a Christian. Always saying “I am too busy” to requests to be involved in ministry, or “I need my Sundays to sleep in” or “Those people must learn to help themselves” is not being transformed by the gospel, or having Christ abide in your heart.

Second, being transformed by the gospel does not mean saying one thing and doing something different. In 1 John 2:9 and 1 John 2:4, the writer says “Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness” and “Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist”. In other words, if you are going to be a true disciple of Jesus, you need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Actions speak louder than words. How we live, the decisions we make, the use of our time, the amount of time we spend in studying and praying on G*d’s word states whether we are living in the light of Jesus and obeying his commandments. It begins by being transformed by the Gospel – having our hearts changed to the point where it changes our actions, our thoughts, and our very lives.

Pastor Dave