A Different Outlook
Our world continues to be one of uncertainty and change. The simple experience of going to eat in a restaurant is drastically different. Many are at half capacity, some do disposable menus or have very limited menus - not to mention the price hikes. Some have just closed completely.
Shopping has changed. Many items continue to be randomly out of stock because of supply chain issues. The options of placing your order online and doing a curbside pickup or even delivery have greatly increased. Many people now don't even have to step inside a grocery store to do their shopping. And there are pros and cons as things have become a little less personal with less human interaction.
The way we watch entertainment is different. TV streaming options and binge watching has increased greatly over the last year. We saw talk shows done remotely with guests chatting over 'Zoom calls'. Live audiences were replaced with screens or cardboard cutouts at sporting events. It seems that industries constantly have to reinvent themselves to reach their audience. It seems like everything has changed.
Has anyone else noticed this camera standing right in front of me...? The way we 'do Church' has had to change. The team is still 'social distancing' on the platform here, I'm still reluctantly 'front and center' so I can be in the camera shot, and I'm still emailing copies of the message to every address I have. And it's not all bad - we are reaching people we couldn't otherwise. But the Church is not just for meeting a need like food, groceries or entertainment. The method we use to deliver our message can affect the message.
The obstacle is found in the question - are you a member of the...
I. Church body or the audience?
Are we called to simply be a spectator or a participant in the Church? And for those who can't be here because of health concerns - it's an easy snare to stumble into just watching online. But it's also one for those who can attend in person as well. Do we now look at Church through the same lens we use to evaluate our entertainment choices, where and how we shop, and where we give our business? Do we view the Church similar to how we see commerce and media having to change to gain our business?
And of course, we have changed a lot - but we're not here solely to gain business or an audience. But for many, how we view the Church itself, and our relationship with the Church - those things have been affected as well. ...And if we're not careful, we can fall into this idea of a consumer mentality towards God's Church.
Through Jesus, and His Church - we do gain a lot! In Jesus and His Church we find forgiveness of our sins, strength to live, community and fellowship, eternal life - just to name a few. An 'audience' is expected to just sit and take it all in - a 'body' is called to respond...
Matthew 16:24-27 (NIV)
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (25) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (26) What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
(27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."
An 'audience' can respond to that challenge with clapping and approval, or they can even change the channel if they don't like what they hear. A member of the Church body is called to respond with actions. Yes, Jesus offered a lot - but He also required a lot.
In this passage - Jesus' command to 'take up your cross and follow' was given before He actually did just that - it wasn't just a figure of speech. For Jesus - it was the violent imagery of a condemned prisoner being forced to carry the very cross to which he was going to be nailed. That's not really the inspiring rally cry of a guy who wants to bend over backwards to accommodate every want or desire of a consumer audience.
Don't misunderstand - Jesus does want everyone to follow Him - to have a blessed life, to gain eternal life - He wants to give everyone those things - but on His terms. And Jesus' expectations for His followers aren't driven by what each new generation expects. Jesus' expectations aren't based on our changing circumstances. Those expectations don't really even change because of a worldwide pandemic - but He still calls everyone to a higher standard of commitment to Him.
You see, in this idea of being 'the Church body' or an audience member - the main difference is, if I'm simply a member of an audience...
A. The focus is on me
What can I get out of the experience? But if I'm a member of a Church body, the focus then also becomes on others, and ultimately the focus must be on the 'head of the body' - Jesus.
If a TV show doesn't please an audience, they'll just tune out, they'll stop watching. Some fans even start online campaigns to change storylines, to bring back favorite characters and literally write their own endings to suit their personal desire for a show. And that's fine for sci-fi fantasy or police dramas. But Jesus has given us His story in His Word. And it's an unchanging story about His relationship with His creation, us.
Jesus told us how it began, how He shaped all of it, how we fit into the story and even how it will end. But many critics, and even some who call themselves followers, have decided they don't like all of the story. In order to fit their beliefs, they reject the beginning of the story. They say it couldn't have happened the way the Bible says because some very smart people have told them otherwise.
In order to fit their beliefs, they change the parts of the story that conflict with their personal values - their own wants and desires. And many even change the end - they want to rewrite everything about Heaven and Hell to fit how they think it should go. But Jesus said...
Matthew 16:26-27 (NIV)
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Jesus said He is coming back and He will reward people based on their actions. Now, we know the Bible says that we are saved by God's grace, not by ourselves. But what Jesus says here clearly shows that our actions are important - there must be an active response.
An audience member requires a change as their desires change. Being a true follower of Jesus, being part of His body requires...
B. A change in me
We are called to change to fit His message, not the other way around. And Jesus' message of hope and life is not one centered around my desires but on my complete submission to His! We're called not to be a passive part of the audience - but we are called to be part of His body, called to become disciples! Disciples focus their lives on following their leader - actively responding. Paul wrote...
Romans 12:1-5 (NIV)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. (2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(3) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. (4) Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, (5) so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
We are called to constant change, to transform, to give up our very selves for God's purposes! ...But - I'm not sure I always want to be transformed. And if I were just a member of an audience - that's my choice. But as a member of Christ's body - I find that learning to become a disciple is not about negotiation - but surrendering myself to God's truth completely.
And here's something I'm working on. One indication that can give you some insight as to whether you see yourself as an 'audience member' or a 'member of the body' - examine your prayers. If the majority of them are focused only on what you want, more than on other's needs or on God's higher purposes - you may need to readjust your thinking. Does my prayer life reflect that I serve God or that I somehow think that He works for me...? That's a little humbling...
Why does our perspective of ourselves as either an 'audience member' or a 'member of the body' matter so much?
II. This world is NOT our home
If we've sought to change God's story to fit with our personal beliefs, we're not following Jesus, but an idol of false belief. We weren't meant to fit perfectly into this fallen world! The imperfection of this world is supposed to leave us craving something more! Multiple times in the Bible we're called aliens and strangers. This world is not our home and we are called, through the power of Jesus, to change ourselves and to live for something much greater than ourselves!
1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. (17) The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Recall that passage from Romans we read earlier: "be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is." You have to know God's will to then be able to do God's will - and then live forever. John isn't talking about loving God's creation, as if loving the beauty of a sunset was somehow evil. John is talking about the ways of this world. He's saying 'don't waste your time with all those things' because you were created for so much more! This world is not our home, and as such - the challenge is...
A. Do not compromise
And this is not about being stubborn or closed minded and bringing you into conflict with others - this is about you. Not compromising is not about making demands on the world, but about you committing completely, 'non-negotiably' to Jesus' message. If you are a follower of Jesus, you realize that you don't have the authority to change things where the Bible clearly speaks. We should always share the message with an abundance of genuine love and compassion and grace - but we can't change it dependent on the views of the majority around us.
James shares these rather harsh words in James 4:4 (NIV)...
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
This does not contradict our call to love our neighbor - but a challenge that reminds us where our ultimate allegiance has to lie if we are going to follow Jesus. Jesus told His first followers, in John 15:18-19 (NIV)...
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. (19) If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
You have been purchased with the blood of Jesus. If you are completely comfortable in this life, if the world completely accepts you and your views and your values - you've probably compromised and you're not following Jesus. And at the end of this life, you won't like where the world is leading you. Jesus doesn't ask for a casual commitment to Him or His Church, His body - Jesus demands a...
B. Radical commitment
I don't want to give you the impression that only those who live radical enough lives will somehow earn a place in Heaven. That's not it - we are saved by grace! But that doesn't excuse us to live and believe whatever we want with some kind of 'get into Heaven free card'. It's undeniable that Jesus calls us to live radically different lives from the rest of the world even as we live in expectation of our eternal home.
Jesus did say to 'love our enemies'. Jesus did say to give to those who ask of you. Jesus did challenge people to give more than the tithe of ten percent - He asked for everything. Jesus did say, to a man who wanted to follow Him, who said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father" - Jesus actually said, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Did Jesus have Peter follow Him around and explain to the crowds, "You have to understand the cultural context of this man's particular situation - What Jesus really meant was..." No! Jesus said these things - and yes, the context is important - but He wanted people to wrestle with these things! He wanted to challenge them to evaluate their lives and their priorities and then make Him first in their lives because nothing else matters compared to Him!
Jesus doesn't call us to radical gestures that only show an outward commitment to Him. Jesus wants a radical commitment of everything you are and have and ever will be! Jesus calls us to live the impossible - but much of the time we settle for living 'possible', adequate, comfortable lives that don't make too many waves - lives that allow us to squeak into Heaven without too much sacrifice on our part. Jesus' own words - again, from John 12:25-26 (NIV)...
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (26) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
That is not a casual call to follow, or a suggestion of how to follow, or even a safe way to follow - it's a call for radical commitment to a Savior who wants to give you real life!
So What?
Are you a member of the audience or the body of Christ? The difference is in your response to Him! Jesus knows your name! The force behind the creation of the universe knows your name! He knows everything about you, He knows your struggles - He wants you to be an active part of His body - or - do you want to remain a spectator, a member of the audience?
When you leave this life, how do you want to be remembered...? What do you want people to remember about you? He was nice - or she was pleasant. Or do you want people to say - "Wow - that was a person who was sold out to Jesus! That was someone, like them or not - they believed God's Word. That was somebody who made a huge impact for God's Kingdom! The world was not worthy of them because of their devotion to Jesus."
You are writing your legacy right now in this life. Are you more concerned with what the world says is important - or are you most concerned with things that will last forever?