Uncomfortable Truth

"For the time has come that judgement must begin at the house of God." I Peter 4:17....."The great sterling test in preaching is that it bring everyone to judgement. The Spirit of God locates each one to Himself...Every element of self-reliance must be slain by the power of God." Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers also said, "In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgement is always brought out, it is the sign of God's love." This is not a teaching much heard in the church today. Yes, we hear of the love of God, but little of this aspect of it. We love the Gentle Shepherd who touches, heals, and makes whole. We don't care for the Lion of Judah who confronts us with our sin. In the Old Testament, the Father, His patience gone with His obstinate people said, "Israel, prepare to meet your God." At some point, individually and as a body of believers, He'll do the same with us. I believe He's doing this right now.

It has commonly been heard throughout the Church that the Lord is coming back soon. Wherever your thinking falls on that, the central truth is that when He does return, it will be for a pure and holy Church. What have we been seeing in the midst of the western Church in particular that gives witness that we are that? To what degree do we see compromise, the increasing influence of the surrounding culture, and outright disobedience? When Moses went up Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God, the people who remained in the valley ended up constructing a golden calf to be their God. They were not rejecting that He was God, they were rejecting what He was revealing about Himself. Golden images were something they were more comfortable and familiar with. They tried to make Him into a God more acceptable to them. In so many ways, we've done the same, especially with Jesus Christ. We love the Gentle Shepherd, we reject the Lion of Judah.

I do not believe that God is the cause of this pandemic, or any other destructive event, but He has allowed them, and He is using them. To get the attention of the world, but even more, the attention of the Church. Has He? Has He gotten yours and mine?

As we look at the surrounding culture, it cannot be missed how much anger, hatred, abuse, and perversion is present.....and growing. These things, most often in subtle, easily overlooked ways, have seeped into the Church as well. The reality of this is playing out in individuals, marriages, families, and fellowships. Many find it easy to live in ungodly ways throughout a week, yet come and sing songs of praise to Him on Sunday. A woman once told me how she and her partner, unmarried and living together, has begun attending a church, had been asked by its pastor to take on a leadership role there. Your and my response to that will reveal much about where we really are today. No, its not the norm....yet....but such instances continue to grow, and the Church's tolerance of such grows as well. God told Israel that the stench of their sin had reached His throne room in eternity. Look about us, and then look within. How do we think it all "smells" to Him now?

God is love. This is Truth. But God's love does more than comfort, and His love will never comfort our sin and disobedience. It will confront it. Powerfully, ruthlessly. This is Truth. Uncomfortable Truth. And it is the Truth, spoken in His love. He speaks now in the midst of all the real suffering that is happening. He did not bring it upon us. We did. We the Church in the west have drifted far from His heart. He responds with Holy confrontation in order that He might bring us to and back to Him. It is decidedly uncomfortable. In fact, it is decidedly painful. It is His love reaching out to us, calling us home. As a nation, as a world, and foremost, as a Church, we're on a collision course with Him. Will we be shattered and scattered as a result, or will we be made whole? What will be the result for you.....for me?

Blessings,
Pastor O