Over the
many years I have lived I have had ample opportunity to be afraid. Generally I
have been able to overcome the fear and continue to function. When I was a
teenage I dated a girl whose father was an ex pro football player with a
retarded sense of humor. When I went to pick her up for a date he would just
glare at me and growl. His name was Buck. He was scary. While riding a
motorcycle I was run off the road, off a bridge and down a 30 foot drop into a
stream. That was exciting. I didn’t have time to get scared. Several times
while working on the rescue squad I had the patient I was working on go into
cardiac arrest. It scared me every time. While working with the Oldham County
Police Department I had a gun pointed at me more than once. That will make you
flinch. While working in prison I had my life threatened by a fellow I was
pretty sure was serious and capable of carrying out the threat. Late one rainy
night a truck pulled out in front of me and I hit it doing around 60 mph. I
remember thinking, “Oh, so this is how I am going to die.” Thanks to God and
the Honda Motor Company, I lived to drive again. I didn’t walk away from the
accident, but I did live. In each case I managed to react in a sane and
sensible way. But I was scared.
As a
preacher, people have said to me, “Don’t preach on the things Paul said. Paul
was mean. Preach on the things Jesus said. Jesus was kind.” Really? Are you
reading the same Bible I am reading? The teachings of Jesus are the most
radical and challenging words ever spoken. The only way one could see them in
any other way is to dismiss them are unrealistic and undoable and thus not to
be taken seriously. It is my belief that Jesus meant every word he said. And he
said some tough stuff. Turn the other cheek. They take your coat, give them
your shirt. Forgive seventy times seven. Take up your cross and follow me. Sell
everything you have and give it to the poor. Leave your family behind to follow
me. Die to yourself and follow me. Get out of the boat. Preach the good news.
Go into ALL the world and make disciples. Heal the sick and raise the dead. Did
I mention the scariest one – Follow Me.
All of those
frightening things pale in the light of this statement by Jesus. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my
Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we
not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name
perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away
from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) Do you realize who he is
speaking to? People who call themselves followers of Jesus – Christians. And
these are not just your pedestrian, sit in the pew and watch the show
Christians. These people he is condemning are religious people out doing
ministry. People who are preaching in the name of Jesus. People like, umm, ME!!
People doing some pretty heady things. Things like healing the sick, doing
miracles and driving out demons. People who I would consider WOW! Christians.
And Jesus’ response to them is, “I have no idea who you are. Get away from me.”
Maybe you
are different than me, but I don’t want Jesus to take one look at me and say, “I
haven’t a clue who you are. Buzz off.” I want Jesus to say, “Hi Bill. It is so
good to see you. Look Father, its Bill. I have told you about him. I really
like him. He is our kind of people.”
Jesus’
statement scares me enough to cause me to take another hard look at my life. Am
I the kind of person that Jesus wants to hang around? Do I really know Jesus? And,
more importantly, does Jesus really know me? Seems to me that just saying that I
am a Christian (Saying Lord, Lord.) is not enough. There is more to this
Christian life than we seem to understand.
Copyright ©
2013, William T. McConnell, All Rights Reserved
1 comment:
Still luv this message!
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