From the Pastor’s Desk-Newsletter 3rd Quarter
Dear Corinth,
The story line in the movie “Gladiator” is about a general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor and then the gladiator who became a hero to the people. While in one of his early fights as a slave, he defeated all his opponents and then cried out to the crowd “Are you not
entertained? Are you not entertained? is this not why you are here?”
We live in a society inundated with entertainment. Many expect it in their lives, in all the places they go, and in all the things they read and watch. But how many times do we treat the church and our relationship with Jesus as mere entertainment? We sit back and expect to be blessed without any effort on our part.
The Bible gives us many instructions on being active in our faith:
- James 2 explains that faith without works is dead/worthless. Many talk about faith but do nothing to show others their faith.
- Philippians 2 talks about working out your faith in fear and trembling with the word picture being working in your garden for a harvest.
- In John 9:4 Jesus exhorts his followers to “Work while it is still day – night comes and you cannot work” meaning take your
opportunities while you can do things because one day you will not be able to do anything else. - Even Psalm 92:12-15 talks about work and bearing fruit in old age.
Charles Stanley says it this way: “Too many Christians have a commitment of convenience. They’ll stay faithful as long as it’s safe and doesn’t involve risk, rejection, or criticism. Instead of standing alone in the face of challenge or temptation, they check to see which way their friends are going.”
Christianity is love in action – you speak words of love and do acts of love and kindness.
Say, if God were giving you a job evaluation for being a Christian, would it be a good, bad, or a mediocre evaluation?
Pastor Dan