Scripture 1 John 1-10
Verse 5: This is the message that we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Verse 6: If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
The Christian church has a serious PR problem. Most people cite there reason for leaving church as hypocrisy. Churches aren't known as a place where you can be you. We aren't known for love and acceptance as we should be...we are much more known for homophobia and protests. John was known as the Son of Thunder in his early days (for his persecution of non-Christians) and in his latter days, the Apostle of Love. How did he do this? He spent time with the authentic God. The way to get moved is by having an authentic Lord.
We are all living a charade of life, a facade, behind is an exhausted soul. Americans are desparate for the real deal. We are hungry for authenticiy because we were created in God's image, but because of the fall, we want to live in secret, to not be found out. So we have made a lifelong commitment to hiding for self-preservation. Inauthentic perfect people do not need grace. God extends grace to those who are messed up, in a real and honest way. Jesus didn't die for the public you , you-got-it-all-together you, the impressive you: He died for the real you.
Charles Spurdgen says (paraphrase) "You can either see an acorn as a snack for a squirrel or an ocean of oak." In the same way, our heart is an ocean of sin.
Light to sleeping eyes is disruptive and even painful. To be authentic, we must let the light in to expose our secret habits and as humans, we crave dark. The light exposes you as a fraud, but the light also heals you. Authentic savior equals authentic you equals an authentic life.
There is a grace that will not let you go.
1 comment:
I am printing this off and want to read it over and over again and may be even pass it out on the streets
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