Just thought I'd share a random happening.
This past Saturday, I was working on my sermon when I received an anonymous phone call. (I am not a pastor, I was filling in for my pastor.) The woman was looking for someone named Chris. Here is our dialogue as best as I can remember.
W: Hi! Is Chris there?
R: No. I think you have the wrong number.
W: What's your name?
R: Not Chris.
W: Oh...... so what are you up to?
R: ..... *confused*
W: Hello?
R: Can I help you with something?
W: Just wondering what you are doing?
R: I thought you were looking for Chris?
W: I'm looking for you!
R: Okay..... I'm preparing for a sermon. (I really just wanted her to hang up so I can get on with sermon prep.)
W: Oh, so you're a pastor?
R: No. I'm just filling in for someone. Who am I speaking with?
W: ....?
R: What's your name?
W: Hannibal Lector.
R: Righttt....
W: What's your sermon about?
R: Well, it's on a parable. Luke 7:36-50. About a teacher of the law, and a sinful woman and how they both respond to Jesus. Do you know who Jesus is?
W: Yes. What kind of Christian are you?
R: My denomination? Non-denominational.
W: Why are there different denominations?
R: The different groups have different opinions on what the Bible says.
W: Is that why some Christians are such crummy people?
R: Well, no. They probably aren't Christian. All Christians should follow what the Bible says. It's God's words. So we don't get to choose, but we obey what it says.
W: Uh huh.
R: For instance, we know things like stealing and murder are wrong, because what the Bible says. It's just some people don't want to listen and don't want to obey. We know that premarital sex is wrong, so Christian's shouldn't engage in it.
W: But, how can something that is so pleasurable be wrong?
R: Let's think of it this way. You've seen the movie "Silence of the Lambs" right? Hannibal Lector looked like he was really enjoying killing all those people. Does that make it right? I mean if you think that it's okay to murder, because of that... I don't know if I want to be on the phone with someone like that. (said jokingly)
At that point, she hung up on me. I'll try to remember to joke less on evangelism interactions with very little leeway for mistakes.
In any case, I was mulling over this and the message of my sermon. It is kind of funny how God always pronounces a great truth in your life and then demonstrates how it should be applied or how you fall short.
So for the passage of Luke 7:36-50, the parable's idea is this... Our loving response to Christ will be proportional to our view on having been forgiven. If we think that sin is a small thing, and we have been forgiven a small thing... our love for Christ will be small. If we think that we have been forgiven a huge thing, our love for Christ will be huge.
At the beginning of this phone call, I really just wanted it to end. I was busy. I needed to get things done. I am blessed that God woke me up to the fact that this was another person who needed to hear about Jesus. And I'm hopeful that our short spiritual conversation would prompt her to the reception of the gospel.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Train to Win.
I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Cor 9:23-27