Act 9
I know that churches are not refuges or sanctuaries.
And I know that all too often, we have named our church buildings such names. Abigail Van Buren wrote, “A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”
Ick.
We need churches to be training grounds, arming warriors for the battle. We don’t need church buildings to be spiritual healing centers. We need M.A.S.H. units for that—treating warriors to get back into the battle. Because the kind of healing they’re speaking of is only a spiritual healing. Not that spiritual healing isn’t
important, but it’s someth
ing which usually takes time. Churches can be places where th
at can begin. They can be places where that can be fostered. But daily, we need warriors in the battle. And the most passionate warriors…the most effective fighters are the ones who are fresh in their faith.
I know that the woman at the well in John 4 was a woman warrior! I know she was overwhelmed by how Jesus was able to see into her soul, know her—her wounds and her failings—and yet offer grace overflowing. And her battle-readiness was not based upon months of training, but by her overpowering gratitude and love for who Jesus was to her. She was so effective, in fact, that a whole city was evangelized!
I know we often invite people into our churches, and then invite them to a “membership class,” where we inundate them with the different committees and ministries of our churches and ask them to sign up. I know that we often water down any passion which may have been there initially with our droning on about what our churches are doing. I know we emphasize our core values and mission statements more than we do Jesus.
And I know in the midst of this, we often abort the new life growing within these new believers.
And in doing so, we sin. We relegate these people to committee memberships deciding upon which color of carpeting to choose for the church lobby, rather than setting them free to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those who are in prison, do ministry to widows and orphans, and radically share in Whose name they are doing these things, thus leading them to know the only name which is above all other names…the only name by which they may be saved. Say it right now. Say it out loud, oh Warrior! Jesus. No, don’t whisper it. Say it out loud! For the entire forces of Hell are arrayed against you at this moment. JESUS!
Yes, Jesus!
For every moment of every day, there is a battle for our souls, and we have been blinded by God's enemy, and have been rendered as helpless children for an enemy who is at play in the fields of the Lord.
We often portray Jesus as “gentle-Jesus-meek-and-mild.” We portray Him as some sort of hippie peacenik sitting around singing “Peacetrain.” Since when has the Wild Untamed God been on the defensive? Since when has the Warrior Adonai hidden from the fray?
The armor of God covers our front, because God assumes we will always be engaged head-on in battle.Friends, there is a battle for our souls. And we fight, not with flesh and blood, but in a spiritual battle. For if not a battle, then why are we encouraged to don armor? We are supposed to wear the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, a belt of truth, a shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and of course, shoes of readiness to share the gospel of peace.
I know that none of this armor covers our butts. And yet, that is exactly what we do. We live C.Y.A. lives (do I need to unpack the initials?) in C.Y.A. churches.
And I know we all too often long for safety, rather than sacrifice…for comfort, rat
her than confrontation…for rest, rather than the rallying battle-cry of onward Christian soldiers! To arms! To arms! We fight for and with the High King of Heaven! The Lion of Judah, the triumphant King of Kings is riding in upon a white horse with sword drawn…the God of the Angel Armies is on the move!
Some say the safest place to be is in the will of God. Horsehockey. B.S. It is the most dangerous place to be, because we will be attacked! But it is the right place to be! For we are eternal beings, created for forever and evil cannot overcome us, as we are Warriors of Light—Children of the Day!
I’m reminded of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia. Lucy is speaking to Mr. and Mrs. Beaver about Aslan: “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
No, Jesus isn’t safe. But He’s good. And He’s the King. And He is rallying His troops to the battle waged against His children.
And I know we often turn a deaf ear to His cry.
I know that instead of war against the spiritual forces of Hell and darkness, our “missions” committees vote to plant peace-poles in the memorial gardens of our churches. Rather than riding out to confront the evil of this world, we vote to send our pennies so others can be our Proxy Warriors, fighting so we can enjoy our lattes in the safety of our sanctuaries.
Friends, the enemy isn’t simply at the gates…he’s in our midst. He’s in our sanctuaries. He’s penetrated our pews. And unless we stand up and fight, our church buildings will soon be relics, sold in short-sale deals to organizations needing a building. And years later, people will stop wondering what the building used to be and who used to inhabit it, and will have forgotten all of the committees, classes, and causes.
I know we need to fight. And in choosing to fight, we need to train to do so. We need to train the people we invite into our communities of faith. We need to tell them not only about the armor, but about the battle. We need to pray with them and for them, emulating this battle. We need to show them how worship is warfare, and evangelism strikes a fatal blow in the ranks of our enemies, and how prayer is a mighty power to wield…more s
o than any nuclear bomb, and more targeted than any guided missile.
I know we have been deceived by our enemy. And because of this, we have become our own enemy, and often act against the very God we proclaim to love.
“Yep, son. We have met the enemy and he is us.” Pogo (Walt Kelly)
I know we can change this.
To arms! To arms!
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