Out of Touch
Most of Western Christianity is so out of touch with the roots of this movement.
We pray for good days. We pray for good weather. We pray that our home expansion will be done by Christmas. We pray for things the first century Christians didn't even know were problems.
The writer of Hebrews gives us a clue as to why we may be just so out of touch in one of the final verses of this great work.
Closing out his 13 chapter-long-sermon to a struggling church dealing with persecution and trouble from the authorities as well as their own inner battle for purity and righteousness, he gives a sort of bright spot of good news for the Christians at large:
Hebrews 13:23 (ESV) You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.
Good news everyone! Tim's getting out of jail!
Why was Tim in jail? Because Tim was a Christian pastor! That's why. And the good news is he and another Christian will soon be released.
Wow.
This was the kind of correspondence of Early Christians. We don't even have a clue. Our frame of reference isn't even in their ballpark for pressing on in faith. We never suffer like they suffered. When was the last time we had anyone get seriously and legally mistreated for being a Pastor??? When was the last time we shared a testimony about someone getting out of prison because they were incarcerated for preaching the Gospel?
Most of western Christianity is out of touch with the Early Church roots.
But we don't have to bemoan this. We can get back in touch with this. Christians suffer all over the world right now. We are free in the USA to pray and preach and practice our faith as we wish! Let us take up to praying for our brothers who struggle and preach a Gospel undiluted and practice our faith with boldness because we can and should!
PRAYER:
Father, help us to understand how good we have it. Not to take it for granted and understand what several Christians before us went through to carry the faith onward!
We pray for good days. We pray for good weather. We pray that our home expansion will be done by Christmas. We pray for things the first century Christians didn't even know were problems.
The writer of Hebrews gives us a clue as to why we may be just so out of touch in one of the final verses of this great work.
Closing out his 13 chapter-long-sermon to a struggling church dealing with persecution and trouble from the authorities as well as their own inner battle for purity and righteousness, he gives a sort of bright spot of good news for the Christians at large:
Hebrews 13:23 (ESV) You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.
Good news everyone! Tim's getting out of jail!
Why was Tim in jail? Because Tim was a Christian pastor! That's why. And the good news is he and another Christian will soon be released.
Wow.
This was the kind of correspondence of Early Christians. We don't even have a clue. Our frame of reference isn't even in their ballpark for pressing on in faith. We never suffer like they suffered. When was the last time we had anyone get seriously and legally mistreated for being a Pastor??? When was the last time we shared a testimony about someone getting out of prison because they were incarcerated for preaching the Gospel?
Most of western Christianity is out of touch with the Early Church roots.
But we don't have to bemoan this. We can get back in touch with this. Christians suffer all over the world right now. We are free in the USA to pray and preach and practice our faith as we wish! Let us take up to praying for our brothers who struggle and preach a Gospel undiluted and practice our faith with boldness because we can and should!
PRAYER:
Father, help us to understand how good we have it. Not to take it for granted and understand what several Christians before us went through to carry the faith onward!
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