How to Eat Like a Sheep

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

II Timothy 2:15

 

Biblical literacy in America is at an all time high. Less than half of all adults can name the four gospels and over 50% of graduating high school seniors thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.  What is even more shocking is that biblical illiteracy is a huge problem within the church. In a recent study, 42% of self-identified Christians said that they had never heard of spiritual gifts.  Only 44% of born-again teenagers could locate the Sermon on the Mount when given four choices.  A whopping 81% of Christians polled believe that the statement, "God helps those who help themselves," is from the Bible.

 

While it would be easy to lay the blame on shallow Bible study materials or inefffective sermons, ultimately the responsibility of learning the Scriptures falls upon our own shoulders.  The Good Shepherd has already provided us with all the good food that we need; we just need to learn how to eat like a sheep.  Unfortunately, most believers spend an average of 7 minutes a day in the Bible.  While this might be enough time for a spiritual snack, it will inevitably lead to spiritual malnutrition.

 

As I mentioned in last week's blog, cattle graze on the grass, eating only the blades; while sheep eat the grass, roots and all.  Only by ingesting the roots can sheep get the minerals and moisture needed for good health.  Since the Bible compares us to sheep and not to cattle, it is important that we "feed" on the Bible all the way down to the roots.

 

While Bible grazing consists of skimming through a chapter or two of Scripture in fifteen minutes, to get to the roots of a passage you must go more slowly.  Plan on ingesting just one verse a day.  For example, let's say that you are going through Ephesians 4. Look at verse 15:

 

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him

 in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

 

We begin with the word, "but," which should remind us of what we uncovered previously in our study of verse 14 and how it will relate to this verse. Then we look at the word "speaking."  Notice that it is not a passive verb, but an active one.  What is it that we are speaking? We are speaking the truth.  Whose truth should we be speaking? There is only one, infallible, unchanging truth; the Word of God. However, there is an additional caveat to that command.  We are to speak the truth in love.

 

Let's stop a second to review.  God is commanding us to speak His truth with love.  He does not place a restriction on to whom we are to speak this truth, therefore we can assume that we are to share the truth with both believers and the lost.  Speaking the truth often means pointing out sin and exhorting righteousness; truths which may come across as harsh.  Therefore, we must be certain before we speak that we have the right motives and that we have the person's best interests at heart.

 

But why does God require us to speak the truth in love? That we "may grow up into Him in all things." This ties in with the previous verse, in which Paul exhorts us to no longer be like children.  Not only is our personal goal to grow in maturity so that we are like Christ, but we are also expected to come alongside our fellow believers and encourage them in their walk. The verse reminds us that our Christian model is Christ, "which is the head."  To model our lives after any other is folly.

 

As you can see, we have used no other commentary than the Holy Spirit, but in just fifteen minutes we have gone down to the roots of the verse to draw nourishment from it. Just look at each of the main words in the verse and let God speak to you through His Word.  If you are really daring, find out the Greek (or Hebrew) word and its meaning using a Strong's Concordance or a website like Blue Letter Bible (www.blueletterbible.com).

 

 As sheep, however, we have still not finished.  Remember that sheep are ruminant animals.  Though we have fed on this verse, we carry it with us throughout the day and, periodically, the Holy Spirit will bring it back up for us to ruminate (meditate) on again.  By this process, we are able to draw every grain of nourishment from the verse and use it to strengthen our faith.

 

Are you truly a sheep?  Then start eating like one.

The Best Part of Being a Sheep

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one

 to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

 

 

The Bible frequently draws an analogy between Christians and sheep.  In many instances (such as the one above), the comparison is less than flattering.  After all, sheep have many, less-than-ideal characteristics.  They are helpless and stupid; needing constant care in order to survive.  Sound familiar?  It isn't surprising that our first-century church fathers used the Greek word "shepherd" for the office that we call "pastor."

 

Sheep are gentle and non-aggressive and, therefore, need the safety of the flock for protection from predators.  A sheep that wanders alone will most certainly perish from wolves, injury, or hunger.  However, these timid creatures also tend to have a stubborn streak, resisting even the care of a kind and loving shepherd. Their tendency to follow others blindly can be a danger when they willingly follow other foolish sheep, rather than the Good Shepherd.

 

Despite the many frailties and shortcomings of sheep, there is one characteristic that sheep share that all Christians should emulate: their way of eating.  Sheep, you see, have a very unique style of eating.  While cows merely graze along the blades of the grass, a sheep will eat all the way down to the root. In fact, roots contain nutrients and moisture that are vital to the health and growth of a sheep.

 

To carry this analogy to us, as Christians, we need to look at how we "feed" on the Word.  Unfortunately, many of today's "sheep" are eating like cows; believing that they can get sufficient spiritual nourishment by grazing rather than going deep.  Their "meals" consist of skimming through a chapter in the Bible or gleaning a few truths during the service on Sunday.  Even worse are those whose spiritual diet is centered around "processed food" such as devotionals, inspirational writers, and whatever Christian book is all the rage. Discouragement and stunted growth are just a couple of the symptoms of the spiritual malnutrition that results from this type of diet.

 

Sheep need to feed all the way down to the roots.  That means being immersed in the Word of God.  American Christians have become so dependent on others to feed them, that we have lost the ability to learn for ourselves.  We don't need a famous preacher to explain God's Word to us; the Holy Spirit can do a much better job- plus, we know that He will always be right. 

 

What we do need is a genuine hunger for the meat of the Word.  Unfortunately, when you've been dining on junk food for a long time, it is hard to re-acquire a taste for good, solid fare.  Just ask any junk-food junkie!  However, the time comes when even the most resistant dieter realizes that their present style of eating is killing them and that a change is needed.  If you are looking at yourself today and realizing that you are starving spiritually and that the steady course of watered-down devotionals and sugar-coated fads trying pass themselves off as Bible studies aren't really nourishing you, then maybe it is time for a change.

 

If so, check back next week for some tips on how to begin eating like a sheep.

An Ordinary Person, An Extraordinary God: Gladys Aylward

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26

Gladys Aylward was born in 1902 into a working class English family.  As was common for a person of her class during that time, she went to work as a domestic servant at a young age. While in her early twenties, she attended a revival in which the preacher encouraged those attending to dedicate their lives to the service of God.  Gladys eagerly responded to call, feeling that the Lord was leading her to become a missionary to China.

Certain of her calling, Gladys became a probationer at the China Inland Missions Center in London, but her lack of education and poor academic abilities resulted in her failing in her exams there and she was rejected as a missionary candidate.  Despite this monumental setback, Gladys did not give up. She went back to work, saved her money, and continued to look for an opportunity to serve God.

In time, Gladys heard of an older missionary woman in China who was looking for a younger person to take over her work. The 73-year old woman, Jeannie Lawson, responded positively to Gladys' inquiry, offering her a job in China if Gladys could pay for her own passage there. Even with all that she had managed to set aside from her years of working as a maid, Gladys still did not have enough for ship passage to China.  However, she did have just enough for train passage and so, in 1930, Gladys set off from London with her passport, Bible, and just a little over two pounds (roughly equivalent to $100 dollars in today's economy).

It is hard to imagine a single woman, with no language training and few contacts, leaving on such an arduous journey to work in a strange land alongside a complete stranger, but this just indicated the faith that Gladys had in her extraordinary God. During her years of ministry, Gladys was instrumental in ending the centuries-old custom of foot binding (which  painfully crippled Chinese women by deforming their feet), in single-handedly stopped a prison riot, and in saving the lives of hundreds of unwanted girl babies. She became a shining beacon of Christianity to the people of China and earned herself the nickname, Ai-weh-deh, meaning "Virtuous One."

From this amazing life of Gladys Aylward, we can see the awesome results of an extraordinary God on an ordinary life.  Even though the people around her could not see the potential in Gladys, God saw her dedication, faith, and willingness to serve.  That was all that He needed to accomplish great things among the people of China.

Sometimes it's easy for us to fall back on the excuse that we are nobody special or that we have no special gifts that make us valuable in the service of the Lord.  However, Gladys Aylward did not let that stand in her way, no matter what others believed.  Her life should be an encouragement to all of us who feel that we are too ordinary to do extraordinary things for God.

The Rise of Egocentric Christianity

If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Matthew 16:24

 

 

Several years ago, I noticed a significant shift in the music being played in churches throughout America. By that, I am not talking about the style of music (which, in itself, has become a divisive point of contention among believers), but in regard to the use of words in the songs.  In the last decade or so, the pronouns most commonly used in our songs have changed from "you" and "He" to "I" and "me."  On the surface, this may seem like a detail too trivial to mention, but I believe that this is just a micro-symptom of a larger issue: the problem of egocentric Christianity.

 

If you don't believe that egocentric Christianity is a problem in your church, just ask your pastoral staff how difficult it is for them to find workers for the preschool and children departments or how many volunteers show up for evangelism projects.  One of the greatest indications of egocentric Christianity is the mindset that the church exists to minister to the members.  As a result, egocentric Christians do no feel any compulsion to serve the church in any way.  Instead, they evaluate their church solely by how it ministers to them and their family.

 

Egocentric Christians suffer from spiritual myopia (i.e., short-sightedness).  The are so focused on their own needs and wants that they are incapable of seeing the needs of those around them or experiencing grief over the lostness of others. Their self absorption stunts their ability to grow spiritually and their faith stagnates.  Instead of putting their time and energy into Christian service, it is channelled into hyper-criticism of the church (which can never fully meet their needs) and fellow Christians (who do not share their belief that they are the center of the universe).

 

One of the greatest consequences of egocentric Christianity is that it perverts who God is.  Since their world revolves around themselves, egocentric Christians begin to believe that God exists to make them happy.  They pervert the image of God into a glorified Santa Clause who showers them with blessings because they are on His "nice" list. When trouble or tribulation strikes them, the egocentric Christian, like a petulant two-year old, becomes angry at God; believing themselves to have been betrayed by Him.  They often leave the church, bitter and disillusioned, thinking that God has "let them down."

 

Sound familiar?  I'm sure that all of us have met someone like that.  What we need to realize is that the mentality of egocentric Christianity is invading our churches and slowly seeping into the minds of American Christians.  We certainly see this problem in the lives of some of the believers around us.  However, if we take a long, hard look at ourselves, could we honestly say that we have not begun to drift toward this condition ourselves without realizing it? 

 

What is your attitude toward your church? Are you serving to full extent of your abilities?  Do you grieve over the lostness of your neighbor and take every opportunity you can to share Christ with them?  Or has the me-ism of our current culture begun to take root in your heart?

 

John F. Kennedy once stirred the nation with this challenge: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."  Maybe it is time that we take that challenge and apply it to our churches.  Instead of focusing on what the church is doing for you, seek out ways that you can serve the Church; not just the local church, but the body of Christ worldwide.

 



Blog Schedule Changed

Please note that the posting date for new blogs has been changed from Monday to Thursday. 

A Heart for Missions

For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 19:10

Several years ago, I was talking to an aquaintance whose husband is in the ministry.  In the course of our conversation, I mentioned a recent overseas mission trip that I had taken. With a look of distaste, the woman responded.

"My husband and I have never had any desire to go on a mission trip.  It's just not something that we are interested in."

I was shocked that she would actually voice such a view, but since that time I have come across hundreds of church members who share that same sentiment.  They view missions as an "elective" of the Christian walk; one that they can take or leave at will.  However, they fail to recognize that, to have a heart after God's own heart, we must have a heart for missions.

In Luke, Jesus states that He, the Son of Man, came to seek and save the lost.  In today's language, we could say that Luke 19:10 is Jesus' purpose statement.   It is the reason that He was born in that stable in Bethlehem and it is the reason that He laid down His life at Calvary. Missions was at the very heart of Jesus's ministry and, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should have a heart for missions, as well.

The focus of the Christian walk should be to become more like Christ daily.  Henry Martyn, a 19th-century missionary to India and Persia, who died on the field at the age of 31, said, "The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become." A missionary heart is the natural result of a growing walk with Christ.

Now, I am not saying that if you haven't been on a mission trip then you have a shallow Christian walk.  There are many reasons why we may not be able to go, ranging from financial to health issues to family responsibilities.  However, if you have a heart for missions, even if you cannot go yourself, you will be committed to regularly praying for those who do go and helping in any way that you can to send them. 

The fact is, if you truly have a heart for missions, you will already be actively evangelizing the lost in your own community.  Many Christians believe that modeling the Christian life at work or in their neighborhood is sufficient to evangelize the lost, but they are mistaken.  Living the Christian life is just a prerequisite to evangelism. The word itself is derived from the "good news" that we call the Gospel.  Good news must be shared verbally with others.

Is your heart in sync with God's heart when it comes to the lost?  When was the last time that you grieved over the lostness of a co-worker or family member? Take time today to evaluate where your heart is in relation to the heart of Christ.

The Missionary's Motto

To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have
 become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

I Corinthians 9:22

 

 

Part Four: Laying Aside My Self, For the Sake of Others

 

 

Many years ago, I had a friend who got a job as a secretary to a Jewish rabbi.  Raised in a Baptist church, she was a little nervous about the job, unsure what would be expected of her.  Her fears proved to be unfounded.  The rabbi was a good boss and she enjoyed her work.  Several months passed and as Christmas approached, she wondered about whether it would be appropriate to buy her boss a present.  When she overheard him telling another worker about how much he liked the Christmas present that one of his Christian friends had given him, she decided that it would be alright for her to do the same.

 

Her good intentions quickly turned to disaster.  When it came to choosing a gift for the rabbi, her lack of understanding of the Jewish faith became her downfall.  I can only imagine her chagrin when her boss kindly rejected the present that she had brought for him; a nice, big Honeybaked Ham. Fortunately for my friend, her boss was a very understanding man and was not offended by her gift, realizing that her intention was to honor him.

 

On the mission field, it is vital that we go beyond good intentions. We must make a concerted effort not to offend the sensibilities of those that we seek to evangelize. Instead, we must understand the culture that we are entering into and work within that culture to reach the lost. Like the apostle, Paul, we must strive to become "all things to all men." However, this process does not come naturally to most of us because it requires sacrifice on our part; not a sacrifice of time and money, but a sacrifice of who we perceive ourselves to be.

 

In order to become all things, we must first lay aside our selves.  That may mean letting go of the things that are so much of who we are: our personal rights, the way we like to dress, how we talk and act; so as not to offend those that we have come to serve.  It is vital on the mission field (as it should be when we are at home) that we remove from our lives any thing that might hinder us from evangelizing the lost.

 

It is not surprising that the word "selfish" comes from the word "self."  If we focus on our selves, we have nothing to give to others.  Selfishness is the antithesis of love because selfishness is to love one's self.  The ability to reach the lost for Christ requires a denial of self.  Jesus showed us this at the cross.

 

Whether you are preparing for your hundredth missionary trip or just considering the possibility of going, remember the missionary's motto: "I have become all things to all men."  Ask yourself if you have reached the point in your spiritual walk where you have laid down your self and allowed yourself to be used by Christ to reach the world.