A disconnect

   We seem to have a disconnect among the people who claim to be "Christian" in our country.  We have people who worship weekly (weakly?) and who sit on the pews or theater seats, breathe in the sanctuary air, sing the praises and give the tithes, but who do not hear the Good News of Jesus and certainly do not heed it.  Their practice is unloving, un-Christ-like and unhelpful in the world, especially in business and politics and in their attitudes toward others in the world around them and treatment of them.
   Jesus said NOTHING against homosexuality, but did say a lot about the immorality of greed and the corruptions of the wealthy.  Yet, the people who claim His name relentlessly go after those who are gay and champion those who build their wealth and power by exploiting the poor whom Jesus loved and championed.
   Jesus talked in very powerful terms, even commands, about loving strangers and enemies, yet there are many in churches who ruthlessly attack "illegal" aliens in the land and who feel great joy at the death of our enemies.
   Jesus talked about helping the hungry, naked, stranger, sick and imprisoned.  In fact, Jesus identified our good treatment of them or refusal of help to them with Himself and how we treat Him.  Yet, many "followers" of Jesus blame the poor for the plight we have inflicted on them, punish the sojourner in our land, keep the sick ones sick (unless we can charge them) and imprison more for profit and political gain.
Rather than lift up those who are most vulnerable in the name of our Glorious Lord, we lift up those as "lords" who exemplify all that is devoid of the Agape Love commanded by Jesus.
   We are all such good "Christians", but we do not want to hear what Jesus taught and exemplified, and especially do not want to heed what He commanded.  We are those who "honor (Him) with (our) lips only, but (our) hearts are far from Him."  We have "itching ears" to hear what we want to hear, so we follow preachers who glorify our power and wealth, rather than the teachings and examples of Jesus.  We follow False Prophets rather than Jesus, because we get more out of it.  It is all about US, over others not like us and over those whom we can exploit within our nation and abroad, and do not follow Jesus our Lord, though we claim Him as Savior.
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and do not do what I tell you?"
   There is a disconnect between what we CLAIM TO BE and what WE ARE, in fact.  Truly, to follow Jesus' teachings and examples would CHANGE THE WORLD.  For some, it would not be a welcomed change because they could no longer live their unchecked hatred, greed and lust for power and self-indulgence.  For others, it would be a tremendous gift of Grace, because they have been held down for so long, and they would be lifted up with Jesus.
   Don't believe me?   Read the four Gospels and pay particularly close attention to what Jesus SAID and DID regarding others, and particularly those most vulnerable.  Warning: That will make it hard to be a "pretend" follower of Jesus or just claim Him as Savior and ignore Him as Lord of your life.  It will also make you genuinely loving, so you would have to give up your attitudes, bigotries, greed, lust for power and self-indulgence at the expense of others.
   Oh and yes, by the way, I believe that blatantly ignoring Jesus and His Way while claiming His name, but relying on God's Grace is a cheapening of Grace and a mocking of God... and we all know that "God will not be mocked".
   I pray that you WILL read the Gospels and be changed by the Good News of Jesus - His teachings and examples... even as I continue that process of growth in faith.  It will also change the lives of those around you and change the world.

God bless you as you strive to have a genuine faith in Jesus and submission to His Will...
Pastor Jamie