Our internal relationship and worship of Christ as a Christian community is one matter. There is also the matter of the public witness of the American Church to the unbelievers around us.
Here is what they are perceiving about us. We raise an outcry when unbelievers say "happy holidays" instead of "merry Christmas" because "we don't want Christ taken out of Christmas." We constantly tell people, "don't forget the reason for the season". We proclaim that Christ is God and is the meaning and source of life. We claim Jesus as Lord of our lives and that our allegiance is completely to Him.
Then on the very day that unbelievers view as one of the two Christian celebrations of the year, they watch us debate whether we are going to gather to worship Christ on Sunday morning because worship might interfere with our Christmas morning family traditions?
How in the world can they take us seriously when we share the gospel with them? They don't care about our debates over legalism and Christian liberty. What they know is that with the same mouth we both proclaim Christ as the King of Kings and then debate whether to gather for worship on the day we celebrate our King's coming. Is this the kind of faith they want to adopt?
By the way, do you know who "they" is? The unbelieving family members with whom you will spend time this coming Sunday.
We must practice a deeper devotion to the Lord and the Kingdom of God; not only for our relationship with Christ, but for the public witness of the American church.
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Friday, December 23, 2011
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