Get Out, Get Off, & Get Onto

[dave c]

A HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #120e Written 14NOV07 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw

In The Footsteps Of Abraham: Part Six—Get Out, Get Off, & Get Onto

by dave c

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise (NIV).

A few years ago I was blessed to listen to a sermon designed to stir complacent Christians into action (it couldn’t have been intended for me). While the guest evangelist was authentic, dynamic and personable, I confess I have forgotten his anecdotes—and I have no idea which verses he quoted for support. I do, however, still remember the title of his sermon: “Get Out Of The Background, Get Off The Playground, And Get Onto The Battleground”. Within that title we find the meat, the bone, and the marrow of his Scriptural exhortations.

Get Out Of The Background. "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth (Re 3:14-16; NIV). Here we are in Ur of the Chaldees. We are well established. We have family and friends. We have jobs. We have property and ministries. We are comfortable with who we are and who God is. We sit quietly in the shadows of our culture and do the things in His name that won’t cause a stir. Surely, He would never ask us to do anything that makes us, or our neighbors, uncomfortable. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne (Re 3:17-21; NIV).

Get Off Of The Playground. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1Jn 3:16-18; NIV). It is so easy to fall into a routine of ‘playing church’. 9:30 Sunday School. 10:30 Main Service. Noon lunch. Sunday and Wednesday nights if there isn’t something else going on. We say and do all the right things. We sing appropriate songs and hymns, we give what we can afford, and we try to stay awake during the sermon. The rest of the week is business as usual. Then he [Jesus] said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Lu 9: 23;NIV). There is nothing playful about a cross. There is nothing entertaining about a crucifixion. There is nothing comfortable about sacrifice.

Get Onto The Battleground. In Second Samuel 11:1 we are told: In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war…”. Instead of running to the battle (1Sa 17:22), that year King David stayed in Jerusalem—which led to lust, adultery, lying, deception, murder, the death of his children, and a disqualification from ministry. The universe is at war between a God Who is good and who loves us, and an evil who hates humanity and wants to see us wounded and dying. Jesus has given us the victory, but it is up to you and me to engage in the battle for souls right now.

Are we willing and ready to get out of our material, mental, and spiritual comfort zones? Do we ‘deserve a break’ or do we ‘serve the broken’? Are we warriors in the army of God, or are we the effete casualties of inaction? Like Abraham, are we willing to get out of the background, get off the playground, and get onto the battleground? I pray that we are listening and prepared when God calls—I pray that when God tells us to go, we do it.