Wake up call

Ever think things are going along great and then you hear or find out something that makes you stop dead in your tracks and say, "woooo, that's BIG NEWS. I need to let others know about that!" Well, this is old news, but still made me stop dead in my tracks so I'm letting others know about it.


A friend let me know about a free audiobook download from www.christianaudio.com/free

The book for May is "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. Let me just say. It is a MUST read/listen to book for all Christians. However, I didn't realize that Mr. Stearns is the CEO of World Vision and a 'competitor' of Compassion. But in the world of rescuing children from poverty, there aren't really competitors, only team-mates, true? Disclaimer: But in my opinion, Compassion International still rocks, big time. So go sponsor a child through Compassion. Like right now.

What blew me away was a chapter devoted to Christ's description of the end times and his separating of all people into groups, as a shepherd would separate sheep and goats. The story takes place in Matthew 25, and I'm sure many of you have heard it many times.

^{Matthew 25: 31-46} "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

So - the "Hole in the Gospel"?? Here is Christ, describing the Day of Judgment, (and he should know right?) Although I had read this story before, I didn't see the obvious implications until pointed out by Stearns -

Christ DID NOT say "all of you who have believed in me are on my right"
Christ DID NOT say "all of you who have prayed to me to save you are on my right"
Christ DID NOT say "all of you who go to church and praise my name are on my right"
Christ DID NOT say "all of you who are a good person and haven't killed anybody on my right"

Christ DID say, that those who fed his children, looked after the poor, cared for the sick, clothed those in need - would be rewarded with eternal life. And it was also pointed out that even those in this category were surprised that the criteria for their salvation was not a sinner's prayer - but how they responded to the calls of Christ. Something they had done in Jesus' name.

And for those on the left who were taken away for eternal punishment - in Stearns translation it was because, "For I was hungry and you had more than enough to eat, I was thirsty and you drank bottled water, I was a stranger and you wanted to deport me, I needed clothes and you needed more clothes, I was sick and you judged me for what led to my sickness, I was in prison and you said I had gotten what I deserve."

How is today's church stacking up in terms of which side we will be on? Is the church of today so focused on making sure we are against all things evil, and for getting as many people in the pews, for getting as many people as possible to say a sinner's prayer - that they have forgotten the basic commands of "feed my sheep, look after the least of these, a cup of water to one of these little ones, welcome a little child in my name"???? Those led away as goats were surprised as they thought they had done it all right but were found to be in want - and that frankly, is terrifying.

Stearns also stresses that he does not mean to indicate that good works is what will get you into Heaven. But that it is the deeds that you do that indicate the true faith that you have. Salvation can not be bought like fire insurance and put away in a lock box until the day it is needed. "Prayed prayer. Check. Go to church most of the time. Check. Drop a check in a basket most of the time. Check."

Salvation, and the true gospel, is a gradual process of growing and of becoming more like Christ.

I have told many of our plans to adopt, or of sponsoring a child through Compassion and more times than I can even count - I have heard (and I use to say this too - so no stone throwing!)

"I would love to do something like that, but I just can't afford to right now."

With a story as transparent as this - how can we afford NOT to???

James 2:18
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

Just a little Wednesday Wisdom to think about. It was a big wake up call for me. "None of us are Christ-like yet. Gotta keep working at that. Check."