Today’s message may not be very popular. But it is time to call things like they are. First, a disclaimer, what I am about to say does not apply to EVERY pastor and EVERY church. But I believe any thinking person must agree that it most certainly DOES APPLY to MOST. Yes, the VAST MAJORITY, … of pastors and churches… and professing Christians.
First, a few questions: why is our nation under such outrageous confusion and demonic delusion? Why is it that so many of our children cannot even say for sure whether they are male or female — and the parents are now encouraging them to “explore and experiment” with their sexuality, some even at preschool age? Why do these same parents take their young kids to sodomite “pride” parades and “drag queen story time” at the local library to gleefully celebrate “diversity?”
Why today, with all the modern science and technology we have, do so many STILL refuse to acknowledge that a baby in the womb is a real living human being — a CHILD? And why do we ignore these MILLIONS of HUMAN BABIES who are murdered legally EVERY SINGLE DAY for MONEY, while claiming to be so concerned for the victims of school shootings? Why do we not simply put an IMMEDIATE END to this holocaust, if we really ARE a compassionate people? Why is this even a question or a controversy? NO — this has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH “WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE!” That’s complete nonsense.
And why do we think the answer to gun violence is creating “gun free zones,” and banning ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens? Will the violent criminals suddenly abide by the new gun laws any more than the drug dealers have stopped selling heroin, cocaine or Meth? The Left tells us we cannot legislate morality, or “shove our religion” down their throats, yet they seek to legislate IMMORALITY — and THEY do it constantly, and with stunning success.
And while we’re asking these questions, why is it considered a “good” thing to create “safe spaces” on our college campuses where free speech is off limits? Why are SOME forms of speech — even outright HATEFUL speech — viewed by the social media “police” as perfectly fine, while other opinions (specifically those having to do with traditional marriage, family, and Christianity) are blatantly censored?
Why do we think it is perfectly “normal” for men to “marry” other men, and women to “marry” other women? Why is it that the average church-goer knows more about the Oscar and Grammy awards, more about sports scores, more about the latest TV sitcom than they do about the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith or for that matter, what USED TO BE 5th-grade level American history? Why is Islam considered to be “loving and peaceful” — despite the daily horrors we see committed by muslims WORLDWIDE in the name of their “god,” while Christianity is considered to be hateful, violent and bigoted?
Why are SO MANY people — even regular church-goers — so very confused? It’s because of where they are getting their information — and more to the POINT, where they are NOT getting it.
You see, in the “old days,” which really were not that long ago, our Pastors and Preachers served as a restraining force against evil in our culture. They preached the WHOLE TRUTH of God’s Word, unapologetically, boldly and courageously, TEACHING their congregations the difference between right and wrong, between good and evil, between morality and immorality. They confronted the vital issues of the day head-on. Our Pastors led the way, not just preaching from the pulpit, but leading their “sheep” OUT of the church house to make a difference in the world outside. If there was a great evil in the town, the Pastor would lead his people out to confront it, and the people were thankful for his leadership, and his guidance. His boldness for the cause of righteousness emboldened the PEOPLE. HE stood for something, and therefore, THEY stood as well.
But things have changed. Some time ago, I BEGGED one particular pastor to PLEASE preach on these evils that we are facing in the world — the evils that are destroying our society, twisting the minds of our children and their parents alike, forever fundamentally transforming America into a hideous thing that Satan and his demons can be proud of. His response? “These topics make people uncomfortable,” he said. “They don’t want to hear about them.” When I challenged HIM to challenge the church members to get more involved in local evangelism, street ministry and outreach, his response was, “Most people are just not as COMFORTABLE as you are doing things like that.” In short, he flat out refused all my pleadings.
Sad to say, but this is how the VAST MAJORITY of our pastors and churches are today. When was the last time you heard ANY ONE of these most vital cultural issues discussed from the pulpit? When was the last time your pastor encouraged you to be a bold, courageous Christian, making a difference in this world by going OUT of the church building, and also TOOK THE LEAD, and LED YOU OUT to the streets to do just that? My guess is, it’s never happened.
So my next question is, why do we go to church? What is our purpose in going to church? Some will say, we go to worship God, through music. Some say we go to commune with God, through prayer. Some say to study His Word, through Bible studies and sermons. But I believe many go because it’s expected… we want to be “good Christians,” and in our minds, “good Christians” GO to church. So we feel guilty if we DON’T go. We feel it is our DUTY to go, to support the church and pay our offerings. That, we believe, is just our “reasonable service.”
But what does the BIBLE say about our duty — our “reasonable service” to God? Romans 12: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be TRANSFORMED, by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
So friends, our REASONABLE SERVICE — our DUTY to God — is NOT just to “go to church,” sing songs, bow our heads when someone else prays and sit through a 15 minitue sermon once a week… but rather to present our very BODIES as living sacrifices. We are to be holy, even as God is holy, we’re to be sanctified, set apart for His service. And SERVICE, I might remind you, implies SERVING — DOING something, for goodness’ sake! We are to go out and witness to others, MAKE DISCIPLES, teaching them the TRUTH of all Jesus’ commanded — and then BRING THEM IN to the church house as new members of the Body of Christ.
At the same time, we are NOT to be CONFORMED to this world, accepting whatever abominations the winds of pop culture throw at us as “normal,” or “just the way things are,” but rather, we are to be TRANSFORMED, by the renewing of our minds. How in the world will we ever be transformed — how will our minds be RENEWED, coming into alignment with the will of God — if the TRUTH of what God’s Word SAYS about all these things is NEVER EVER spoken of from our pulpits, because our pastors are so afraid of making people feel UNCOMFORTABLE? And instead of the congregation being made up of true believers and followers of Christ, we are allowing the things of this world to invade our sacred meetings, and not only that, but to take over and DICTATE what is spoken of inside!
It’s been said that a Pastor’s job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. But again, things have changed. Today, they leave the afflicted alone, accepting and affirming them in their all their varied sinful, worldly lifestyles, in order to make sure the people REMAIN COMFORTABLE!
But my friends, the peoples’ souls are STARVING for bold leaders who will tell them the truth. There is a FAMINE in the land — a famine of Biblical proportions — a famine of GOD’S TRUTH! I fear so much for our young people, who spend the whole of their formative years in the public school systems, being indoctrinated with evil, leftist agendas and disinformation and revisionist “history,” and fake “science.” Then, when high school is over, instead of moving on to a good specialized education where they can learn a trade or get a degree that will help them become productive members of society with a good job, our colleges and universities are now offering some of the most ludicrous classes I’ve ever heard of — further twisting reality into lies — and brainwashing our young people with even more Leftist propaganda. And the biggest increase in these new college level courses all seem to revolve around sexual deviancy and perversion in one way or another. Have you noticed that?
WHO will tell them the truth? Who will mentor them before it’s too late? Kids aren’t stupid. They KNOW vain religion when they see it. And they SEE the vanity of meaningless, powerless religion all their lives growing up in our so-called “Christian” churches today. It is no wonder they run as fast as they can as soon as they are out on their own, most never to return, UNLESS, by the grace of God, they find TRUE Christianity, but unfortunately, that is not practiced in MOST of our churches anymore… it just makes people too UNCOMFORTABLE.
Want to know what IS taking place at church Youth Groups today? Here are just a few of the highlights from one local church in my area: “Wear your favorite baseball cap night,” “Will it be ketchup, mustard or both? It’s HOT DOG HONK night tonight!” “Jump Rope night.” “Swimming pool noodle night.” “The Ice Cream Sundae Race.” I could go on… but I can’t. Is it any wonder that in the teen years, when these kids find themselves in the midst of the toughest challenges of their lives, and having had no solid foundation for their faith, they simply walk away from church — and TO drugs, sex, violence and crime? And then the parents are shocked. After all, they sent them to Youth Group and Sunday School and took them to church every week. “What happened?” they cry!
Friends, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE going to the streets and confronting evil either — especially when I have to do it all alone, because the faithful church-goers refuse to join me, and the pastor ABSOLUTELY will never join me. But what does MY COMFORT have to do with anything? Was Jesus comfortable, as He was persecuted by the “pastors” of His day during His entire earthly ministry, even until they murdered Him? Were the disciples COMFORTABLE as they were arrested, jailed, tortured and ultimately put to death? You see, it’s not ABOUT US! It’s about serving our Savior, it’s about passing the very TRUTH of GOD’S WORD on to our children and grandchildren. Revelation reminds us, we overcome the enemy, “by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, and loving not our own lives, even unto death!” It doesn’t say ANYTHING there about being COMFORTABLE!
If you want to know what this world is coming to, you need only look at Isaiah 59: “Your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice, no one pleads a case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments, they utter lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil…. Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. Their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed innocent blood. They pursue evil schemes, acts of violence mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know, there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; — no one who walks along them will know peace. So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness, for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind, we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. At mid day we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead. …For our offenses are many in Your sight, and our sins testify against us. Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance. Truth has stumbled in the streets. Honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.”
Friends, we cannot rely on our pastors to speak the truth or be the courageous leaders they are supposed to be, because the fact of the matter is, our churches are not filled with true believers and followers of Christ anymore; our churches are filled with apathetic, COMFORTABLE worldly people… and in order to keep them coming back, the pastors must make sure they remain COMFORTABLE. Scripture tells us that the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but instead, will heap up for themselves false teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. We have reached that point long ago. And now our children and grandchildren are paying dearly for us allowing that to happen. What are we going to do about it? NO, it’s NOT comfortable to go out and confront evil, to preach truth to a world that hates you for Christ’s namesake… but what is our reasonable service? It certainly is NOT our own comfort. So are we going to get serious about this now? Or not? Think about it.
Audio CDs and transcripts of this message are available when you call me at Wisconsin Christian News, (715) 486-8066. Or email Rob@WisconsinChristianNews.com. Ask for message number 221.