Hello Group!
I wanted to share the following article. You know, at this time of the year, people can get so wrapped up in the christian religion and "holy week" that they miss the real thing, the resurrected Jesus. Jesus is my friend and the one real thing and certainly doesn't have anything to do with religion or a church with walls.
Why focus on his death when we all can celebrate life in Him?
I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did.
G-Man
+++++++++++
Seascapes
by Steve McVey
At the end of the road where I live is a mural, painted on a wall. It is a large wall and the painting covers the whole thing. The picture is of a beautiful seascape. It shows the azure water of the Gulf of Mexico. The scene includes picture-perfect images of egrets and sandpipers and sea gulls. The skill of the artist who did the mural is exceptional.
This wall of art is at one end of a plot of land which is designed to be a small community park. There are a couple of benches situated about thirty feet from the wall, facing it so that people can sit there and admire the art. The whole idea would be a good one, except for one thing.
Directly behind the benches facing the wall, across the street, is Boca Ciega Bay. The beautiful water of the bay borders the street, just across from the park. At the water's edge are palm trees and tropical fauna. In the water, it isn't uncommon to see dolphin coming to the surface in sync together. Jellyfish gracefully move together in the shallows. Mackerel frantically jump as they scoot across the water like they're trying to gain enough speed to fly.
Sitting at a red light one day, with the park on my right and the bay on my left, I thought to myself, "Why would anybody sit on the bench and look at this when they could simply turn around and see that?" Then it hit me that's exactly what some people do at church every week. I did it for years myself.
Every Sunday, multitudes sit on a bench inside a building looking at the symbols of Christianity. They watch and listen as choirs sing, soloists perform, instruments play and pastors preach. It is often a beautiful and even moving experience.
The problem isn't with the picture that is unfolding before them. The issue is that Christians sometimes think that's all there is to it church activity. A subtle danger exists in the modern church. It's the danger that we come to believe that church-stuff is the essence of Christianity, and it isn't. Jesus is the essence of Christianity.
When we come to the place where we love our church more than we love Jesus, it's time to get up off the bench and turn around. Jesus is standing there, right behind us. He is the essence of what we see in the activity of the church. The activity of the Christian life is nothing more than an expression of the real thing. God's desire is for us to look to Him to find life.
Looking at a painting of the water is fine, but it holds no comparison to sitting on the water's edge with your feet dangling in it while you enjoy the sea breeze and ocean sights. Don't settle for a representation of Christ. Turn and look squarely into His face and you'll see that no representation can ever do Him justice.
I wanted to share the following article. You know, at this time of the year, people can get so wrapped up in the christian religion and "holy week" that they miss the real thing, the resurrected Jesus. Jesus is my friend and the one real thing and certainly doesn't have anything to do with religion or a church with walls.
Why focus on his death when we all can celebrate life in Him?
I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did.
G-Man
+++++++++++
Seascapes
by Steve McVey
At the end of the road where I live is a mural, painted on a wall. It is a large wall and the painting covers the whole thing. The picture is of a beautiful seascape. It shows the azure water of the Gulf of Mexico. The scene includes picture-perfect images of egrets and sandpipers and sea gulls. The skill of the artist who did the mural is exceptional.
This wall of art is at one end of a plot of land which is designed to be a small community park. There are a couple of benches situated about thirty feet from the wall, facing it so that people can sit there and admire the art. The whole idea would be a good one, except for one thing.
Directly behind the benches facing the wall, across the street, is Boca Ciega Bay. The beautiful water of the bay borders the street, just across from the park. At the water's edge are palm trees and tropical fauna. In the water, it isn't uncommon to see dolphin coming to the surface in sync together. Jellyfish gracefully move together in the shallows. Mackerel frantically jump as they scoot across the water like they're trying to gain enough speed to fly.
Sitting at a red light one day, with the park on my right and the bay on my left, I thought to myself, "Why would anybody sit on the bench and look at this when they could simply turn around and see that?" Then it hit me that's exactly what some people do at church every week. I did it for years myself.
Every Sunday, multitudes sit on a bench inside a building looking at the symbols of Christianity. They watch and listen as choirs sing, soloists perform, instruments play and pastors preach. It is often a beautiful and even moving experience.
The problem isn't with the picture that is unfolding before them. The issue is that Christians sometimes think that's all there is to it church activity. A subtle danger exists in the modern church. It's the danger that we come to believe that church-stuff is the essence of Christianity, and it isn't. Jesus is the essence of Christianity.
When we come to the place where we love our church more than we love Jesus, it's time to get up off the bench and turn around. Jesus is standing there, right behind us. He is the essence of what we see in the activity of the church. The activity of the Christian life is nothing more than an expression of the real thing. God's desire is for us to look to Him to find life.
Looking at a painting of the water is fine, but it holds no comparison to sitting on the water's edge with your feet dangling in it while you enjoy the sea breeze and ocean sights. Don't settle for a representation of Christ. Turn and look squarely into His face and you'll see that no representation can ever do Him justice.
