In the second part of chapter 11, Paul continues to instruct the church about how to meet together. I am going to start by asking you guys a question. Why do you come to church? Why do you come? Because it’s a habit? Because you are afraid of what people might think or say if you don’t come? Because you like to see friends? Because your parents drag you here? Because you need to get your God-fix on for the week? Another question I could ask is, why do you come to this church? Because of the people? Because of the music? Because of the Chinese food every month? Some of you guys are new here, or are visiting to see if this is where you want to set your flag down. What are you looking for as you go from church to church? These are important questions to ask because how you answer these questions will reveal a lot about your attitudes toward the church and toward the body of Christ.
We live in a very gender-confused age. Distinctions between man and women, male and female have been decried as archaic, oppressive, arbitrary and harmful. Gender is merely a biological superficiality (we got different sex organs) to be molded by social constructs. This is what is taught in nearly every woman-studies or gender-studies program at university. Societies create gender and societies can deconstruct gender. Gender roles are arbitrary and archaic. Gender is a continuum – there is not male and female, there is a continuum of traits that society has defined as maleness and femaleness and we all are somewhere on that line and can move. Is this really where were at? Bisexualism is in or trendy. Gender ambiguity is in. The moral cause of our day is fighting for the rights of differently engendered peoples. This is the culture that we live in.
In a culture such as ours, a passage like the one we are going to look at today seems like it is from a different planet, another world. It is difficult to preach and often embarrassing to have associated with our holy scripture. Head coverings? Really!
People need to see a grateful, freeing, Jesusful Christianity. Isn’t that an awesome picture? Some of you here need to experience it first. Your Christianity has been reduced to black and white enslaving rules that you selfishly follow to look good on the outside while the inside rots away. Can’t you see that Jesus is calling you to something greater. Something that makes you open your eyes in the morning and say, Thanks. Thanks. Thank you God for your indescribable gift! Something that makes you excited to be his follower again and make you walk around with a goofy smile ion your face and when people ask you why your wearing such a grin you simply reply, “He loves me!”
Here’s Paul’s bottom line in this issue: Flee from Idolatry. If something weakens your allegiance to Jesus Christ, either because it captures your soul and turns it away from him, or it seems to bestow His approval on things he would never approve, then you must flee from it.
At this point, someone might ask, wouldn’t it be easier if we just had everything clearly spelled out? If God just told us do this, don’t do that, eat this, don’t eat that, go here, don’t go there. Believe this. Don’t believe that. Wouldn’t it be great if all Christians believed exactly the same things about every issue? If they always acted in exactly the same way in every situation? If they had specific and complete guidance in nearly every decision they came across during their day. Wouldn’t it be easier if God did just make us cookie cutter Christians? If instead of giving us principles to live by and apply in various situations, he simplified everything and just told us exactly what to do and how to act in every situation.
The Christian mission is not for a participation award. You know, like the ones you get in elementary school just for being in the race and you get it with all the other kids and after a while you realize that if everyone is special, no one is. Paul is talking about a real prize here. What is the prize – the prize is sharing in the blessings of the gospel with others (verse 23). The prize is sitting in your living praying with your neighbors. The prize is seeing your addicted friend find freedom in Christ. The prize is seeing your suicidal depressed co-worker find new life and joy in Christ. That is the prize – sharing in the blessings of the gospel with others.
Whatever the issue, whether it is me giving up my right to be paid a salary as pastor, you giving up your right to eat meat, her giving up her right to listen to her music loudly before quiet time in the dorm, him giving up his right to drink alcohol because he is working with youth and doesn’t want to send mixed messages, we are free – not compelled, but free – to give up our rights in order to win people to Christ. You see, when you give up one right, there has got to be something that you value more than that right. You give up rights for something greater.
Have you ever wondered why sometimes you meet people who call themselves Christian, or you visit a particular church and people acts so differently or teach differently that other churches you have been a part of?
- Why do some Christians preach against drinking alcohol of any kind, even a glass of wine at dinner, while other Christians actually drink wine during their worship services?
- Why do some Christians look down upon dancing and showy expressions of emotion, while other churches employ dance teams and light shows in their church?