More from Christopher

written by christopher on sermon index

Too often, I think that many believers are too consumed with the inner mechanical peculiarities than with the purpose, the destination (or even the ride with Christ, so to speak). Also, we frequently fail to remember that “second opinions” exist. We may think that we know something…and that it is from the Lord. Yet, how important is it that we know it? Some people pretend that people will be led to Hell due to a belief (or lack of information) about the End Times, a particular Bible version, or whether or not someone believes that a person can lose or walk away from salvation. Ultimately, it is a relationship with Christ that matters.

I have traveled to the indigenous Tarahumara tribes in the high Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico. The Tarahumara are considered one of the last “unreached” people groups by National Geographic and many anthropologists. They live in relative obscurity (mostly in caves and small huts) and are known for their tireless running ability. There, I met a group of believers there who have to Bible in their language. Yet they know the Lord. The pastor came to the Lord when he was dying of tuberculosis. One night when he was near death, he sat outside of his cave and looked at the stars. He was an animist and believed in multiple spirits (in the river, trees, each star, etc…). Yet, as he looked at the position of the stars in the night sky, it dawned on him that there might be a single, all-powerful God. Suddenly, he felt the Lord speak to him. The Lord said, “I am the Lord God who created all there is. If I heal you, will you serve Me?” This young, dying Tarahumara man said yes.

For months, he talked to this God who spoke to him. He was rejected by his family and friends. He didn’t speak Spanish (let alone English), so he couldn’t read a Bible even if he had one. Yet he was completely healed of his infirmity. One day, the Lord impressed upon him to go to the Spanish speaking town (a seven day journey through the mountains) so that he could learn the language of the people. He didn’t understand why…but he went anyway. Somehow, miraculously in a short period of time, this young man learned fluent Spanish…even how to read it. This Tarahumara traveled back to his village located higher in the mountains.

The missionary that I often traveled with had been given an extra offering before leaving the United States. He wondered what the purpose of the money was…because they had the money to complete the church building that they were constructing in a nearby Spanish-speaking village. While he was at the small town buying the supplies for the construction, he saw this young Tarahumara. This missionary had learned the Tarahumara phrase “Chú miriwé?“ (pronounced “chim ear ee way” – which means “What is your name?”). The Tarahumara man replied with his name Spanish. The missionary asked him, “Do you speak Spanish.” The Tarahumara replied, “Yes, the Living God taught me.” The missionary asked him what he was doing in the town. The Tarahumara replied that God had told him to go because he was going to bless him. The Tarahumara explained that he wanted to build a building for the people to meet together in. To make a long story short, the extra offering that was given to the missionary was able to supply the materials needed to build it. The pastor was also provided a Bible (in Spanish…and not a KJV) that confirmed much of what God had already spoken to him.

I don’t think that I have ever enjoyed meeting with believers as much as I enjoyed going to the Tarahumara several times while a teenager. They used to meet together beneath a tree. Now, they meet in a log cabin church building. Over the years, I saw the congregation grow – not just in number, but in faith. Yet most of them still cannot read. They meet and listen to the Pastor recite the Word of God to them. They sing to the Lord in worship. They pray for one another. They encourage one another.

I’ve always thought that it was interesting that they don’t seem to worry about doctrinal peculiarities. They know God for themselves. They are blessed to have a few copies of the Scriptures of which are read to them. Yet they don’t worry about whether or not they will live through a period of tribulation. They don’t argue over whether or not their version of the Scriptures is the most accurate. They don’t argue over whether or not they should wear head coverings. They simply come as they are…and encourage one another in the faith. They have never seen Christian television shows, Christian books or heard of the internet. Most of them have never used electricity (and many have never ever heard of it). Yet they are coming to Christ…by the hundreds (maybe thousands). They don’t spend their time together arguing about what the fourth toe of the beast is supposed to represent. They simply use their time to seek Jesus in order to know Him and His heart. I have watched this soft spoken people lift up their hands in worship…with tears running down their faces…because of their love for Jesus.

It is often disappointing to return to “civilization.” Here, we spend more time debating about what might be heresy…and who might be a heretic…than sitting back and focusing our time and effort on simply knowing Jesus. We attend congregations where we submit to the dogma required for involvement or membership. We question and scrutinize every last dot and tittle of everyone else’s beliefs (including the things that really don’t matter). We fail to remember that the early church didn’t carry a pocket Bible with them. The early Church didn’t even have multiple copies of Paul’s letters…or the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Most of them didn’t even have copies of the Old Testament scrolls.

Today, we are given so much for which we show so little. We who reside in “civilization” live in a time when we are scarcely persecuted for our faith. We have multiple copies of the Scriptures. Some of us even have audio versions of the Scriptures so it can be read to us. We are not hungry. We are not thirsty. We have shelter. Some of us are actually PAID to preach the Gospel (via a salary or by offerings…imagine that). We have concordances, dictionaries and commentaries (some of us even have multiple copies of each). We even can meet together using this technology known as the “internet” to read the Word of God, download sermons and meet with other believers. Indeed, we have been given many, many talents.

I just can’t help but wonder if we are burying our talents under needless doctrinal debates and differences. Instead of using these talents in the world to reproduce a new crop of believers, we stand around with one another…discussing Scripture like the thinkers of Athens. We talk to one another with trepidation or suspicion. Even many of those who would try to do the work of an evangelist spend their time yelling at unbelievers for their worldly habits and dress…and spend very little time simply explaining that this world simply does not know God…but can know God. Instead of seeking converts to Christ, we seek clones. We want to clone ourselves in the world (and Church) around us.

Yes, these tireless debates grow tiresome. Sometimes, I just wish to remain a “child” in a sense that I want to depend upon the Lord to take care of me. The more that I think that I know, the more that I come to realize that there are so many things that I don’t really know. Is there anything wrong with just not knowing the certainty of some petty issues…when we truly want to know Christ and spend time with Him? Is this not better? Yes, some issues that we hold to be so important…so vital…are truly petty in the scope of Eternity. If an issue will deeply divide people who truly are part of the Body of Christ, chances are, it is petty.