Don't Be a Joke
When the church is a joke to those far from God, this is the first sign of his judgement on his people.
Don’t be a joke
Israel was to be a blessing to the nations. Not a nation separated from the nations.
If they were willing to Hear & Follow YHWH, their wya of life would bless those around them. They would be a light. Other people (like Rahab and Ruth) would say, “I want what they have. I want the God they serve.”
When the nations hiss at us and we become a joke to them because his church claims to Hear & Follow Jesus, this is not persecution. This is the first sign of judgement of God on his people.
The people Jeremiah was preaching to didn’t allow themselves to be taken. They didn’t want to live for the benefit of a kingdom far from God. They just wanted to bunker in.
When you bunker in and lob Christian grenades every 4 years at your evil opponents, the church becomes a joke to everyone around…the same people God wants us to be a blessing to.
When you bunker in and yell and scream and shout at how bad everything around you is, the church becomes a joke to everyone around…the same people God wants us to be a blessing to.
When the church becomes a joke to the nations, this is not persecution. This is God’s judgement on those who claim to follow him, but refuse to.
Do you want influence with a city, nation and a culture far from God? Serve. Be a benefit. Pray to God on their behalf. Preserve decay. Penetrate the darkness with the values of God’s Kingdom.
Food for Thought…
How have you seen the church be a joke to the nations we are supposed to be a blessing to? Does that upset you? Not “go get mad and yell” upset. But “my heart breaks and I have poured myself out to God over it” upset.
Is your church more of a joke or more of a blessing to the city, nation and culture around you? If you are a joke, how can you lead them towards being a blessing?
How can you actively seek the welfare of your community?
How can you seek God with all your heart begging him to bring restoration?