Read Matthew 21-24
The other day our staff was talking about how people often come to wrong conclusions because of inaccurate perceptions. As I got to thinking about it, I considered how Christianity also has a perception problem. However, it’s more than a perception problem, because what we have fixated on are what I call the “sins of commission”—don’t do this, don’t do that and you’re OK. But goodness isn’t the absence of badness, for I believe that you can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. I think what grieves the heart of our Heavenly Father, even more than the “sins of commission”, are “sins of omission”—the things we could have, should have and would have done for the cause of Christ, but failed to do.
Let’s be honest and courageous enough to admit what’s wrong with us…we’re not great at the Great Commandment! When Jesus was asked what commandment was the most important, He replied: “Love God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength.” I was convicted of this last year at a conference, when the speaker told an audience of pastors, that we’ve become more in love with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), than the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). Ouch! That hurt. But in that moment, I had to be honest with myself. I was more about “doing for God”, than “seeking God” with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
As Christians, our rally cry needs to be “Amo Dei”— Love God! Pursue Him! And as we do, incredible things will happen.
- Bryan Hardwick is the Groups Pastor at Adventure Church.
