Happy Post-Thanksgiving, everyone! If you were with us today during Connection, we talked about some heavy stuff. If you weren't, you may want to download the audio and have a listen. We continued our conversation about making disciples (multiplying community). The mandate is clear from Christ: as you are going, make disciples. What does a disciple look like? They are identified with Christ's death, burial and resurrection [baptized--marinated in Christ] and they not only know what Christ has commanded, they align their lives through obedient hearts to do what he has commanded. Remember, "Look into their eyes and say, 'If you are a Christ-foloower, you're number one priority is to make disciples... how you doin?'"
Then we had a shift.
If this is our mandate, then we've got to take a hard look at some blind-spots in our lives. Platt talks about the blind-spot of slavery within Radical. People came to worship every Sunday, were concerned about personal holiness, but they had slaves. Talk about a huge blind-spot. It's easy for us, 150 removed from the situation, to see it. Yet, they couldn't.
Today's text was Matthew 25:31 and following.
There are four main characters / groups within the text--the Shepherd, the sheep, the goats and the least of these. The context of Matthew: Jesus, the rightful King, is coming. All authority is His and His kingdom is radically different, so be alert, be aware, and be ready. Even the parable of the talents for the Big Give really is not an issue of money, but an issue of BE AWARE! Multiply EVERYTHING (not just cash)!!! Multiply people, talents, time, treasures..
A few things are clear from this text:
- Jesus is Lord; He alone is worthy to judge
- Jesus made it clear that all people would stand in judgment, not just unbelievers.
- Jesus returns, gathers the nations, judges, and separates the sheep from the goats. Yet, you've got to see why the separation occurs!
Platt wondered whether Christ-followers 150 years from now might look back at American Christians today and question how we could ive in such affluence when multitudes are dying from lack of food and water, just look at Christians 150 years ago and question how they could justify slavery (p. 111). The reality is one day we will stand before the only One worthy to judge our actions and give an account for such questions.
Here is the question for today's post:
How does knowing one day you will account for your actions affect the way that you currently live?