Three Strikes You are Out

For a third week in a row I stood outside the church door. This time I did not enter as most congregation members had already left. I met the Chairman and his wife at the stairs on their way down. Then I had lunch with the Secretary and we had a long chat over several matters concerning the Church, our denomination in general. For a third time on a Sunday, I was out and not in the church. Although I might be on annual leave, I did want to enter the church premises but I watched the online service and when the sermon ended I drove to the church. Was it a prophetic act that the pastor remained outside the church? Did not Jesus say, "You have eyes but do not see; you have ears but you do not hear". How often people including those who claim to be Christians go on acting as if they are sheep led to the slaughter, without question, self-evaluation and self-reflection.

We simply accept things as they are, status quo just like politics or the state of politics in our State. The roads look worse than ever; there are more frequent blackouts or lack of water supply to estates but there is no outcry and we elect the same old people in every Election. We can't expect failed leaders to bring positive change. So it is with the Church. We can't go on with same old methods hoping for different results. We can't expect change when we dare not choose people who could bring real positive change. Ultimately, it is human rebellion that rejects Christ who would rule over them. It is the rejection of those sent by God because people do not want to be led or shepherded as God wills it. In the book of Acts, there is this disturbing verse that Moses thought his people would know that God had sent him to them for their deliverance (Acts 7:25). But they said to Moses, "who made you to be judge over us?" So the people of Israel suffered for another 40 years before God called Moses again and sent him back to Egypt to deliver His people. So it is the same now. Christians go round and round, doing their rounds of mild religion with no impact in the world - "why have we not wrought salvation?" It is a form of religion, denying the power thereof which Paul the apostle totally rejected and enjoined that we should stay away from such people who acted religious but in fact are charlatans. Lord have mercy on us, kyrie eleison!