Sunset - CHRISTIAN REP https://christianrep.com/blog In All That You Say...In All That You Do...Represent Christ! Mon, 30 Dec 2013 16:18:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 Sunrise or sunset? https://christianrep.com/blog/2013/05/10/sunrise-or-sunset/ Fri, 10 May 2013 16:30:31 +0000 http://christianrep.com/blog/?p=433 Is it sunset or sunrise? Is the day beginning or ending? Is light coming or will it be darkness? What lies ahead? . This was a topic of discussion in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Great Divorce. Both in heaven and in hell it was twilight. In both places the residents anticipated the dawn, but it’s …

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]]> Is it sunset or sunrise? Is the day beginning or ending? Is light coming or will it be darkness? What lies ahead?
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This was a topic of discussion in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Great Divorce. Both in heaven and in hell it was twilight. In both places the residents anticipated the dawn, but it’s clear from the story that in one place dawn is coming and in the other eternal darkness.
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For some the dusk between morning and night has them confused. The events of life have kept them in these dimly lit hours so long that they don’t know if it’s dawn on the way or dark. For some the approach of the dawn looks like the approach of darkness. It’s hard for them to anticipate daylight when they have been in the gloom of dusk for so long.
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This morning I met with one of our guys who is really discouraged. He’s anticipating the night when in fact the day is about to dawn, but he can’t see it. He only sees his sun setting when all around the birds are singing as the day arrives. When we go through difficult experiences of life it seems that darkness is what awaits us. We lose vision, lose hope, lose our bearing of what God is doing. The dusk, our problems, anticipate either night or dawn and we don’t know which awaits us, but there is this promise of the morning approaching as the author of scripture writes,
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2 Peter 1:19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
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It’s not the dark ahead, but morning. When you are discouraged, depressed, anticipating your dusk to soon turn to dark realize that God has promised morning for us. Light is coming, not fading away. Hope is rising, not disappearing. Life isn’t over, it’s just beginning. The dawn is on the way. The morning star will soon be here and darkness will disappear forever.
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I did my best this morning to encourage my friend and give him hope for the day ahead. I fear his dusk lingers. He is awaiting the night and not hoping for day, but listen carefully…the birds are chirping. The Son of righteousness is soon to come. Morning nears.

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]]> Consumer or worshiper? https://christianrep.com/blog/2010/12/15/consumer-or-worshiper/ Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:13:16 +0000 http://christianrep.com/blog/?p=577 As a pastor this contrast of worshiper or consumer is often a topic of discussion and thought. We are in such a consumer driven culture that even church has become a consumer product. We change churches because we like the music better over there or the preacher is “really good” at this church, but we …

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]]> As a pastor this contrast of worshiper or consumer is often a topic of discussion and thought. We are in such a consumer driven culture that even church has become a consumer product. We change churches because we like the music better over there or the preacher is “really good” at this church, but we forget that we are not in church for us. We are there, as the family of God, to worship HIM. Church is about HIM, not us.

We are even consumers as we watch a sunset. “Isn’t that beautiful?” “What amazing colors!” It’s as if the sunset was meant for our entertainment. In that moment we miss the main intent of a beautiful sunset- it’s meant to inspire worship of God. Yes, we are to enjoy the beauty of the site, but the goal of that amazing sight is worship. God, you are so amazing! Thank you for this beautiful sunset. Thank you for what you have made!

One of the problems with being a consumer is that we are never satisfied. We have been programed to be dissatisfied and always wanting more. A beautiful sunset for a consumer would generate this response, “Yeah, that was good, but you should have seen it yesterday…that was amazing!”

Consumers see everything in light of themselves. It’s all about me. If a consumer comes to church the church is less for the experience. The consumer will be focused on what he or she wants and needs. They are not there to worship God, but to be entertained…to be fed…to have their needs met.

But what a different experience a worshiper has at sunset and at church. Their response is directed towards God. “Thank you, God, for your amazing creation. Thank you for letting me see this amazing thing you have made!” In church the response is similar. Whether hymns or contemporary music they are focused on God and not on what they want or like. They are there to worship God! The style of music doesn’t bother them….it’s all a way for them to praise and worship God. Worshipers are as happy with hymns as they are with praise choruses.

The contrasts continue with preaching, building style, how nice the people are and a hundred other issues that define us as either consumers or worshipers. The challenge for us, in a consumer rich culture, is to live our lives as worshipers with our eyes on heaven and not on ourselves. No church can rise above who the people worship. If we worship ourselves the church is doomed. If we worship God there will be amazing things happen among us.

So which are you – a consumer or a worshiper?

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