Sermon Central
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Radical? Really?
Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Feb 6, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Someone suggested that we return to radical Christianity. I’m for it but are we up to the demands?
There is a group on one of the social networks that was issuing a call to return to radical Christianity. I love the concept and joined the group but I wanted to feel out how they defined radical and if they were really up to radical Christianity thus I posted this in the group’s discussion area.
Are you suggesting we dump all the fad, flash and fleshly foolishness of the seeker churches and get back to 1st Century Christianity?
Yes, many of the mainline Churches have fallen away into apostasy but today’s entertainment arcades called churches are not radical Christianity but rather effeminate weak-kneed places where cheer leaders and motivational speakers man the pulpits doing religious non-speak for fear of offending the crowd or even the World with the truth. They should be called Houses of Scratch for the itching ears, not churches that are supposed to be the pillar and ground of truth.
There is no need for evangelical rosaries or programs of purpose in true radical Christianity. Matthew 28:18-20 and Ephesians 4:11-16 give the purpose of the saint and church. That is all the 1st Century martyrs needed. Repetition of one man’s prayer will gain no more than any other mantra with the God who commands it not to be done.
Prosperity? Funny, the apostles did not live in multi-million dollar homes or have marble toilets. Most of them died in relative poverty by worldly standards but died with greater wealth than Buffet and Gates could ever conceive. Did they need to meet in Taj Mahals fully equipped with huge screens and awesome sound systems? Nay, I say Paul’s and Silas’ A Capella song in prison or of the songs of those on their way to be fed to lions and as they burned at stakes make our praise and worship songs off key and out of rhythm with the symphony that the Master is conducting.
Radical Christianity? None in the so-called first world nations have half a clue about what constitutes mundane Christianity let alone radical Christianity. Hear the songs from the prisons overseas where our brethren languish physically but are robust in true spiritual health. Hear their blood call out from their graves wondering when we will get off our sanctimonious sacroiliacs and sell out completely to the true and living God who died for us. We play Church and they live Christ.
They pray for souls and to live another day to serve while we pray for bigger paychecks and stuff but seldom witness though we sang for an hour on Sunday about how great is our God. We sing, "Word of God speak" and then gag Him if He gets too doctrinal or makes the wrong demands upon our life. We are sickly, sallow, sated saints while our brethren who often only have one meal a day are strong soldiers serving saturated in their own blood receiving more than the blessings we crave and cannot receive.
No one wants really radical Christianity in the citadels of civilization. Radical Christianity would be uncultured and crude making itself unwelcome on TV shows where those who would be princes cannot tell a lost man that he is lost and so are all who do not receive Christ as Saviour. How can radical Christianity possibly exist in places where Christians bow the knee and kiss the feet of the culture to accept us by catering to their political correctness and their standards of what makes a successful church or pastor?
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. KJV
Where are the Christians that will turn the world upside down and cause such a ruckus? I am afraid that most are dead already and the rest are no where to be found in America, Canada, Australia or Europe. Radical and true Christianity does exist in the countries where to be a Christian can mean having no job or the most menial ones and living each day knowing it could be the one where you are carted off to prison and to win a soul to Christ means the end of your life. You have to truly believe if you know that once your conversion is known you may meet Jesus that day.
No, radical Christianity does not and cannot exist where pop psychiatry that is lightly verse laced and vanilla theology squeak out from the pulpits to the groupies that came for the concert more than the Word and certainly not for conviction as they grab their designer coffee from the shop in the hallway on their way to Yoga classes or the 12 Easy Steps to Holiness and Prosperity session.
