CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

January 2, 2005

LIFT UP THE FOLLOWING:

Our congregation                                                     David and Leon in the Navy

Our nation, leaders and military                              Various friends, relatives and co-workers

The victims of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean       Carole Berry has ovarian cancer and is undergoing

                                                                                tests to determine the type and treatment

We would like to thank everyone for the gifts you gave our family.  We love and appreciate each of you.

George and Yevette

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO RESTORE?

“By thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted” (Romans 6:17).

Needless to say, there is much debate in the church and in society to the changes that are occurring in both.  That raises the question, “What are we trying to restore?”  Some answer it by wanting to hold on to the traditional points of view.  They see a text or two like the above that mentions a pattern (or form) and then seek out that pattern.  Hence we have the five points of salvation though no one text mentions them all.  In the desire to worship properly, a pattern of five acts has been put together.  The primary emphasis has been on the form; if we do the form right then we are right with God.  The same can be said for the organization of the church as an institution with its governing board or structure.  Others answer the question by saying that something is missing in the “form” or “pattern” view.  They sarcastically ask which New Testament church are we trying to restore.  Is it Corinth with all its problems?  Or Jerusalem?  Or Rome?  How about the least troubled Philippi?  Yet these same people maintain many traditional views of the church and its assembly activities as well as the plan of salvation. 

If you wonder why this is happening, keep in mind that our culture is changing and we as Christians are affected by culture whether we like it or not.  It is not the first time this has happened and will not be the last.  The conflict will continue as it does in politics between the blue and red states, those with moral values and those who see things different, those who think that the Judeo-Christian ethic should be discussed openly and those who do not think that way.  As I have said before, our culture is changing from a modernist to a postmodernist point of view.  How long it takes or whether it does change is being debated.  The church is affected by this.

So what are we trying to restore?  None of us should be afraid to ask that question and to reexamine our perspectives no matter what side we are on.  When asking this question however, we need to seriously think about God in Christ.  Here is where many have missed it.  The traditionalist wants to get the forms right and makes a great effort to emphasize that.  The non-traditionalists wants the freedom to introduce new methods and emphasizes that.  But what about Jesus?

In answering the question, “what are we trying to restore?” we need to begin with Jesus.  In years past a phrase was used called “the first principles.”  I wrote an article in Image magazine called “The First Principle.”  In the article I emphasized the importance of Jesus as our first principle.  When we talk about restoring things, we really should be talking about restoring the image of God in us through Jesus Christ.  We exist as a church because of Jesus and is atoning work on the cross.  Many have missed this.  I have read tracts and heard sermons on the plan of salvation that barely, if at all, mentioned Jesus.  And many of the songs we sing, new and old, emphasize us instead of Him. 

Our need then is to get into the gospels from beginning to end.  We need to see who Jesus is, as He stated that be seeing Him we see the Father (John 14:9).  Our foundation, our first principle, our restoration is dependent on knowing Him and becoming like Him in life, speech and attitude.  Maybe some of the conflict we have is because others see this as well.  When a recent book was criticized more for who wrote it than for the message of the humility of Jesus, then I think we have a problem.  When we reject a joyous time of the year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, a necessity to get to the cross, then I think we are missing something.  When we argue over whether the Lord’s Supper was in context of a fellowship meal or love feast or whether it is a “form” to be followed in a brief way, then I think we have a problem.  When the church is seen as an institution rather than a family, then I know we have a problem.  And when the assembly focuses exclusively on God, (not that we do not need to focus on God, we do), and ignores the struggles of believers, then there is a problem. 

We need to restore the mind or attitude of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5).  That mind is one of humble services, thinking of others rather than ourselves (see verse 4 in the NRSV).  When we begin to do this, then we will be restoring what needs to be restored.  We might find that our forms will have more meaning.  We also might find that some of the “new” methods are very beneficial to those struggling in life.  With a humble attitude, we might be more willing to examine ourselves and admit that we just cannot do it alone.  With the humble attitude of Christ, we might just become more dependent on our Father, more trusting, more willing to ask, and wait, and listen to God’s answer.  We might then be moved or guided by God’s Spirit to His glory and we might even allow ourselves to be so guided. 

Humility will certainly cause us to look at people differently, and that is the key to restoration.  It’s not about forms no matter how important they might be, but it is about people.  It’s about the single mother struggling to make ends meet.  It’s about the elderly brother facing life alone and dealing with health problems.  It’s about the married couple raising teenagers.  It’s about finances and jobs, attitudes and speech, relationships and encouragement.  It is about thinking about others rather than ourselves. 

If we are going to restore anything, let us restore humility in Christ.  Then we can influence our culture whether modernist or postmodernist.  While we would approach each group differently in some methods, humility can draw both together.  To the traditionalist, take another look at the traditions you cherish.  Are they beneficial?  How can they be improved to encourage the non-traditionalist?  And to the non-traditionalist, how can those traditions you have a hard time with be beneficial to you and others?  No one is saying that this is going to be easy but if we begin with the humility of Christ, then we will focus less on me and more on others, hopefully getting to the point of forgetting ourselves in service to others. 

This is the challenge for this year.  Will you accept it?

                                                                                                George B. Mearns