Barnabas Missions

Jun

Our cause is not sightseeing.

Rev. Brian Kelly, Ph.D. Newsletter 2006-06-30

by Dr. Brian Kelly

Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t got our priorities backward in the Body of Christ. Such accusations aren’t new, however. Young David was accused of wrong motives by his older brother Eliab who was convinced that David came to the battle against the Philistines merely to sightsee. Apparently, as a younger brother, David was used to getting picked on and his answer reflects it: What have I done now? Is there not a cause? Instead of idle curiosity, David’s real reason for being at the battlefield was noble: to offer his efforts for the cause of God’s people. Can the same be said of you and I in our day-to-day walk with the Lord? Is there not a cause worthy of our lives, like young David’s?

Jesus was skeptical of curiosity seekers in his day as well. The gospel of John, in chapter 6, tells us about the multitude that followed Christ because they had heard of the miraculous signs and wonders in his ministry. But he challenged them with the hard sayings of true discipleship—eat his flesh, drink his blood (John 6:53f)—and many of his disciples departed from his company. Jesus noted that even though he spoke the words of spirit and life, they still did not believe (John 6:63-64) They were merely sightseers—pursuing signs and wonders rather than the one source of true life, the manna from heaven, the bread of life himself. Yet many of the disciples remained, and Peter voiced their commitment, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. This is not convenient curiosity-seeking but lifelong commitment to Christ as savior and Lord.

Today, as then, many are merely sightseers in the Church. They attend services as spectators, waiting for the latest sign or wonder to appear and entice the crowd. They are not committed to what Eugene Peterson calls a long obedience in the same direction. And nowhere is this curiosity without commitment more apparent than in the area of personal outreach! The word evangelism itself conjures up images of fear-inducing encounters with skeptical and hardened pagans (i.e., fresh from a film screening of Hollywood’s latest anti-Christian venom). The animus toward Christians and the bizarre message of their leader (Christians were considered cannibals by some because of Christ’s sayings above) is just as prevalent today as in the time of Christ.

But God has given us his Holy Spirit to empower our witness (Acts 1:8f). I know from personal experience that God is able to break through the hardest of sinners, melt their hearts, convert their intellect, and save them to the uttermost. Since this is true, we need to move beyond curiosity to commitment, from sightseeing to active engagement with the lost around us. Like David, we at Barnabas Missions are committed to a cause: winning the lost, preaching the gospel and teaching others to do likewise. Don’t let the Goliath of fear in your life sideline you when it comes to sharing your faith. It’s time to get in shape and get in the game. The cause of Christ deserves no less. Barnabas Missions can help equip you in personal outreach to move beyond sightseeing to soul-saving!

Together with you for a Greater Harvest,
Brian Kelly

Address: http://barnabasmissions.org/blog/2006/06/our-cause-is-not-sightseeing/

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