Christian Celebrity
My pastor did and said something the other day that really made me think. I said that my next post would be on Christian celebrity, so here it is.
There have been some amazing contributions to my local community here lately through certain individuals, that has had a positive effect on the poor. The purpose wasn't to bring glory to man, it was to fulfill the second great commandment, and to bring glory to God. However, on Sunday morning, my pastor went out of his way to take time and recognize these benevolent individuals. The thing that He said was that the purpose of the kindness was to bring glory to God. And that those giving souls will receive their reward in heaven, but that they should also receive recognition here on earth. Showing the work that God has done in their lives.
I'd never thought of it from that perspective before. As I wrote before, we are beings that were created to worship. And we have a propensity to worship the things that we feel like worshipping. We worship the things that impress us.
If for no other reason than geography, there are a lot of "public" people who attend my church. One of them won a Grammy last year, another won several Dove awards and a Grammy last year as well. One of them is the leading receiver for the Tennessee Titans this year. It would be natural for most people to put those individuals on a pedestal. As a matter of fact, most people have to fight the temptation to do that, to realize that they are just people too. People whom God has called, and that their calling is of a more public nature than yours or mine.
I have always intentionally not been impressed by those people or the things that they do, for the simple fact that no other thing besides God deserves my worship. But, I think that my tune has been changed. Changed by the actions of my pastor on Sunday.
No, I will not elevate people to a higher level than they ought to be, but maybe it's not such a bad thing to recognize them and their accomplishments. Because the public recognition of their accomplishments just goes to show that they have submitted their will to God's will, and that they are allowing the Lord to work through them in their gifts (in a perfect world
So here it is...
Should we worship the dancer? The dance? NO!
We need to recognize and worship the Lord of the dance.
Matt
Continue reading "Christian Celebrity"
There have been some amazing contributions to my local community here lately through certain individuals, that has had a positive effect on the poor. The purpose wasn't to bring glory to man, it was to fulfill the second great commandment, and to bring glory to God. However, on Sunday morning, my pastor went out of his way to take time and recognize these benevolent individuals. The thing that He said was that the purpose of the kindness was to bring glory to God. And that those giving souls will receive their reward in heaven, but that they should also receive recognition here on earth. Showing the work that God has done in their lives.
I'd never thought of it from that perspective before. As I wrote before, we are beings that were created to worship. And we have a propensity to worship the things that we feel like worshipping. We worship the things that impress us.
If for no other reason than geography, there are a lot of "public" people who attend my church. One of them won a Grammy last year, another won several Dove awards and a Grammy last year as well. One of them is the leading receiver for the Tennessee Titans this year. It would be natural for most people to put those individuals on a pedestal. As a matter of fact, most people have to fight the temptation to do that, to realize that they are just people too. People whom God has called, and that their calling is of a more public nature than yours or mine.
I have always intentionally not been impressed by those people or the things that they do, for the simple fact that no other thing besides God deserves my worship. But, I think that my tune has been changed. Changed by the actions of my pastor on Sunday.
No, I will not elevate people to a higher level than they ought to be, but maybe it's not such a bad thing to recognize them and their accomplishments. Because the public recognition of their accomplishments just goes to show that they have submitted their will to God's will, and that they are allowing the Lord to work through them in their gifts (in a perfect world
So here it is...
Should we worship the dancer? The dance? NO!
We need to recognize and worship the Lord of the dance.
Matt
Continue reading "Christian Celebrity"