The lungs don’t wait for the air to enter their fine bronchial branches. They gasp and claw for it. Our brains don’t even register these desperate acts of the autonomic nervous system in the human body. After all, you breathe or die. The heart responds to the brain with a laser-stream of freshly oxidized blood or it seizes and dies. It pumps what is without, within, and so the cardiac cycle continues. No fear, no conflicted feelings or self-consciousness and doubt. If there is, something is wrong and we are in mortal danger.
What is in the heart doesn’t hide there long. What’s broken, what it beats for, will not be hidden. A sick heart will be found out.
There’s no hiding obvious problems and forced functions. It’s a problem for the body, and for the church. That’s why many millennial’s are leaving the modern church. Human behavior is the greatest hermeneutic for the gospel in their eyes. Deception, hypocrisy, and hearts that don’t act upon there beliefs are ultimately driving them out in droves. Why? Because the biblical narrative shows people acting on their faith. There’s a whole book in the new testament about it.
Let’s consider the activity of the apostles. Found in the books of Acts. The apostles and the other followers of Jesus:
“devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2v42
and
“They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Acts 2v45-46
Peter said,
“Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Acts 3v6
…and on and on and on it continues. They acted. The BIG elephant trampling around the young-adult section of each church worship space is this;
If we live and breath the good news of Jesus, why aren’t we desperate to act upon it? Why isn’t it instinct?
That’s a great question. And though some young people may want to skim over the theoretical and jump into action, which means we need to leave these holy huddles, talk to, and care for our neighbors, wait a minute.
I’m sure there is wisdom in being cautious. We cannot overgeneralize and assume what all young people want, but we do know what they can get everywhere else besides the Church. What makes the Christian body different? I think we can venture one thing, they’re looking for more. Something real and natural. And with that, I encourage you, don’t skip the deep work, my friends. If we do, we may find our reach a mile wide, but one inch deep. Our influence little and our effectiveness small.
We might find a generation of people who are more passionate about a mission than the one who sent them – Jesus.
It’s quite the pickle. Most millennials are predisposed to see only hypocrisy in the world. But is action alone the antidote to hypocrisy? It’s easy to quote the book of James and say; “faith without works is dead”, but James does not avoid the deep work required of those who are fully devoted to following Jesus. He begins by asking us to endure trial and temptation. To listen and then to,
“get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1v21
and he does this before He encourages us to act. That’s some deep work that produces real faith. Maybe, we need to grow AND act. Perhaps we’re really called to both, and real faith and action depend on each other intimately. They react to each-other instinctually. Like the body and the lungs. Like the head and the heart.
Often, I have found the things that irritate us about the world, like hypocrisy, are found in ourselves. That’s humbling. In the same way it must have been like for the disciples when the followed Jesus during His time on earth. But I am encouraged when I call to mind the journey of these young men who followed Him. Peter, John, Andrew, Thomas….With each step, they grew in a deeper knowledge of Jesus, who He was and what that meant. With each measure of depth came a level of trust. And it is Trust that you can act upon. Like you can lean on a committed spouse who has shown up for you; Every. Single. Time.
We grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus, the more we spend time with Him and can be found chewing on His words. And the deeper we go the more we must act. The more we act, the greater our trust in Him.
Test, your relationship with Jesus and you will find it to be True. Act upon the deeper things your learning about Him and people will notice it’s true too.
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