Ordinary Christians in extra ordinary times

Bikers Church Cape Town

Ordinary Christians in extra ordinary times - By Pastor George Lehman What the world needs is NOT more Christianity but more Christians who practice Christianity. We cannot live ordinary lives anymore! Here Jesus is speaking to the scribes an Pharisees: Mark 7:13 – Jesus said, “Tradition destroys the effect of the Word”. We become comfortable with traditionally doing church and spiritual things, We go through the motions in a way that’s marked with ordinary and don’t by faith - rise up to an extra ordinary life. A life touched by Jesus cannot be the same. Story of a statue in a cemetery in America: It was not a statue of a man, angel, or Mary, but a statue of a dog. They say when his master was buried. The dog followed the procession to the graveyard, and he lay on the grave and wouldn’t leave until he died. They put up a memorial next to his master because he demonstrated extraordinary loyalty. Here’s a story of extra ordinary loyalty: 2 Samuel 15:13-21 (Amp) - 13And there came a messenger to David, saying, the hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom. 14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise and let us flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us and smite the city with the sword. 15And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king says. 16So, the king and all his household after him went forth. But he left ten women who were concubines to keep the house. 17The king went forth with all the people after him and halted at the last house. 18All David's servants passed on beside him, along with [his bodyguards] all the Cherethites, Pelethites; also all the Gittites, 600 men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, why do you go with us also? Return to your place and remain with the king [Absalom], for you are a foreigner and an exile. 20Since you came only yesterday, should I make you go up and down with us? Since I must go where I may, you return, and take back your brethren with you. May loving-kindness and faithfulness be with you. 21But Ittai answered the king, As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or life, even there also will your servant be. What an extra ordinary dedication to serve his King, “no matter what”. Paul writing to the church in Corinth: (over a period of time ordinary will become lukewarm / backslidden) 1 Corinthians 3:3 (Amp) - For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling* (stryery) and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men? (Clearly by this message it’s clear that Paul is talking about an Extra Ordinary life!) Our ordinary should be Extra Ordinary. The Moffett's translation says: “Are you behaving like ordinary people?” Why did God allow these disciplining correcting verses in the Bible? “It was for our good so we can change and serve Him correctly. To live an extra ordinary life. We have come to a time in the history of the world when, for those of us who are Christians it's not acceptable it’s a sin to live ordinary. It's no longer enough to live nominal (not real) lives in a time of phenomenal need. Acts 17:30 -31a(Amp) – 30Such [former] ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people every where to repent (to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways with abhorrence of their past sins). 31Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world. The words of Josiah G. Holland: God give us men! A time like this demands great hearts, strong minds, and willing hands. (Simply – Extra ordinary Christians) It's not enough that we just be “ordinary people”. This is what Paul was addressing in our scripture – there were ordinary Christians of that day! The gospel would never have been launched if it wasn't for a multitude of extraordinary christians. People who were committed in an extra ordinary way to a truly extra ordinary gospel. It’s no different. Today we serve the same reigning God; have the same powerful anointing an extra ordinary gospel; the same challenges in a needy world. That's why we need to rise above the ordinary, basic, empty, ineffective life and live extra ordinary lives. My greatest desire is to see this church rise up and live extra ordinary Christianity. Serving – going the extra mile. Giving God our reasonable service. Living committed Holy, effective lives – building unity. Being salt and light to a dying world – saying NO to ordinary Christianity. This means we will first of all have to have... Extra ordinary faith. How do you make ordinary extra ordinary – you add a little extra. Fighting the good fight of the faith. We must believe the “But God” factor in our lives. It's knowing and being motivated that God is near and will not forsake us. Extra ordinary faith knows “The Lord is my shepherd” and “we shall not want”. Take a faith step and attempt something extra ordinary in an extra ordinary way. We also need... 2: Extra ordinary conduct. Philippians 1:27 (Amp) - Only be sure as citizens so to CONDUCT yourselves (that) your manner of life (will be) WORTHY of the good news (the gospel) of Christ... As someone has said: The world at its worst needs the church at its best. Jesus asked a very pointed question of His disciples – which can be asked of us...Matthew 5:47(Amp) - “... what more than others are you doing?” Are you behaving like ordinary people? We are not saved to stagnate. We are saved to serve in an EXTRA-Ordinary way. It's not what you say with your lips that count. It's what you do with your life that matters. In these extra ordinary times, the WORLD is much more concerned with our extra ordinary demonstration of the Christian life than it is with our declaration of the Christian truth. Demonstration beats declaration every time. The question is: Have you been saying one thing with your lips and another with your life? Does your life encourage people or discourage people? NB: All souls are of equal WORTH to God, but not all souls are of equal USE to God. How about you? Will you rise to the challenge? Will you contribute to that uncommon conduct the world needs so desperately today? Conduct: Personal behaviour; living with God’s standards. A young Chinese communist (Christian) stood before the firing squad of Chinese soldiers. As the captain gave the order to aim, the girl cried out, “I'm dying for a cause!! What are you living for??” (What is your contribution?) Have you chosen “ordinary” or “extra ordinary”? Colossians 1:10 (Amp) - That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves in a [extra ordinary] manner) worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in ALL THINGS, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by knowledge of God (with fuller, deeper and clearer insight, acquaintance and recognition. Will you like Ittai, say “I will follow you “no matter what”?