Thursday, April 02, 2015
The secret sin we do not talk about...
I do not think I have ever heard a sermon on it. I never hear it confessed. No one asked for prayers to do better with it. Yet I know many people who commit this sin. I hear it casually discussed with a whole list of excuses.
The Bible says if you commit this sin you have denied the faith. That is strong language. Denied the faith. If you are guilty of this, your actions announce that you do not believe in Christianity.
Scripture also says that committing this sin makes you worse than a non-believer. This is serious sin we are talking about.
And it is not something you do. It is something you fail to do.
So what is this horrible sin that we fail to identify or confront?
Failure to take care of your relatives, especially your immediate family.
If your parents, your spouse, or your kids have needs, as a Christian you have to take care of them. If not, you are not living as a Christian.
Physical needs. So bathe your elderly parents. Wipe their butt. Haul them to the Doctor. Cook. Clean. Mow the yard. If you live to far away to do this, then ensure that it gets done. Hire someone to clean the house. Set up home health. Spend what it takes.
Emotional needs. Talk to your parents. . Pick up the phone. Go by the house. Listen to their stories. Go visit.
Take care of your kids emotional needs. Make sure your kids are emotionally secure. Listen to them. Be the parent. Wipe the tears. Hug lots.
Spiritual needs. Do not make sure your children have everything they need -- or even want -- in terms of physical things (clothes, big house, car, etc, etc) and then not equip them spiritually. Talk to them about Jesus, read Scripture, pray for them and with them. Get everyone to church. Serve together. Have Christians over for meals.
Take care of your parents spiritual needs also. Let them talk to you about dying. Help them get to church. Sing, pray, read to them. Do communion. If you live away, make your visits count. Check in with their church home and make sure someone is seeing them.
And if your mate gets sick, take care of them. If they get Alzheimer's, care for them as long as possible.
Taking care of your family will consume your time, energy, and money. You may feel like there is no time left over for you.
Yes, and that is called being a faithful follower of Jesus.
If you do not care for your family, you are worse than the non-believers and you have renounced your faith.
So here is a salute to all of you doing real ministry in your families. Thanks to my sister and to my sister-in-law. Special thanks to my wife. And to my daughter.
And thanks to the kids, spouses, and parents who are carrying an enormous burden caring for their loved ones. They do it because it is ministry. They do it because they follow Jesus. They do it because it is right.
You testify to the truth of the Jesus story. Your life witness is powerful. God is honored.
The Bible says if you commit this sin you have denied the faith. That is strong language. Denied the faith. If you are guilty of this, your actions announce that you do not believe in Christianity.
Scripture also says that committing this sin makes you worse than a non-believer. This is serious sin we are talking about.
And it is not something you do. It is something you fail to do.
So what is this horrible sin that we fail to identify or confront?
Failure to take care of your relatives, especially your immediate family.
If your parents, your spouse, or your kids have needs, as a Christian you have to take care of them. If not, you are not living as a Christian.
Physical needs. So bathe your elderly parents. Wipe their butt. Haul them to the Doctor. Cook. Clean. Mow the yard. If you live to far away to do this, then ensure that it gets done. Hire someone to clean the house. Set up home health. Spend what it takes.
Emotional needs. Talk to your parents. . Pick up the phone. Go by the house. Listen to their stories. Go visit.
Take care of your kids emotional needs. Make sure your kids are emotionally secure. Listen to them. Be the parent. Wipe the tears. Hug lots.
Spiritual needs. Do not make sure your children have everything they need -- or even want -- in terms of physical things (clothes, big house, car, etc, etc) and then not equip them spiritually. Talk to them about Jesus, read Scripture, pray for them and with them. Get everyone to church. Serve together. Have Christians over for meals.
Take care of your parents spiritual needs also. Let them talk to you about dying. Help them get to church. Sing, pray, read to them. Do communion. If you live away, make your visits count. Check in with their church home and make sure someone is seeing them.
And if your mate gets sick, take care of them. If they get Alzheimer's, care for them as long as possible.
Taking care of your family will consume your time, energy, and money. You may feel like there is no time left over for you.
Yes, and that is called being a faithful follower of Jesus.
If you do not care for your family, you are worse than the non-believers and you have renounced your faith.
So here is a salute to all of you doing real ministry in your families. Thanks to my sister and to my sister-in-law. Special thanks to my wife. And to my daughter.
And thanks to the kids, spouses, and parents who are carrying an enormous burden caring for their loved ones. They do it because it is ministry. They do it because they follow Jesus. They do it because it is right.
You testify to the truth of the Jesus story. Your life witness is powerful. God is honored.
