Month: August 2017

No one can dispute the blessings technology affords us in making the Word of God accessible in virtually any setting imaginable. We can download sermon videos or podcasts, sit in virtually on Bible studies, listen to our favorite hymns or worship bands, be edified through blogs, follow pastors we respect on social media for encouragement and inspiration, and the list goes on. And, we can do all of these things without even setting foot in a church!

And the devil eats it up.

Now don’t get me wrong: the devil is not thrilled that you are using your phone to stay connected to the Word of God. He doesn’t dig that part of it (he would much rather you made use of its more destructive and damaging purposes). However, he will count it as a long-term win if the believer’s connection to a phone replaces the believer’s connection to a church home.

Here is my point: that screen in your hand has the ability to bring countless spiritual blessings to you day in and day out, if you choose to use it that way. It will not, however, ever replace a local congregation of Christians. To think otherwise is to forfeit the many unique blessings Jesus provides for his children who come together as a church. Two blessings in particular that come to mind are those of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. My phone is neither smart enough nor is it properly equipped to grant me the grace that comes through those gifts God gives to his church that gathers together in person.

Neither can my phone greet me with the beaming smile and firm handshake of a brother in the faith who is genuinely delighted to see me on Sunday morning (or whenever worship takes place). Nor can my phone provide the hug and consolation of a sister in Christ who is bearing a burden similar to mine. Nor can my phone allow me to slip over to the single mom struggling with her little ones and give her a break by offering to sit with her and help, or step outside with an antsy child in need of a break. Nor can my phone reach out to introduce myself to the new face who showed up that morning. Nor can my phone… you get the picture.

I am not downplaying the blessings we can appreciate through our phones and I am not advocating a “phone fast” that says you can’t or shouldn’t use it as a spiritual aid. All I am offering is a caution that we don’t allow it to replace the local Christian congregation, because it simply can’t do that, no matter how smart it is.

We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming” (Hebrews 10:25 GW).

You’re undoubtedly familiar with the K.I.S.S. approach – “Keep It Simple, Stupid” (you may substitute “Silly” for “Stupid” if use of that word is discouraged in your home). The idea behind the approach is pretty straight-forward: we’re better off keeping things simple rather than making them unnecessarily complicated. Generally speaking, the simpler something is, the less risk there is of confusion or error.

Do you suppose it’s possible that there is an avoidance of, or an aversion to, Christianity, because we can make it more complicated than it needs to be? In no way do I mean to marginalize the Bible or imply that doctrine is unimportant. But, to the extent that one fails to see the forest for the trees, maybe a reminder about the simplicity of Christianity is in order. It really isn’t that complicated.

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

There you have it. Or don’t. But what determines whether or not you have it is whether or not you have the Son, Jesus Christ. To have him as Savior is to have life; to not have him is to not have life.

Some balk in disgust that it should be so easy. But I didn’t say it was easy (recall what the Father chose to give up, after all!). If it was easy, I suspect the whole world would be Christian, since “easy” is what we all seem to be chasing. No, I said it was simple. And it is.

Beautifully simple.