The Watchtower

Yesterday morning, I was listening to a sermon on false teachers and how they typically come from within the church. One of the scriptures referenced was the parable of the sower...the concept being that, just because the seed has been planted, doesn't mean that whatever happens to the seed, save the one on good soil, involves those individuals suddenly dismissing themselves from the church.

Meaning, it's possible to be in church, hear the word, accept the word, not doing anything with it (choked, stolen, etc), yet continue to be at the church.

It was an interesting analogy, until I sat in church last night. Taking a few moments to reflect on the day while seated during the praise and worship portion of the service, I opened the Bible in front of me to no place in particular. Where do you think I landed?  Yeah...the page on which was the parable of the sower. 

In that moment, it occurred to me...deacons and admins are among the lead positions to watch for false teachers; for in worst case scenarios; what happens when a pastor strays from preaching the "whole counsel of God" and starts preaching what Paul refers to as "another gospel".

The third irony, is the series we've been going through on Wednesday nights.  The past two services have been on the Israelites and the wilderness experience. What happened at Kadesh Barnea; the place of opportunity that God had for them...they missed it, but as a result, they didn't stay where they were...the declined, morally in this case.

So it is with the seed. If the soil is not managed in a way conducive to the seed accomplishing its work, then soon, the landscape looks dismal; in a state of disarray, disrepair. Decline. The work to bring it back to a place for it to be usable again...much time, energy and resources are required.

For this #deaconThursday, pray for deacons, admins, and staff...may they be alert and aware for false teachers. May they be in tune with the things of God and His word to recognize when something is out of line or off base. Pray for guidance and wisdom when such issues arise and handled. Though the conversation be difficult, may it be covered with grace and understanding; not combative and argumentative. Pray that the church would be a place of good soil...not perfect, not holier than though; but a genuine understanding of who we are without God, what we have in Him through Christ and what He has for us through humbling ourselves, knowing our life is not our own. May we live for an audience of 1, not an audience of self.

-PNC

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