The bridge

The habits subject yesterday served as a great bridge between last week's sermon and this week's. Last week we saw Annanias and Saphira die, they were a part of the cleansing of the church from it's sin, the deadly sin of Hypocrisy. I don't believe anything can kill a church faster than hypocrisy, nothing. Pastors who stand behind a pulpit and preach that they love their congregation but are hard to get in touch with or talk to. Pastors who preach love but don't forgive those around them. Church members who act one way at church and a totally different way the rest of the week are all disgusting in the eyes of God.
There was a artist who was serving the king. He decided to do artwork on the side of a magnificent lighthouse structure for the king. He completed the artwork and there was a great celebration as it was dedicated in the king's name. The artist put the king's name accross the top in letters that were clear to be seen by the king. BUt, he covered his own name with those letters and did it in such a way that the first major storm that came along would wash off the king's name and leave the artist's name in plain view. He had given the king the glory for that one day, but from the first rain storm on the glory was his own. I think we are like that even on Sundays, we give God the glory but then let everyone know we were at church so that we are applauded by man.
THis week we are talking about shadows, the shadow that we leave is important to us. 2 Corinthians 3:2 says, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. What is that saying? It's saying that we are a letter, we are a part of God's work and our lives are read by everyone. Many people may never go to church or pick up the Bible, but I don't care who you are a lot of people are reading your life. They are looking to see what you are really like and those are the people outside of church, not the ones in your church families, but your neighbors, friends and co-workers. They are all reading your life's story on a daily basis.
The 5th chapter of Acts tells of people bringing the sick into the streets just hoping to get into the shadow of Peter. What does that say for him when people just want to stand in his shadow? How many people are in your shadow? Your silent testimony that is there wherever you are, and even more how many people even want to be in your shadow? I struggle with this daily, wanting my kids to have a godly example of how to live a life that is pleasing to God. Because P.J. and Alexa are in my shadow, not by choice but by the divine hand of God on our lives, God placed them in my lives, and blessed Tara and I with them, so what I do is of extreme importance to their future relationships with Christ.
So watch your life, your letter to the people around you and make sure it's in tune with God. Remember, the closer you grow to the Son, the larger your shadow will be!
Thanks for reading and have an awesome weekend!