In his book, Intellectuals Don’t Need God and Other Modern Myths (Page 73), theologian Alister McGrath tells about his friend’s stamp collecting hobby. His friend, he says, “is perfectly capable of telling me everything I could possibly want to know about the watermarks of stamps issued during the reign of Queen Victoria by the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. And while I have no doubt about the truth of what he is telling me, I cannot help but feel that it is an utter irrelevance to my life.”
Christianity strikes many unbelievers the same way, McGrath says. They simply see no need for a religion that is 2000 years old and, apparently, has had its day. How is it relevant to them?
But the struggle to find relevance in the Christian faith doesn’t belong to unbelievers alone. Many believers today, struggle with the challenge of proving the relevance of the Christian faith to an unbelieving world.
In an article written by Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced cha-vi-jin), the current pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and the grandson of Billy and Ruth Graham, he makes this bservation: “Recently I was flipping through a couple of well known Christian magazines. I counted six full-page advertisements for upcoming conferences designed to help churches adapt in order to meet modern needs - ‘new ways for new days.’ They emphasized improved techniques, programs, methods, and advertising strategies.”
He quotes Os Guinness, who says, “‘The ultimate factor in the church’s engagement with society is the church’s engagement with God,’ not the church’s engagement with the latest intellectual or corporate fashion.” And then he makes this point: “The relevance of the church doesn’t depend on its ability to identify the latest cultural trends and imitate them. Our greatest need as twenty-first-century churches is not structural but spiritual.”
Now, while I believe that in reaching unbelievers for Christ, we should follow the admonition of Paul to “become all things to all people so that by all possible means (we) might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22), we must always remember that while our methods might change with changing times, our message must never change. It is not any particular method that makes a difference in a person’s life, but as Paul tells us in Romans 1:16, it is the message of the Good News that “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”
We must relate to people using a variety of methods to share with them the relevant message of the Good News. Which is that God, in Christ, came to do for us what we could never do for ourselves. He made Himself known to us and paid the price of sin for us. He now invites us to know Him, to follow Him and to share eternity with Him.
Many have concluded Christianity is just another religion because many believers take a religious approach to living the Christian life - focusing on keeping rules and regulations rather than cultivating a growing love relationship with God. It makes sense, then, that the key to the world recognizing the relevance of Christianity requires that believers return to a proper focus on loving God and loving others.
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1. The way of relevance - vs. 8-10
Paul echoes what Jesus taught in the Great Commandment.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
The priority of every believer is to grow in our love relationship with God. The end result will be that we will love others as we should.
Such a life will surpass the requirements of the law. The reason is that love always goes the second mile. Instead of stopping at not committing adultery, a life lived in love will surpass the requirements of the law by treasuring one’s spouse. Instead of stopping at not committing murder, we treasure life. Instead of stopping at not stealing, we develop a life of generosity. Instead of stopping at not coveting our neighbor’s things, we will take steps to bless and enrich their lives.
“Not many go the extra mile . . . so there’s not much traffic.” - Roger Staubach
The Romans, under the subjugation of a military machine and a cruel, relentless emperor, found themselves in a culture that was lacking in love. And Corinth, the city from which Paul wrote the letter, with its immoral sexual practices, also needed to learn the gift of love. Love is also what is needed in Portales, New Mexico, across the country, and around the world. The greatest need of men anywhere today is to learn about the love of God. Love makes a difference.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:8 that “Love never fails.” That’s why in 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul called love, “the most excellent way.”
Believers whose priority is to love God, can properly show love to others, and thus, demonstrate the relevance of the Christian message.
2. The why of relevance - vs. 11-12a
Why is a focus on loving God and loving others so important? Because the time we have to influence others for Christ is short.
A. This is the only time we can show love and share Christ - v. 11a
We have said that the heart of our church is to: “Help others through ministry, which is our greatest privilege; Encourage one another through fellowship, which is our greatest pleasure; Adore Christ through worship, which is our greatest passion; Reach the lost through evangelism, which is our greatest priority; Train believers in discipleship, which is our greatest pursuit.”
Why do we describe evangelism as our greatest priority? Because it is the only purpose we will not be able to fulfill in heaven.
B. This is our time to show love and share Christ - v. 11b-12a
We have only one life, and it will one day come to an end, either by means of our death or our Lord’s return.
“Live wisely among those who are not believers,and make the most of every opportunity.” - Colossians 4:5 (NLT)
3. The how of relevance - vs. 12b-14
How do I live my life in such a way as to demonstrate the relevance of the Christian faith to others by showing love and sharing Christ? Paul tells us the secret by using the illustration of getting dressed each day. He tells us we need to daily choose to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. What does this mean? Two thoughts:
A. We need to daily live in the reality of His presence.
The clothes I have on determine what I do and how I behave. If I am working in the yard I choose to put on appropriate clothes. The clothes I put on today are not clothes for doing yard work. If we daily choose to “clothe ourselves with Christ” we will be living in the reality of His presence and will be less likely to do things that dishonor Him. Like not showing love and sharing Christ.
B. We need to daily live in reliance on His power.
“When you put on Jesus, you are putting on the capacity to love. Read the Gospels and you will find that the striking thing about Jesus of Nazareth was his ability to love. He would put his hand on a
loathsome leper to heal him, even though the law forbade that. He would reach out to a lost woman or a drunkard and speak a healing word in their lives. He treated the lowly the same as he did the higher-ups. He loved people. Everywhere people were struck with him. When you put on Jesus, that is what you are putting on - the capacity to love.” - Ray Steadman
Conclusion: (Show video - “Clothed in Christ”)
“The church is a body from which God extends His love to all people.” - David Putman, Detox for the Overly Religious
