Desktop Computer Christians Part 1
Scriptures: Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Cor. 15:58
Introduction:
I was traveling in Southeast Kansas this past week and while driving on a long stretch of road I began thinking about how Christians can be like a desktop computer – yeah I know its weird, but it what I was thinking about. I thought about the first desktop computer that Nikki and I owned. It was a Radio Shack Color Computer and we purchased it in the mid 1980s. This computer had 64 kB of memory and could be expanded to 2 MB RAMs of memory. Yes, you heard me correctly, it could be expanded to 2 MB RAMs of memory. It did not have many of the bells and whistles of the modern desktop computers but it was better than the typewriter (with or without the carbon paper).
As I was thinking about the desktop computers my mind naturally went to the differences between a desktop and a laptop computer. My first laptop computer was given to me by the company I worked for back in 1992. Although the laptop was easily 3 inches thick and weighed 3 or 4 pounds, it surpassed my desktop computer. Both were extremely slow compared to today’s computer. I remember loading a Word Perfect software package on the laptop and it took a couple of hours to load it. The laptop represented an advancement over the desktop because of was more versatile which I will get to in my message next week.
This morning I want to you to focus on the desktop computer and my message is titled “Desktop Computer Christians.” As you may be wondering how in the world I will use a desktop computer to describe Christian thinking and I promise that when I am done you will not look at your desktop computer, if you own one, the same way again. So let’s begin with our foundational Scripture. Turn to Matthew 28:18-20. In these verses you will find what is often referred to as the “Great Commission” as Jesus gives His disciples (and us) our marching orders. It reads “And Jesus came up and spoke to them saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB) The charges for Christians are as follows; 1) to go out and make disciples of all nations; 2) baptizing new believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and 3) teaching the people to observe His commandments. Although these are the things that all Christians should be doing in some form or another we have actually gotten away from this mission. The fact that we have gotten away from this mission reminds me of a desktop computer versus a laptop computer. Let me explain.
I. Location
There are many things a person must take into consideration when they choose to purchase a desktop computer. The first and foremost consideration is where they will locate the computer within their home. (For this message I am bypassing all of considerations focused on the features you may want on the desktop.) Before a person buys a desktop computer, they go through their home and determine exactly where they will place the computer. Why is this so important? Well, you must place it in a location where it will have a source of electricity. If you’re planning to connect it to the internet with a router, you must also take this into consideration. The location must also be out of the way of traffic so people are not stumbling over you when you’re working on the computer. The point here is that where you place the desktop is an important decision because once you place it where you want it and connect all of the connections in place you will not be moving it. It is there to stay and because it is unmovable, when you need to use the computer you will go to that one location within your home to use it. You always know where to find it because it stays in one place. Nothing changes with its location so you always know where to find it.
Well there are Christians out there who has a desktop computer mentality as demonstrated by how they walk with Christ. First, they believe that “their” God can only be found in an “approved” location – “their” location. While they may understand that God is everywhere, then tend to feel closest to God when they can go to the place (the Church) where they know He supposedly resides. Because they know the “real” place where God resides, they do not accept all of these other religious teachings, regardless if they sound similar to what they believe. Because they know “exactly” where God is then it is obviously they know “exactly” what God believes. If someone does not believe what they believe then they cannot be of God – in a sense anyway. With this belief comes the idea that God will only speak to them through their pastor or someone within their denomination. You see, like the desktop computer has a designated place within the home and it does not change, God has a designated place with these Christians and His place does not change. Now here is where it begins to get interesting. Because God has a certain location were He can be found if any of their friends want to understand God in the way that they do, their friends must come to the place where God is – their Church. These Christians do not openly talk about their faith and their walk with God because that is something that is supposed to be done in the place where God resides by people who know Him best (the pastors and teachers.) Religious discussions should take place in a religious environment – the Church where God resides. When we need to use the desktop computer we go to the place in our home where the desktop computer resides. The same applies to God for those with a desktop computer mentality – when they need God they go to where they believe God is residing. They do not consider God residing in their hearts as part of their worship experience. Consider how this belief conflict with the Great Commission?
Jesus said that we should “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” and this is extremely difficult to do if you have a desktop computer mentality. The key word in what Jesus said was “Go”. Imagine, if you will, that you packed up your desktop computer and took it with you everywhere you went. Because you wanted to have access to its data at any moment, you carried it from one place to the next always looking for electrical outlets so you can power it up. Can you see yourself doing this? Of course not! The only time that a desktop computer is moved is when you’re moving or you’re changing the furniture that it sits on. Christians who operate with a desktop computer mentality compartmentalize God and their relationship with Him. Because they see God as being in one location (heaven and the Church) they do not mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually accept the fact that He is intimately involved with them on a daily basis. As the desktop computer sits in one place within our homes and we know where to go when we need to use it; some envision God the same way. They do not see Him as walking beside them or living within them, but a God that they must go to in order to commune/interact with Him.
II. Accessibility Ports
Besides the location where you will place your desktop, there is another aspect to the desktop computer that reflects some Christians’ attitude about their relationship with God – the additional ports for connecting other devices to the computer. All desktops (and laptops) come equipped with other “ports” that you can use to connect other devices to them. However, one of the disadvantages of the desktop computer is that most of it ports used for connecting other equipment to it (i.e. printer, router, monitor, etc) are located in a place that is hard to access – on the back of the hard drive case. Because the ports are usually behind the desktop computer hard drive case, depending on where you place the case, you could be on your knees pulling things out to get to the ports you need to access. This can be such a problem that some people choose to just leave it alone unless there is a major problem with the computer. Once they get everything set up just right they refuse to change anything until the computer (or other connected device) dies. At that point people are willing to pay computer technicians good money to do things they could “do” but won’t. There are Christians out there who has this same mentality as it relates to God – they want easy accessibility with very little work on their part. Let me give you an example.
The third commission that Jesus gave as it relates to making all nations disciples was that we should “teach them to observe all that I commanded you.” You cannot make anyone a disciple of anything without first teaching them what they need to know. Likewise, we cannot teach anyone anything without learning the subject matter ourselves and this is where some Christians begin to review their responsibilities to the third commission as someone trying to access a port of the back of a desktop computer. For some, to take the time to learn what is needed to know in order to teach someone else what they need to know about Christ is like trying to find that port on the backside of the desktop when the hard drive in under the desk. To find the port you have to get on your knees, pull the hard drive case out, turn it around, identify which port you need, move all the wires around you so that you can get to it, etc. It is a lot of work in some cases depending on the setup. (Understand, I am comparing this to a laptop which we will discuss next week.) As I said, there are people out there who do not want to go through all of the hassles to fix a connection problem on their computer and would rather bring in a “specialist” who could do it easier. Well, when it comes to our knowing Christ well enough to teach others, many give that responsibility to the Church leaders who have that “special” relationship with God. They do not want to take the time to study the Bible for themselves or to come to bible study where they could possibly learn something from others. You see, in their mind that is taking up to much of their time and energy. They are tired after work and therefore they cannot find the energy to concentrate on a bible study lesson. Therefore, they rely on their pastors, bible study teachers and other leaders to do the job for them. If they have a friend who has questions about the bible, they invite them to Church or bible study so that someone else can get them their answers. Sometimes they will offer to ask someone on behalf of the person to get the answers, but most assuredly those answers will not be coming from them based on their knowledge and understanding. Paul told Timothy to “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing (rightly handling and skillfully teaching) the Word of Truth.) 2 Timothy 2:15 (Amp)
If we have a desktop computer mentality, we believe that there are certain things that are not my responsibility. There are things that are not accessible to me and therefore I do not have to know it. I have done great up to now so why change things? Because I am not “called” to be a leader within the Church there is no need for me to go the trouble of trying to know everything in the Bible. In other words, those accessibility ports behind the computer are too hard to reach so I guess I’d better let someone else do it! A person who has a desktop computer mentality cannot fulfill the great commission because one, they do not see God as being readily available wherever they are and two, they refuse to study and understand His word so that they are able to teach others. Even when they come to Church, they do not take notes on the sermon of the day for their own study later nor do they prepare (pre-read and/or answer the questions) for Sunday School and Bible Study before they come. This mentality says that whatever I need will be provided to me as long as I show up occasionally. If you have not picked up on it yet, I am not a great fan of the desktop Christian mentality. It is extremely limiting as it relates to who God is and what He is capable of doing in our lives. This mentality put God in a box and refuses to believe that He exist anywhere outside of the box. As long as they treat/visit the “box” often then they are doing well. Do you have a desktop Christian mentality?
III. Steadfast and Unmovable
Before I close this message, I want to share with you one of the things that I can appreciate about the person with the desktop computer mentality. Remember earlier when I discussed how the desktop is placed in one area of the house and that is where it is located. It has it own place and is not moved and when you want to use it you know exactly where to find it? If I carry out this message to its furthest end, it would appear that the person who has a desktop computer mentality would have this same attribute – they would be steadfast and unmovable in the things that they know. They would build their world around the knowledge that they possess and would not move from it. Well you might ask why in the world could I appreciate this trait in an individual who it would seem is very stubborn and set in their ways. The answer is simple, they will not be moved by every wind or doctrine that blows by. They know what they want to know and will not take in anything else. They are perfecting what they know and standing firm in it. I can appreciate this trait, even with it frustrations, because at least they are not willing to budge off what they truly believe. Paul said to the Corinthians: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord), knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or to no purpose.) 1 Corinthians 15:58 (Amp)
Can you imagine what America would be like if Christians stood their ground with what they believe? If they did what Paul said to Timothy and became “steadfast, immovable, always being superior, excelling, and doing more than enough in the service of the Lord?” They would not be influenced by what is popular or acceptable by the masses, but used God’s Word as the foundation for their moral value. Yes I know some would say that even the Bible allowed things that would not be acceptable today so that must mean that the Bible is not always correct. To that I would say that the Bible consists of more than just the words of God but also the history (both good and bad) of man. But if Christians held fast to their belief and stood up for what they believed in, then I believe some of the problems facing our nation today would not be, or not to the extent that they are today.
If prayer was left in school; kids would have knowledge of God at an early age in their lives because they would want to know why they were praying. If they chose not to participate, that would be fine too, but at least they could witness it happening. If Christians had stood their grounds about what a marriage consists of, maybe, just maybe, our Supreme Court would have reached a different conclusion this past week. If Christians had stood their ground and kept their focus on God and not man, Church leaders would not have the reputation that we currently have because when someone got in trouble the Church would act quickly versus tolerating the sin. If Christians had stood their ground, the “Christian leaders” who are preaching a gospel other than God’s Word and leading people away from God would be signaled out for blasphemy. If Christians had stood their ground we would not be accepting everything that is being served to us on a silver platter because we are told that it is the way of the new world. So, when it comes to the one trait of the desktop computer mentality being applied to a Christian in that they are immovable and in a place to stay until they dies, I can accept that mentality. I can accept someone choosing to walk with God against the mainstream, even if their understanding is slightly flawed, because they believe what they believe.
In closing this week, I want you to consider the person who has a desktop computer mentality. To them, God exists and inhibits a certain place and that is where they go when they want to commune with Him. They also find it difficult to expend too much energy getting to know God on a very personal level. It is much easier to allow God to operate through others while they operate as the referral point for those seeking more knowledge (they refer those with questions to others who can answer them.) Finally, these individuals refuse to move beyond what they know and have been trained to know according you’re their denominational teachings. They know what they know and that is good enough for them.
Do you have a desktop computer mentality as you consider your walk with Christ? When you go home or get to work tomorrow and you see your desktop computer, ask yourself, “Does my Christian life resemble you?”
I will continue next week. May God bless and keep you is my prayer.
