Desktop Computer Christians Part 2
Laptop Computer Christians
Scriptures: Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:58
Introduction:
This morning I will take up where I left off on last week. As you may recall, last week I discussed the desktop computer Christians. The desktop computer Christian believes that God exists and inhibits a certain place and that is where they must go when they want to commune and/or interact with Him. They find it difficult to expend too much energy getting to know God on a very personal level and thus their worship is more of a formality versus a developing closeness with God. On a daily basis God remains in a far off place as it relates to their day to day lives. Because they do not see God as being active in their daily lives it is much easier for them to “allow” God to operate through others (pastors, teachers, and other leaders) while they remain on the sidelines. Finally, these individuals refuse to move beyond what they know/believe according to the teachings of their denominational. They know what they know and that is good enough for them. One of the traits of the desktop computer Christians that I told you I could appreciate is that they can be immovable when they believe something. While this can be a frustrating trait when you’re trying to enlighten them, it also means that they will not be blown from side to side with every new age doctrine that comes along. Keep this in mind as we move to the laptop computer Christian.
From a historical perspective, the first laptop computer did not look like nor function like today’s notebook computers. It is believed that the first laptop computer was invented in 1979 by William Moggride of Great Britain. It was one-fifth the weight of other computers and was used by NASA in the early 1980s on the space shuttle program. The first laptop of was bulky and did not have many of the features that we enjoy today on our laptops but it was portable and could sit on one’s lap. The laptop has gone through a series of changes throughout the years but its primary function has remained the same – its portability. Christians who have a laptop mentality carries this same trait – they are portable and they take God with them wherever they go. To make the comparison between the laptop and the desktop, I want to go back to our foundational Scripture from last week. (By the end of this series you will know these two Scriptures by heart.) Turn with me to Matthew 28:18-20. This week I will be reading from the Amplified Bible. It reads: “Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, ‘All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the (very) close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be.”)
I. Location
Last week I shared with you that one of the main things a person had to take into consideration when purchasing a desktop computer was where they would place it. Because the desktop computer was not made to be moved about on a daily basis but to be placed on a desk and left, it required some thinking to decide the best place to put it. That is not the case with a laptop computer. The laptop computer was designed to be totally portable so an individual could carry it wherever they went. If a person were on a business trip; college student going from class to class; etc, they could now have their computer with them to aid in their work/study. This was a great advancement especially after the internet was created. With the laptop computer anyone could have immediate access to their files and be able to create additional files regardless of their location. When a person owned a laptop computer they were not limited by location, space or the connectivity issues that were associated with the desktop computer.
So how does this compare to Christians? The Christian who has developed a laptop mentality understands one basic concept about God – that He is with them wherever they go and is not limited by a location. This thought patterned evolved over time just as the desktop computer eventually led to the development of the laptop computer. As with the laptop computer which they can carry with them as they travel, they understand that God is with them in every location. They do not have to come to Church or any other designated location to feel close to Him as they know He is always with them. This might seem elementary to some of you, but there are many Christians in the world who do not understand this concept. For the laptop computer Christian God is with them everywhere and they are not ashamed of Him. Consider how the Amplified translated Matthew 28:20 which says “Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the (very) close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be.)”
In this verse, the Amplified Bible translates the true meaning of what Jesus was saying. Jesus was stressing to His disciples (and to us) that He would be with them perpetually, uniformly and on every occasion till the end of time. The two words perpetually and uniformly means “lasting for eternity; continuing without interruption” and “always the same; unvarying” respectively. These two words are essential to our understanding of Jesus being with us. Jesus made it clear that He would always be with the disciples and with each of us and our refusing to recognize this does not stop Him for being present. It was not about a specific location where He could be found as He did not dwell in one place.
Because the laptop computer Christians understand that God is everywhere and Jesus is always with them, they do not have a problem talking about God in public. Because God is with them at all times they are willing to talk about Him at any time they are given the opportunity. Let me give you an example. This past Thursday Nikki and I went to the store to pick up a few items. As I was looking for razors, a man walked up to me and asked me how far he was away from Kansas City because he was looking to get some barbeque while he was in town. So I answered his question and continued to shop for my razors. Well, as I shopped he continued to talk. He told me that he was a Christian and how God had changed his life. He talked about being in the band as a teenager and the access to drugs that he had while in the band. After sharing this he told me that God turned his life around and now he was writing songs for God and was thinking about starting his own record label. Ok, by this time I really needed to get back to Nikki so we could get home, but the man was not finished. He told me about one of the songs he wrote and then asked me to “listen to this.” This man then began singing a gospel song that he had written – in the middle of the store. He had his eyes closed as he sung and I could do nothing but stand there while this man sung. People were walking by and staring and all I could do was smile at them while the man kept singing. I thought he would stop after one verse because he was just giving me an idea of the song, but I was wrong. He continued to sing until the song was finished. He was not ashamed or embarrassed and he confessed his love for God. I was the one who was embarrassed at this man singing ‘for me” and my mind went back to last week’s message as I thought “today I am acting like a desktop computer Christian!” This man is someone that I would consider to be a laptop computer Christian as he was definitely carrying God with him and freely letting everyone know.
Laptop computer Christians believe that God is with them no matter where they go and are in a stronger position to fulfill the first step in Jesus’ call for our lives – to go out and make disciples. You see, a person cannot go into all parts of the world making disciples of others if they believe that God is back home in one location. To go out and make disciples requires us to go where “they” are versus waiting for them to show up here. Let’s continue to the accessibility ports.
II. Accessibility Ports
As I shared with you last week, all desktops (and laptops) come equipped with other “ports” that allows a person to connect additional devices to it. However, one of the disadvantages of the desktop computer is that most of it ports are located on the back of the CPU unit which in most cases is hard to access. Because of this depending on where you place the CPU 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. The laptop computer does not have this problem. It has ports that are easily visible and accessible so connecting additional devices to the computer is very simple. This is one of the advantages of a laptop computer versus a desktop computer and is part of its overall portability advantages. But is this really an advantage as it relates to a Christian’s mentality? Absolutely it is!
Remember last week when I shared with you that the Christian who has a desktop computer mentality does not equip themselves to be able to “teach all nations” about Christ because they believe that is the responsibility of those in leadership; how if they come across someone who was in need of additional information, their first option was to bring the person to the Church to talk to someone considered to be a leader and knowledgeable? The laptop computer Christian however does the opposite. Even though they may not have all of the answers, they continue to engage people in the discussions knowing that if they do not know they answer, they know where to go and get it. Having a laptop available (prior to the tablets computers) allowed a person to have immediate access to do research for information when they needed an answer to a question on the spot. The laptop computer Christian has enough personal knowledge of God that they can answer most general questions but understands their limitations and where they need to go to find additional answers for the person they are talking to. They take ownership for their knowledge and personal growth in Christ. They are not made to study but they seek out knowledge because they understand that without it they will not be able to fulfill what Christ has called them to do. Again, consider the words that Paul told Timothy: “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 you have a laptop computer and have been accustomed to having it available, you can feel lost when the computer crashes or something goes wrong with it. Over time we become dependent upon the information available to us through that small computer. Well, if you’re a laptop computer Christian, that dependability is the same. You become dependent on the knowledge you have of Christ and what that knowledge allows you to do. You understand things about God and His responses to this world in such a way that you recognize the power of prayer and expect answers when you pray. A laptop computer Christian is not ashamed about their knowledge of Christ even when they do not have the answer. They are not able to rightly understand the Word and teach it correctly. This is important because as they are more “portable” they will come across a lot of different teachings that potentially conflicts with the truth of God’s word. These Christians, because they are comfortable with their knowledge, are as eager to share Christ with others as that man was with me this past week in the store. I am not saying that they are willing to sing, but they are not ashamed to speak up about Christ and His role in their life.
III. Steadfast, Yet Movable
I shared with you previously that the desktop computer Christians are unmovable and that could be a liability in the growth of their relationship with Christ. I shared with you that Paul told 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) In this verse Paul was stressing excellence as it related to our service to Christ. One of the points that he made was about not giving up (being unmovable) and recognizing that our service, regardless of what it is, is not wasted or futile. Whereas the desktop computer Christian is so unmovable as to only believe what they have been taught through their denomination or “their” Church, the laptop computer Christian is open to the truth – regardless of the source as long as it can be confirmed/proven/and is a correct interpretation of God’s word. They do not believe that one denomination has all of the answers and are the only ones that are right. They do not believe that they are “required” to worship in only one setting. The laptop computer Christian believes that all those who have accepted Christ, despite how they choose to practice their beliefs as it relates to the Church they attend are all brothers and sisters in Him. Therefore, while they feel free to worship and talk with anyone, they still hold fast the basic principles of the Christian faith. They are movable enough to welcome truth, even when it contradicts something they already believe. While they are willing to change, they continue to be steadfast enough to often question “new revelation” doctrines that sounds good but contradicts what the Bible says. Unlike the desktop computer Christians who will only accept things that agree with what they have been taught, the laptop computer Christians understand and practice the belief that while they do not know “everything”, they will not accept anything just because someone popular said it. It has to be proven through the word of God and only then will it be accepted as doctrine.
IV. Greatest Strength/Greatest Weakness
Before I close this message, let me share this with you. Even though the greatest strength of a laptop computer is its portability which allows the owner to have access to data at all times, it also represents it greatest weakness. Unlike the desktop computer, the laptop computer can be broken more easily. They are more prone to being dropped and damaged by having liquids spilled on them and are easily stolen without someone having to enter into someone’s home to get it. The laptop computer Christian can have the same weaknesses. Because they are out interacting with a more diverse group of people about Christ, they are more likely to encounter bad experiences than the person who says nothing at all about their beliefs. They are more likely to be criticized and have negative things labeled upon them because of their stance on social topics. These experiences can hurt and often “damage” the laptop computer Christian. Because they expose themselves to a variety of “Christian” doctrines and teaching; some can be moved away from sound doctrine and take on a belief contrary to the word of God. Paul said in Second Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when (people) will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching (for something pleasing and gratifying), they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold. And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.” (AMP) These are a few of the dangers that faces the laptop computer Christian more so than the desktop computer Christian. Although their willingness to go out beyond the four walls of their Church increases their chances of fulfilling the great commission, it also increases their exposures to pain, ridicule and doctrines that contains just enough truth to fool those who are really trying to serve God faithfully. The laptop computer Christian is not immune to the pain and hardship that comes with standing up for Christ. They are not hiding in a closet when it comes to what they believe and how they practice their faith. But they must also be careful to ensure that the doctrines they accept can be proven by the Word of God. They must constantly be aware of the dangers surrounding them because of their role in winning souls for Christ.
Are you a laptop computer Christian? Do you have God dwelling on the inside of you and allowing Him to use you outside of the four walls of the Church to be a blessing to Him? Are you trying to understand His Word so that you’re not ashamed and can explain why you believe what you believe when asked? Next week we will discuss the tablet (iPad, etc) computer Christians. I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July holiday and have a blessed week this week. God bless!
