CROSS-CONTAMINATION (part one)
By definition, cross-contamination is the process by which bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one substance or object to another, with harmful effect. You might typically hear this in reference to transferring bacteria between raw and cooked food. This can also happen when someone with bacteria on their hands touches food and then someone else comes along and takes the piece of food touched by the contaminated person.
You can do your best to avoid cross-contamination by washing counters, correctly storing uncooked food and thorough hand-washing after touching uncooked food or after using the bathroom. Cross-contamination has come up often since the pandemic started. Preventative measures include frequent hand-washing, as well as not touching your face; especially after touching other surfaces like door knobs, handrails or other publically used items.
When you hear cross-contamination, it's not referring to something good. But today I'd like to turn that around. Normally we would do our best to avoid cross-contamination, but when it pertains to the cross of Christ, it's best to encourage cross-contamination. As typical cross-contamination is done unintentionally, we would intentionally cross-contaminate. As normal cross-contamination has harmful effects, spiritual cross-contamination has positive effects. What can we do to help cross-contaminate others?
1) Understand the problem.
The reason the CDC puts out material about the awareness of cross-contamination is because they realize the damaging effects of it. They know the spread of bacterial illnesses and diseases would come to a halt if certain measures were taken by the population at large. So they put out public service announcements, publish articles, print flyers, whatever will help to get the message out that this is serious and needs our attention.
Well, it works the same in the spiritual realm. The first thing we need to understand in order to be motivated to cross-contaminate is realizing that we are all contaminated by sin. The spiritual bacteria of sin has infected 100% of the population. No one is exempt from contracting this virus. Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. So, there needs to be a remedy for our contamination problem.
In the NIV, the only chapter the words contaminated or contamination are found is Lev. 13. This is where God gave instructions to the Isrealites for how to deal with contaminated articles. In chapter 14, he follows that up by addressing people with infectious diseases. You could say chapter 13 deals with contaminated things and chapter 14 deals with contaminated people.
It's kind of a lengthy passage so I won't go through it but there's an interesting correlation between the literal and spiritual remedy. If a person had an infectious disease they were quarantined outside the camp (obviously we know about that with covid-19). When Jesus suffered for our sins, he was crucified outside the city (camp).
After one week they were examined and if they were ok, they needed to go through a cleansing process in order to be ceremonially clean. Disease was a symbol of sin and it caused a person to be ceremonially unclean. Likewise, because of our sin we are unclean. We need to go through a cleansing process too.
When an Israelite was going through the process, they needed to perform a ritual. Two birds were used, one was killed and the other set free. Before the live bird was set free, scarlet thread, hyssop and the live bird were dipped into the blood of the dead bird and the person was sprinkled seven times. Then, the live bird was released into the open field.
Seven was a number synonymous with completion and perfection. Hence, Jesus' blood of perfection cleanses us; making us complete and whole. The use of hyssop was common for cleansing and purification ceremonies. In fact, David made a correlation with spiritual cleansing in Psalm 51:7, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
One of the words that is synonymous with contaminated is dirty. That's what we were in our sin-dirty. We were contaminated; we were banished outside the camp. But Jesus came and died; he became my contamination so I could be cleansed. Jesus is the bird that died and I am the bird that was set free.
After the diseased person went through this, he was allowed into the camp but had to stay outside his tent for seven days. On the eighth day, he needed to bring sacrificial lambs to the priest. Two lambs and one ewe lamb for the sin, guilt and burnt offerings. These lambs needed to be without defect; unblemished.
But the cute little one-year-old ewe lamb was the one reserved for the sin offering. And there you have the contrast-the most precious creature sacrificed for the most despicable act. That's Jesus. He is the most precious sacrificial lamb who gave his life for our ugly and repulsive sin-removing our guilt and setting us free. The lamb without blemish or defect became stained with sin so I could be washed clean and come out whiter than snow.
Lev. 14:19a, "Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness." So it's interesting that the process for dealing with contaminated people in Leviticus has some parallels with our spiritual cleansing. But we need to see this in order to be effective in cross-contamination. We need to see the great contamination of the people.
They're working hard on developing a vaccine for the covid-19. We have the vaccine for spiritual contamination. We have tested it and we know it works. What if someone developed a vaccine for covid-19, tested it on themselves and knew it worked; but decided not to say anything to anyone? How would such a person be viewed? How could this person live with themselves knowing people are dying when all along they had what would cure them?
That's what we have-the antidote for spiritual contamination. We need to see the need to spread the news and give the people what they need. But, they need to want it. There will be some people who won't want the covid-19 vaccine. They don't trust it; they're skeptical for whatever reason.
The same goes for the spiritual vaccine. Some will not trust the source; they will question the effectiveness. They will deny their need for it. They will not be willing to accept the terms and changes necessary for receiving it. We can't do anything about that. We're responsible for offering the remedy but the other person is responsible for accepting it.
Phil. 3:17-19, "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things." "Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ".
They are enemies of salvation through Christ. Against the idea that the Son of God would die on a cross. They're enemies of what Jesus represented in being willing to go to the cross-selflessness. They're against that because their lives are about pleasing self.
A synonym for contamination is impure. Living as an enemy of the cross is to live an impure life. Before Christ our god was self; our stomach as Paul put it. Our minds were on earthly things. And that impurity made us God's enemy.
And with the outcome being destruction, we can see why contamination is the biggest problem. Paul was in tears because of this reality. He understood the severity of the problem. It pained him to see people living in opposition to the one he loved with all his heart. And he knew what the remedy was and he wanted people to come to see that. We need to feel the same way. In order to cross-contaminate we need to understand and care about the problem.
2) Understand the power.
1 Cor. 1:11-17, "My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas’”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?
I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."
Paul needed to diffuse some bickering that was headed in the direction of factions and discord. Like I talked about in the partnership sermon, Paul needed to set the people straight that it's not about Paul or Apollos or anyone else, it's about Christ and the church as a whole. So Paul wants to keep the focus on Jesus. He didn't want the power of the gospel message to be erroneously transferred to those who were spreading the gospel.
In this case, there was an emphasis being placed on who was baptizing people. So when Paul said that Christ did not send him to baptize, he isn't minimizing the role baptism plays in conversion; he's dismantling the emphasis that was being placed on who was doing the baptizing. It didn't matter how many people he baptized; it wasn't a contest.
So Paul didn't say these things because because baptism is insignificant but because when you start to focus on who's doing it you take the focus off of Jesus and put it onto his servant. The power of the gospel is seen not in the one presenting it but in the one who made salvation possible-Jesus. Human wisdom cannot explain it; human reasoning cannot justify it. In fact, to those who don't have eyes to see; it's foolish.
1st Cor. 1:18-21, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age?
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe."
"The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing". To those who are in the darkness, it's the cross that's contaminated; not them.
A tribe in the jungle were all becoming ill. A missionary doctor went into the village to try and help them. He suspected and soon discovered the contaminated water they were drinking was causing their sickness. To show the natives this the missionary set up a table in the village. Then, using a microscope, he showed them the contamination that was in the water.
Later that night when the village was quiet and everyone was thought to be asleep, somebody broke into the missionary's office and smashed the microscope. For them, no more microscope--no more problem. To these villagers, the water wasn't the problem; it was the microscope. To some people, their sin isn't the problem; it's whatever exposes their sin is the problem. I need to be saved? Salvation is through Jesus alone? Surrender the control of my life over to Jesus? All contamination.
The wisdom of the world can't accept faith-it needs facts (but how many of their 'facts' are based in theories?) The wisdom of the world won't accept something unless it's proven to them. If it doesn't make sense; it can't be real. The unexplained is delusional; just fairy tales and fantasies. There is no God; there is no afterlife. All of that nonsense is merely pipe dreams and wishful thinking.
Yet God confounds worldly wisdom and renders it foolish. God proves himself all the time for those who have eyes to see. It's been said that it takes more faith to believe there isn't a God than to believe there is.
Part of the power of the cross is seen in humility and the acceptance of such things as our spiritual poverty and our need for God. It's seen in understanding that meekness is not weakness and that it's a blessing to be persecuted.
The ways of Jesus run counter to the ways of the world. The world sees what Christians are about and call it foolishness. Why do you believe the bible; they're just fables; the words of men? Why do you put up with people mistreating you? Why don't you get even with them? Why would you pray for them?
If we let people convince us we're stupid to believe the bible and follow Jesus then we'll become ashamed of it. But Paul said in Rom. 1:16a, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."
There were people who thought Paul was insane for his belief and actions. "What's gotten into you, Paul? You used to be smart; you used to see those Christians as evil. And now you're one of them! You're getting thrown into prison because of this Jesus. You're an idiot; you're brainwashed. You should be ashamed of yourself."
But Paul wasn't ashamed. Why? Because the scales had fallen from his eyes and he now knew the truth. And he was on fire for everyone else who had blinded eyes to be able to discover the truth he had come to know and understand. He knew that trying to follow the commands wasn't going to save you. He knew that all the religious rituals weren't going to put you in God's favor.
He knew that the only way to be forgiven is for Jesus to set him free. When Jesus revealed himself to Paul, he realized that Jesus was not a false prophet; he was the real deal-he was the Son of God who was to come into the world to save mankind from their sins.
People might try to make us ashamed of being a Christian. Try to make us think we're fools for giving to the church or even going to church each week, for that matter. But it's not foolishness; it's power. The gospel is the only way to be saved; the only way to escape eternal damnation. Only the gospel has that power. My fate is determined on whether I accept it or reject it. No other message carries that much weight.
So, no matter who ridicules it, no matter who gets angry with us for believing it, we need to press on and continue to try to reach people with the truth of the gospel. Most will probably laugh, scoff or just politely dismiss it, but some will not. We will be better at cross-contamination when we see the soul-saving power of the gospel.
The power of the gospel decontaminates. When we lived our lives in spiritual contamination we didn't know any different since everyone around us was contaminated like we were. One way to help someone realize the difference is to show them what decontamination looks like.
A group of explorers in Africa came across some natives who for centuries had made their home on the banks of this one particular river. They showed the explorers the polluted stream that they drank from. It was filled with dirt and every contamination imaginable. The natives had developed a method of swishing over the top of the water to get the bigger chunks out before scooping it up to drink.
One of the explorers took his canteen and poured out a large cup of crystal-clear water and handed it to one of the older women of the tribe. She took the cup, pressed it to her lips, and didn’t put it down until she had drained it. Through an interpreter she said she never dreamed there was anything in this world as sweet and wonderful as that.
That's what we're trying to do with people. Show them the contrast; show them how sweet the living water is.
Ps. 34:8, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."
We're inviting people to come try the clean, pure, tasty water we have found. We're trying to help them see that the water they're currently drinking is dirty and is making them sick. Then we give them a taste of spiritual water. We share the word, our story and show them our example.
We need to realize that people are thirsty for spiritual water. The village woman didn't pull the cup away from her lips until it was empty. I guarantee if the explorer gave her another cup she would've heartily drank that one down too. And all the other villagers would be saying, "hey, I want some of that water too."
There are people out there who are thirsty but they're looking in all the wrong places to quench their thirst. They don't realize how refreshing and satisfying the living water is. And they don't know where to find it. We need to show them where it is; we need to show them what they're missing. Part of the power of the gospel can be seen in providing the contrast between contamination and decontamination.
