Have you ever wondered why so many new believers are so radically all about Jesus? and most of us, who have grown up in church are so lethargic and luke warm? It's an interesting phenomena. I fall into the latter category growing up in church all my life. I didn't live a life addicted to drugs, sex, money and power to have Jesus pull a saul into paul conversion. I knew all the sunday school stories, knew the sermons and what the pastor was trying to preach.
It's similar to a 400m race I think. The new believers are the ones who are crouched on the starting blocks ready to take off with ravaneous faces like a 300 pound, 6ft 5inch line backer wanting to sack the quarterback, drooling at the sound of the whistle to initiate the bloodbath. The rest of us are already running this race metres ahead. We're probably running at a slower pace with sweat running down our faces, stumbling over our feet and the finish line no where to be seen.
This human existence seems like a lifetime to our human feeble minds. But to God it is but a vapour in the wind, here and gone tomorrow. A thousand human years is probably 10minutes in the eyes of our God. The race seems like a marathon with obstacles and hurdles every 10metres. The marker who fired the gun seems no where to be seen and the once heart stopping, life changing cracking sound of the gun is replaced with the sound of moaning, long breaths and desperate plea for a sip of gatorade.
There are two evident characteristics here; one which is radical and a bit unpredictable and another which is steady and "faithful to the end". It is similar to comparing a firework and a rock which has been rolled over to cover a tomb. A firework is easy to set off - you simply light it and enjoy the show. However, to move a rock which has been embedded in the earth is a difficult task and cannot be moved by man alone. It can only be moved by the spirit of God.
On a bit of a tangent, I was reading Mark 15:46 and was surpised to see that Joseph of Arimathea had "rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb". I was a bit dumbfounded because then the stone could of been rolled away just as easy as it was put in. But apparently setting the rock in place was a relatively easy task but once it had slipped into the groove cut in bedrock it was near impossible to move it with human strength.
The "rocks" of our christian community need to be moved by the spirit of God by opening our eyes to see the working of God in our new believers. The new believers of our christian community need to respect and learn from the steadfast and tree like characteristic of our rocks in the christian family.
If I had to choose between the two traits i'm not sure which one I would choose and conclude that both are needed to be a healthy christian. You need believers who are radical, on fire for Jesus and you also need the ones who are steady, firm and have been running this race for years. Together it is a potent and deadly mix for the enemy. I assume this is why satan loathes unity and Jesus champions it.
A good example of this is Peter. The guy was like a firework and a rock mixed together. His faith was steady enough to enable him to walk on water (Matt 14:29) yet his passion was so unpredictable that he severed the ear of a servant who arrested Jesus (John 18:10). This is the man who denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed twice (Mark 14:72) yet this is the man who Jesus chooses to build His church upon. "And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matt 16:18).
You are The Church.
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