This post, like the blog on the spread of memes - and how spreading the Gospel, with the great love and salvation Jesus gives should be just as
easy - touches on a specific Internet fad, as well as a much more ancient tradition: the Olympics.
Even in the 1500 or so years the Olympics weren't around, people could identify with Paul's use of masteries to describe how we should live the Christian life. It might seem silly to compare Pokemon Go to them - after all, fads are often forgotten by many soon after they appear. How many remember pogs, for instance?) Still, it makes an apt analogy for today, just as Paul used a few sports as illustrations. After all, here people are
not just picking up on a meme, they are actively looking for something.
Where's Waldo
Games have kept our attention for quite a while. Some of
those playing this new app may be familiar with Where's Waldo books,
where kids look for a character named Waldo in a huge
crowd. In fact, one could argue that this is a life-sized version of Where's Waldo, where one actually gets out and looks.
Apparently, though I know nothing about it, there are
other creatures to find in this game, but we won't get into that. We
don't know much about Waldo either, and he could easily have a large
family. Seriously, the idea of searching for something is
wonderful. It gets people active, and help them realize they can
accomplish something.
If we had a where is Jesus app, we would want
to look in the Bible. We would also find Godly attributes in the people
of God and hang around them because they should edify us and we them -
we should bear each other's burdens, love one another, encourage one
another, exhort one another, and so on. All this is because we are the
light of the world and the salt of the earth, God lives in each of us
through the Holy Spirit .
But, you're saying, there has to be more to this blog post than just that, right?
Yes. That above is plenty, of course. It is important, in
this difficult world, to seek what will bring us the peace, comfort,
help, and so much more that we lack. And, most of all, we must seek that
forgiveness and salvation that we all crave, that unconditional love
which God provides.
However, there is even more that our ever-loving God has for us.
However, there is even more that our ever-loving God has for us.
"Go" is also vital. Because we are told to go and make
disciples of every nation. So, this will also exhort each of us, myself
included, to go more often.
Go into all the world
So, people are going around in so many different places to find these creatures. While it's true they don't have to interact with them in reality - and with some of them it's possible they wouldn't want to - they are still going in search of things.
There have been stories of people wandering into dangerous parts of zoos, where are real animals could attack them, and walking into poles and other things. In other words, people just being rather silly.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the silliness, if it is done unto the Lord and something that is pleasing to him. I skip down the street sometimes a little bit when I walk. 1st Corinthians 10:31 does tell us whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do all for the glory of God.
However, we are the rewards in heaven because of what we do for Him. Even better than looking for Waldo in a book or some creature on an app is searching for people to tell the wonderful good news of the Gospel to. Because, the only things we can take with us are souls of those who are saved.
However, Heaven will be filled with things more wonderful than we can even imagine. 1st Corinthians 2:9. This life is so awful for some people, while for others it may be good on the outside they may be hurting on the inside. Still others may be wondering, with all the problems in the world, is it coming to an end soon or will something else awful happen?
These are people who need to be told of the fabulous stuff that is waiting for us in Heaven. Heaven will not be boring, it will be a fabulous place where, in the words of a 105 year old believer who died in Scotland recently, "Thank the Lord for good friends, I'm going to be here forever and ever!" Those friends that maybe we wish we had, they'll be there. The fun we wish we could have instead of the drudgery of life, it will be there in Heaven. It will be a place of no pain, no suffering.
There is a horrible alternative, though, which God did not create for humans. He only created hell for the devil and those angels who rebelled. Matthew 25 41. However, people go there when they choose on their own to reject Jesus Christ. They need to be told that he is real and that He has saved them from their sins, and then all they need to do is call on Him by faith to save them and forgive them, believing that He died on the cross for them to take the punishment for their sins and rose from the dead.
What an incredible Adventure, to go and tell people that their sins are forgiven, if they will only receive it. They don't have to come to church, they can be led to Christ right there on the street, wherever you are.
This is what we should be doing. This is why there are Ministries like our YouthQuake Ministry, and why we need so many more helpers and so many more funds for our radio. We led 5 kids to Christ at a club meeting recently and could do so much more in inner-city Canton. It is why we have Youth Leader Training Institute, YLTI, so we can include the young people and train them to go into their schools and start prayer and devotion clubs and leave their friends to Christ and help them grow in the Lord.
So, please, give if you feel led, you can see on our website how. We have missionaries and staff who need support so that they don't have to work secular jobs and can concentrate on the ministry. Support our golfathon and other things, so we can have a larger radio show as well. Work in your own Community also, wherever God has placed you.
But most importantly comma remember that we are called to go ourselves. And that is people can go around with an app finding imaginary things, that life-sized version of Where's Waldo - nay, World sized version - then surely we can go out and share the gospel, even doing so via the Internet like this. Just as Paul exhausted believers 2 work like Olympians who try for a corruptible crown, strive for an uncorruptible one by searching hard for those who need Christ and sharing His love with them.
Go into all the world
So, people are going around in so many different places to find these creatures. While it's true they don't have to interact with them in reality - and with some of them it's possible they wouldn't want to - they are still going in search of things.
There have been stories of people wandering into dangerous parts of zoos, where are real animals could attack them, and walking into poles and other things. In other words, people just being rather silly.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the silliness, if it is done unto the Lord and something that is pleasing to him. I skip down the street sometimes a little bit when I walk. 1st Corinthians 10:31 does tell us whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do all for the glory of God.
However, we are the rewards in heaven because of what we do for Him. Even better than looking for Waldo in a book or some creature on an app is searching for people to tell the wonderful good news of the Gospel to. Because, the only things we can take with us are souls of those who are saved.
However, Heaven will be filled with things more wonderful than we can even imagine. 1st Corinthians 2:9. This life is so awful for some people, while for others it may be good on the outside they may be hurting on the inside. Still others may be wondering, with all the problems in the world, is it coming to an end soon or will something else awful happen?
These are people who need to be told of the fabulous stuff that is waiting for us in Heaven. Heaven will not be boring, it will be a fabulous place where, in the words of a 105 year old believer who died in Scotland recently, "Thank the Lord for good friends, I'm going to be here forever and ever!" Those friends that maybe we wish we had, they'll be there. The fun we wish we could have instead of the drudgery of life, it will be there in Heaven. It will be a place of no pain, no suffering.
There is a horrible alternative, though, which God did not create for humans. He only created hell for the devil and those angels who rebelled. Matthew 25 41. However, people go there when they choose on their own to reject Jesus Christ. They need to be told that he is real and that He has saved them from their sins, and then all they need to do is call on Him by faith to save them and forgive them, believing that He died on the cross for them to take the punishment for their sins and rose from the dead.
What an incredible Adventure, to go and tell people that their sins are forgiven, if they will only receive it. They don't have to come to church, they can be led to Christ right there on the street, wherever you are.
This is what we should be doing. This is why there are Ministries like our YouthQuake Ministry, and why we need so many more helpers and so many more funds for our radio. We led 5 kids to Christ at a club meeting recently and could do so much more in inner-city Canton. It is why we have Youth Leader Training Institute, YLTI, so we can include the young people and train them to go into their schools and start prayer and devotion clubs and leave their friends to Christ and help them grow in the Lord.
So, please, give if you feel led, you can see on our website how. We have missionaries and staff who need support so that they don't have to work secular jobs and can concentrate on the ministry. Support our golfathon and other things, so we can have a larger radio show as well. Work in your own Community also, wherever God has placed you.
But most importantly comma remember that we are called to go ourselves. And that is people can go around with an app finding imaginary things, that life-sized version of Where's Waldo - nay, World sized version - then surely we can go out and share the gospel, even doing so via the Internet like this. Just as Paul exhausted believers 2 work like Olympians who try for a corruptible crown, strive for an uncorruptible one by searching hard for those who need Christ and sharing His love with them.
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