Sermon 20th February
Speaker: Pastor Steve Woods
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Sermon 6th February
Speaker: Pastor Steve Woods
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Sermon 13th February
Speaker: Pastor Steve Woods
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Sermon 6th January 2011
Speaker: Pastor Steve Woods
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Significance or Sacrifice?
I’ve been thinking this week about the difference between significance and sacrifice. I was reading a blog post (http://www.24-7prayer.com/features/1440) that quoted a bloke called Ken McGreavey. He was talking about a lot of things, but one quote in particular stood out to me. Ken said, “As we train young people, we must impart significance, but also sacrifice.”
It got me thinking! Most of the material I’ve read about parenting that has been written in the past 30 years places high importance on teaching kids they are significant and special. There’s nothing wrong with that. Jesus called little children to himself and blessed them and gave them significance in a culture where children usually had none. In our own country in previous generations, children were supposed to be “seen and not heard”. They had no voice. So it was right that the correction came and we valued children more and imparted a greater level of significance to them.
But at what cost?
It seems we have created a generation that is very aware of their significance. Some have been young entrepreneurs and some have been world changers by the time they are 25. However, many young people are just “significant”. In our affluent culture, that means they have just about everything they want, and usually before they want it! How much time do parents spend each week running kids around to sports practices, dance lessons, music lessons, swimming lessons and a zillion other things like the weekly birthday party that everyone in the class has to go to!
Many of the “significant generation” are now parents themselves and see the world through the eyes of significance. Charities know this – people won’t give generously now unless they receive something in return – from raffle tickets to chocolates to tax-deductions. Gimmicky fundraising has become the norm in a society where everyone wants value for their buck.
We’ve created a significant generation of significant people who are very aware of their own significance!
Worst of all, the church has bought into this! Today in churches, we expect great programs for children and youth. In fact, research shows that if you want visitors to stay, a vibrant kids’ ministry is the most important for parents. We build ministry programs, worship and teaching around helping people understand just how important and significant they are in the eyes of God!
Along with “significance” comes consumerism. If I don’t feel special and loved, I look for somewhere else that makes me feel like that. We’ve been so conned by our culture to believe that we must feel happy and important all the time, that we feel a great deal of anxiety when our “personal significance bank” starts to run low.
We’ve created a cultural black hole that is slowly sucking us into its dark void!
While Jesus did talk about significance – actually he seemed to talk more about honour (children, women, orphans, tax collectors, prostitutes) – his kingdom focus led him to teach about sacrifice. In fact, his teaching cuts right against our cultural need for significance. He said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)
Why is it, that in our culture, the churches that preach “You are significant and deserve lots” are big and getting bigger, and the churches that preach “give up everything and follow Jesus” remain small?
Why is it that church leaderships feel the pressure to produce high quality programs, but struggle for people to serve in these ministries?
Why is it that overseas mission is generally reduced to short-term overseas stints in carefully stage-managed experiences rather than lifetime commitments to gospel ministry that defined the first half of last century?
Is the reason we have no time to serve anymore simply that we are spending all our time doing so much to impart significance to ourselves and our kids?
Uncomfortable ……? Me too! I’m starting to pray this week that God will change my need for significance into a radical, Jesus-centred, courageous, self-denying, counter-cultural sacrifice that will bring glory and honour to him!
I dare you to join me!