Recently, at a clergy gathering, we had a serious discussion among colleagues of the sad state of the Christian church on earth. While there are obviously exceptions to this being a universal condition, it is also equally true that in western societies, where affluence rules the day, apathy toward the triune God has sadly set in. Churches and denominations minimize the Word of God, the basic Biblical doctrines that shouldn't even be up for debate, and serve created things and self interests, rather than the creator who is forever to be praised. (Romans 1:25).
I really don't like resorting to social media "memes" for illustrative purposes, but something that predates even modern social media often made it's rounds via email 25 years ago. This is a compilation of a couple of different sources on these located on the internet (along with that email from long ago). It expresses precisely why God's church on earth is imploding right now, as it has done repeatedly throughout human history. I pray that as before, God resurrects it once again and raises up a new generation of faithful leaders, that we all may see the wisdom of God in His Holy Word, and offer our praise and service to the triune God alone. How many of these are we guilty of?
Funny Isn’t It?
Funny how we call God our Father and Jesus our Friend, but find it hard to introduce them to our friends.
Funny how much difficulty some have learning the gospel well enough to tell others, but how simple it is to understand and explain the latest gossip about someone else.
Funny how a $10 bill looks so big when you take it to church, but so small when you take it to the mall.
Funny how big an hour serving God looks and how small 60 minutes are when spent watching television, playing sports, sleeping or taking a lunch break.
Funny how long a couple of hours spent at Church is but how short they are when watching a good movie.
Funny how we get thrilled when a football match goes into overtime, but we complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time.
Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the Bible and how easy it is to read 200-300 pages of a best selling novel.
Funny how we believe what a newspaper or the internet says, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how people scramble to get a front seat at a concert, but scramble to get a back seat at the church service.
Funny how we cannot fit a gospel meeting into our monthly schedule but we can schedule other events at a moment's notice.
Funny how we look forward to that big date on Friday or Saturday night, but complain about getting up for church on Sunday morning.
Funny how we are rarely late to work, but always late to church.
Funny how small our sins seem, but how big their sins are.
Funny how people are so consumed with what others think about them rather than what God thinks about them.
Funny how we demand justice for others, but expect mercy from God.
Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray, but don't have any difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend.
Funny how we are so quick to take directions from a total stranger when we are lost, but are hesitant to take God's direction to be found.
Funny how so many churchgoers sing "Standing on The Promises" but all they do is sit on the premises.
Funny how people want God to answer their prayers but refuse to listen to His Counsel.
Funny how we sing about heaven, but live only for today.
Funny how people think they are going to Heaven but don't think there is a hell.
Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they don't have to believe, or to think, or to say, or to do anything.
Funny how people think that they can get more accomplished in a lifetime without God than in an hour with Him.
Funny how it is okay to blame God for evil and suffering in the world, but it is not necessary to thank Him for what is good and pleasant.
Funny how when something goes wrong, we cry, "Lord, why me?" but when something goes right, we think, "Hey, it must be me!"
Funny how we all need to read these.
Or wait... these aren't so "funny" after all.
