By Bill Hybels
Pastor Raushenbush was right in predicting that he and I would feel essentially the same way on the Sandwich/Jesus issue. Stretching the metaphor a bit, I would add that the acid test for whether a person has indeed eaten the "Jesus" sandwich is whether or not he or she is then motivated to spend every day until the dying day offering both sandwiches—salvation and sustenance—to as many hungry people as possible.
One of the great joys of my life has been to pastor a church that is unusually intentional about reaching people far from God. For 32 years now, I have had a front-row seat to observe how lost people get found and how found people get grown up. In my experience, the sandwich question is irrefutably answered as the Holy Spirit does his sanctifying work in the heart and mind of a freshly-redeemed person. What I mean by that is in virtually every case, when I see a life get transformed by the atoning work of Christ, it is not long before that new believer sees the plight of the poor.
Usually within months of a person's salvation experience, there is both a sincere desire to pass on the message of Christ to any and all, and an equally intense desire to do whatever is necessary in the name of Christ to eradicate injustice, relieve oppression, and alleviate suffering of any kind. Selfless service of this sort isn’t normal according to human nature; purely and simply, the desires are born out of the work of the Holy Spirit.
My point is that if new Christ-followers were not misguided by those who force an either-or mindset to the sandwich question, I am quite sure that the Holy Spirit himself would lead them eventually to adopt a both-and approach.
In my teaching and leadership over the past several years, I have relied on two words to help keep our congregation at Willow Creek balanced on these issues: redeem and restore. I love how those two words fall phonetically, but more important, I love how they fall theologically. There’s nothing better than to see new believers around our church begin to weave those words into their everyday vocabulary; better still is when they begin to live them out in their everyday lives.
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I was out this morning prayer walking and heard a cry from a women in distress. I turned on my heals and headed for the sound. As I was turning a corner I ran smack into another women, bible in hand -- prayer walking too. Amazing grace. We had never met each other before, excited to meet we talked and prayed and praised God. Her call is to the Gang members that dominate the streets after hours. She does this by living in the neighborhood, engaging in relationship (she is a foster parent too) and like me she expects miricles and wonders to point the way to God.
I have met a few others just like her, people who live in the communitty they pray for. Our hearts is for the power of God to transform lives. We agreed that together we will engage our God, love our God and believe that He has a plan for the our neighborhood which includes the leaders of the soup kitchens, the people who frequent them, and the neighbors that have to put up with the fall out.
Together we believed in God's destiny for the people who live next door and across that street. One life at a time, God's will be done.
We do not have to live in a foreign country to have the experiance of a missionary. We can emerse ourselves in a life that will transform others today. I believe that God's children should put their time, prayer and lives on the front line (which in my opinion is the safest place to be). And let that be our tutor. A program will not save the poor, money will not save the poor, food will not save the poor....God through us, that is what will bring food, healing, peace to the poor. Where else will we go for Christ has the Words for life. How is that reprehensible?
"That said, framing the debate as "Jesus vs. Sandwich" does raise the question of the primary message of Christianity. Was Jesus’ mission on earth to save individual souls for a future eternal life in heaven or to redeem and transform human lives here and now?"
Jesus seemed to preach that it was something to look forward to this idea He was preaching. His preaching transformed lives by offering people a "future" in heaven. In fact He said that "the world" would hate His followers the way it hated Him first. So much for "heaven on earth."
"My kingdom is not of this world."
Jesus to His secular/pagan interogator Pilate.
Jesus fed thousands of people in a stunning show of a miracle (though the picnickers propably were unaware of it) and was left with just a few followers at the Cross.
How many well fed high school and college students (public schools) are becoming followers of Christ Jesus? Only the unmarried and pregnant ones probably.
Many are becoming secular-humanist, socialist-hedonists.
Jesus preached "the Gospel." The Good News that the kingdom of God was at hand. Obviously He didn't mean that all of the streets in Palestine were going to turn into gold and precious jewels. Heaven is something that awaits the faithful.
The "Social Gospel" preached by liberals, is just another way of selling Marxist communism. And we all know how far from Christ that is. And not to mention . . . the Social Gospel of actually preaching and teaching about Jesus "in society" is opposed by every leftist progressive liberal with life still in their bodies and those that have died.
Time to wake up people (Christian people).
Posted by: Donny | September 17, 2007 9:07 PM
Didn't Jesus also say to His disciples that "the poor" you (they/we) will have always but that He wouldn't be around on earth for long? He preached Himself as if that was even more important. Did he not?
Didn't He also say that He was going to prepare a place for us in heaven?
"Come and go with me to my Father's house, come and go with me to my Father's house. It's a big, big house, with lots and lots of rooms, with a big, big table, with lots and lots of food, a big, big house . . . it's my Father's house."
But Yes, YES and YES . . . we should feed and clothe and care for the poor in the world today. Jesus said He's one of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesus said a lot.
Posted by: Donny | September 17, 2007 9:15 PM
In deed, He did say alot. So I will go and heal the sick, raise the dead, clense the leapor, and set the captive free. Freely I have received, freely I will give. I believe, in fact I am convinced that God's Kingdom has come, here on this earth as it is in heaven. It is by co-labouring that life, abundent life happens in me and through me and around me. Engaging in the lifestyle that Christ set out by accepting his yolk of humility, and picking up my cross daily is what will ensure that in my sphere of influence -- tummys and souls are full.
Amen and Amen
As for me and my house hold, we will serve the Lord.
Surely we should make every effort to walk in the shoes of Jesus and also feed and care for our unfortunate
neighbors. I dont't know who wrote it, but I read a short comment that stated:
HAVE YOU NO WISH FOR OTHERS TO BE SAVED?
WELL IF NOT, YOU ARE NO CHRISTAIN, BE SURE O THAT!
I would nver tell anyone they were not a Christain. Anytime I have shared stories of Jesus or approached
anyone, I haven,t ever been dismissed. In fact I don't recall any unwelcome experience,yet!
JS/SugarLand,Tx
Thank you for the chance to comment to a debate that I am fierce about: e.g., the most horrendous example of evangelism was last Memorial Day - the opening of the Creation Museum. It cost $27 million, or, in terms some people might relate to: feeding 660,000 people in Sierra Leone (the world's poorest nation). It not only caused other nations to laugh at us (because dinosaurs romp with Adam and Eve, people are caling it "Yabba Dabba Science"), but it's ostentation tarnished the reputation of a religion that is supposed to feed the poor.
The best way to see if American Christinity adheres to its most basic ditum is to go o MinistryWatch (also known as "Wall Watchers"). There you will find the "prosperity theology" megachurches revenues compared to what they actually spend on something as trifling as community outreach. Of course, some of the more affluent "ministries" have refused to give over thei financial statements (Trinity Broadcasting Network is one and they pull in approximately $175 million per year.) T.D. Jakes is now on their "donor watch" list, recmmending to people NOT to donate because of possible fraud.
And a note to JS/Sugarland:
You obviously have not been in San Francisco's Castro district. Considering the feelings many gays have about proselytizing Christians, trying to minister to them would be grossly hypocritical (and to me, insulting)!!
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