I don't often publicly declare my opinion but I have come to a moment in my experience that I feel it is right and necessary to do so.
As this day wore on I was immensely aggravated at the process by which I came to an understanding of God's Words and was able to put it into words that were suitable to preaching. Not that I had waited until the last minute to prepare but that this was such a difficult sermon. The sermon was simply a continuation of the teaching in Ephesians. We have arrived at chapter two verses one through six. By a simple reading of this text one would get that the author was elaborating on the power of God and His desire to save us by or through His power and not of ourselves. But then there is that word, quickened, and quickened changes things.
The Greek word is the word sunezOopoiEsen. In the King James Version this word is translated as quickened. It means to be joined together in order to live. It raises images of the yoke that binds two oxen together in order that a plow can be pulled. It reminds of the vine and how we need to get connected and grafted in. It makes me think of how if Jesus truly means for us to take up our cross and follow, if he means for us to take up His yoke, and if He truly means to disciple us then we would be less like ourselves and more like Him every passing day. Except we should choose to not follow.
Point is the more I study the Word the more I see what Christians should be and the less I see something that defines the modern church. As an example here in Maine there was a great outcry for the reversal of gay marriage laws. According to the extent of the movement and the urgency of the cry gay marriage is of an apparent greater concern for Christians in our area than say homelessness or hunger. I saw placards, door hangers, lawn signs, television ads, and mailers all attempting to unite Christians against the gay marriage law and hoping to gain an appeal. After 2.6 million dollars and a grand campaign Christians have "won" a political battle.
This is where my opinion comes in: 2.6 million dollars would have gone a long way to reduce the burden on our elderly for rising fuel oil and heat costs. 2.6 million dollars would have been an amazingly beneficial relief to many families who have lost their jobs and are in danger of losing their homes. 2.6 million dollars would have gone a long way in feeding the hungry, clothing the destitute, and providing for the homeless this winter in Maine. But passion, organization, and execution of this current Christian agenda has delivered this message, "It is more important to politically satisfy our point of view on lifestyle choices than to be hospitable to our neighbors."
The seriously perverted thing in all this is not the homosexual lifestyle but rather the Christian church perceiving that lesbianism and homosexuality is a far greater sin in the scriptures than not showing hospitality. In fact many Christians readily proclaim that Sodom was destroyed for it's stance to condone homosexuality. The truth is God was sending angels to destroy Sodom and Gemorrah for their lack of hospitality. Because they would not aid their poor or care for their needy.
Ezekiel 16:49-50
49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
If great tragedy falls upon our state and upon our nation it will not be because we have had compassion upon the lesbian or homosexual. It will be because we turned a deaf ear and a haughty gaze away from the needs of the poor and needy in this state of Maine and around this great nation of ours.
May God forgive us of our inhospitable ways and send revival in our midst.
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