Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Getting close to Jesus

By JOHN HATCHER
Pastor

Dr. Luke recalls the story of Jesus visiting in the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (three siblings). Because Martha was busy making preparations for supper, she protested to Jesus that her sister, Mary, was not doing her fair share. Mary was quietly sitting at the feet of Jesus just listening to his every word. At that time, Jesus made a call, a decision that has forever shaped what’s important although we have to re-learn the lesson again and again. He told the hurried Martha that “only one thing was necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10: 42).

All the people who “make it happen” need to hear Jesus’ words, “Mary has chosen the good part.” Perhaps that small cluster of friends in little Bethany would have fared well on some dried nuts and a piece of fruit. But Martha had to get in that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans. Maybe Jesus was saying that the main thing that night was about relationships, sitting and talking to one another, not preparing a meal. However loud all the “Marthas” will protest, Jesus’ definitive statement stands: Mary chose the good thing that evening. The bottom line is this according to that evening in Bethany: nothing is more important than a growing relationship with Jesus. Nothing!

George Barna, a national church researcher, has stated that nearly two-thirds of regular church attenders say they have never experienced God’s presence at a church service. Wow! Chew on that for a moment. Sixty-six of the 100 folks who come to our churches week after week declare that they have never, ever experienced any sort of relational closeness to God in one of our church services.

Many churches pay full time or part time a Minister of Music. It is his or her responsibility to facilitate worship. He selects the songs, hymns, readings, and special music. All this is designed to engender for the man in the pew a worship experience. Most worship ministers would probably give their leading arm for a congregation that would enter into true worship. But the man in the pew looks to his left and to his right and what does he see? He sees another man who stands stiff afraid to tap a toe, clap a hand, say an “Amen,” lift a hand. So, he copies what he sees. He sees a statue and he becomes a statue also.

Mary, on the other hand, did not copy her sister Martha who was busy in the kitchen. Mary kneeled down on her knees, drew close to Jesus, and hung on his every word. We need “Marys” who will not be afraid of what big sister or big brother will say, but totally let it all hang out for Jesus.

But hang onto another Barna researched finding: seven out of ten adults say that a top priority for them is having a close personal relationship with God. Too often we in the pulpit conclude that you guys in the pews don’t have a spiritual bone in your body. We think all you want is to get out early and beat the whoevers to the cafeteria. Barna reproves us and tells us that you do want to draw close to God and obviously we are missing the missing link in facilitating just that.

These two pieces of research make us conclude that there are countless frustrated worshipers in countless churches because a heap of folks are not getting what they need in our church houses on Sunday mornings.

That may explain why we have so many church hoppers. Christians are hopping from one church to another hoping that in their hopping they will find a church where they can experience authentic closeness with the truly authentic one.

In the next several weeks, I hope to explore what good things we might be doing, but missing the very one thing that Jesus prefers Ð us getting close to him. Keep reading. And, thanks for reading my columns, lo now, for more than ten years.

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303