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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"Could You Pass The Test?"
November 13, 2008
We have a young man in the congregation who was born in China. He and
his family came over here to live when he was very young. He's a great kid.
He graduated from high school last year and is working at the Casino and
taking classes at Three Rivers Community College. He was very excited
when he dropped by the church the other day. He told us he had a date for
his citizenship test. I asked him about it and he shared a few examples of
the questions he expected to find on the test. I have to tell you they were
not easy questions. My secretary and I laughed as we fumbled around for
the answers.
I was reminded of the television show, "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth
Grader?" We learn so many things in school that we tend to forget when we
grow up. Unless we are actively engaged in some area where we are using
that knowledge every day, we tend to lose it. Quincy, my young friend, said
he has been studying for this test for the last two years. I thought to
myself, "How many of us would work that hard if we had to take a test to
retain our citizenship in this great country?" We take our citizenship for
granted, especially if we were born in this country and we thought no one
could take it away from us.
After he left, it struck me that the same thing is true for our faith. As
children we love to hear the stories about David, Abraham and Moses. We
get excited to hear about God and how much he loves us. If we come to
faith a little bit older, we may seek out a Bible Study or an adult Sunday
School Class. We can't learn enough about the Bible and what it says about
God. As time passes though, a lot of us drop out of Bible Studies. We
graduate from Sunday School and never look back. Worship becomes an
option when our calendar frees up.
I ran into a friend of mine who is Roman Catholic last week. He showed me
the book he was reading. It laid out the basic beliefs of the church. He told
me that he wanted to know what Catholics believed. He was embarrassed
because it dawned on him just how little he knew. He is not alone. I heard
Charles Colsen speak last spring. He said that most people today don't really
know what the Bible says. I think he is right. Our grandparents were more
biblically literate than we are. The truth is that most of us could never pass
a test on the basics of our Biblical faith. For example, which of these
sayings comes from the Bible:
a) God helps those who help themselves...
b) God loves a cheerful giver...
c) Blessed are the weak for they shall be made strong...
Talking to my young friend last week reminded me how important this is. If
we really believe that our faith will save us and that the Bible is God's Word,
then we should take the time to study it and learn what it has to say. I can
you promise you this: If we take the time, we will be blessed by God's
word.
God Bless! See you in Church. Cal
November 13, 2008
We have a young man in the congregation who was born in China. He and
his family came over here to live when he was very young. He's a great kid.
He graduated from high school last year and is working at the Casino and
taking classes at Three Rivers Community College. He was very excited
when he dropped by the church the other day. He told us he had a date for
his citizenship test. I asked him about it and he shared a few examples of
the questions he expected to find on the test. I have to tell you they were
not easy questions. My secretary and I laughed as we fumbled around for
the answers.
I was reminded of the television show, "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth
Grader?" We learn so many things in school that we tend to forget when we
grow up. Unless we are actively engaged in some area where we are using
that knowledge every day, we tend to lose it. Quincy, my young friend, said
he has been studying for this test for the last two years. I thought to
myself, "How many of us would work that hard if we had to take a test to
retain our citizenship in this great country?" We take our citizenship for
granted, especially if we were born in this country and we thought no one
could take it away from us.
After he left, it struck me that the same thing is true for our faith. As
children we love to hear the stories about David, Abraham and Moses. We
get excited to hear about God and how much he loves us. If we come to
faith a little bit older, we may seek out a Bible Study or an adult Sunday
School Class. We can't learn enough about the Bible and what it says about
God. As time passes though, a lot of us drop out of Bible Studies. We
graduate from Sunday School and never look back. Worship becomes an
option when our calendar frees up.
I ran into a friend of mine who is Roman Catholic last week. He showed me
the book he was reading. It laid out the basic beliefs of the church. He told
me that he wanted to know what Catholics believed. He was embarrassed
because it dawned on him just how little he knew. He is not alone. I heard
Charles Colsen speak last spring. He said that most people today don't really
know what the Bible says. I think he is right. Our grandparents were more
biblically literate than we are. The truth is that most of us could never pass
a test on the basics of our Biblical faith. For example, which of these
sayings comes from the Bible:
a) God helps those who help themselves...
b) God loves a cheerful giver...
c) Blessed are the weak for they shall be made strong...
Talking to my young friend last week reminded me how important this is. If
we really believe that our faith will save us and that the Bible is God's Word,
then we should take the time to study it and learn what it has to say. I can
you promise you this: If we take the time, we will be blessed by God's
word.
God Bless! See you in Church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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