Instead of a Show

Amos 5:21-24
²¹ "I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
I cannot stand your assemblies.

²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.

²³ Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.

²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Jon Foreman has a song based on this passage. Look it up on youtube if you want, it's a great song.

I usually think of worship music when I hear that song or read that verse. And it is true. Worship at a lot of churches is a show. I've lead worship, I've played in worship bands, and as much as I wish I was authentically praising God, I'm not. I'm performing.

But it is starting to seem to me that this verse applies to a lot more than just music. There is a whole Christian sub-culture out there that is all about show. A great example of this is the movie "Saved!" But really, it just takes a look around at a church to see that something isn't right. Where is the river of justice? Church focuses on drawing people in. So much so that it sometimes loses sight of the other 95% of Jesus' message... love, service, sacrifice, justice, compassion...

Those things don't draw people in... because they're hard. If we make church seem like an event, people will come. But they won't stay. Or they will stay, become absorbed into this subculture, and forget about the man Jesus.

Luke 9:58 says "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Jesus was essentially a homeless rabbi. He was unattractive, made a lot of powerful people angry with him, and probably smelled like dead fish. And we've based an industry around him.

Jesus says that when you feed or clothe the "least of these," you are doing it for him. Why isn't that the church's focus, then?

However you look at it, Jesus would have nothing to do with this North American Christian culture. Because you can't serve to masters, as Jesus himself says. You will love one and hate the other. And when the church comes before Jesus, who says that he is in the "least of these," Jesus isn't the master you love...

(Disclaimer... I know that using the word "Church" is general. I am referring to the majority of north american christians. I know that my accusations do not apply to everyone...)