Get rid of corners!

At one stage in my life as a pastor there was a major scandal in the church. I was determined that it had to be dealt with in the open. Some of the people in the leadership team tried to persuade me to sweep it under the carpet lest everyone found out. I was determined that this was not be the right course of action. Everything was to be out in the open. The issue would be dealt with in such a way that no one would be in any doubt as to how we dealt with scandal.

 Christianity is not a secret society. Everything we believe, and/or do, must be open for inspection by anyone. That is part if the challenge of the Christian life and its power.

We have seen in recent years the effect of secrecy in the church. The world wide scandal of child abuse has brought parts of the institutional church into such rebuke that it will be hard to recover any sense of integrity. That has been the result of secrecy.

Act 26:26 NIV  The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

Paul was defending himself before Festus. He had recounted an outline of the salvation history of Israel ending with the death and resurrection of Jesus. These facts were not unknown to Festus. Even so, Paul found it necessary to bring all the facts to light so that there could be no doubt as to what was at stake.

“The Way”, as Christianity was known then, was being severely persecuted. There already were martyrs, and others had lost all their property. It was a dangerous time to be a follower of Jesus. Still there was no way Paul was going to try to gain his freedom by keeping quiet about Jesus.

Nothing to do with Jesus was “done in a corner.”

There is such a lesson for all of us here. If we try to be “secret believers” then we are, in effect, showing that we are ashamed of Jesus, or afraid of what others might think or say. These are really the same thing.

We are either for Jesus or against Him. There is no middle ground.

Mat 12:30 NIV  "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Jesus couldn’t be clearer. There is no middle ground. No room for secrecy. No room for compromise. No room for inaction.

Jesus calls us to be disciples, ones who become more and more like their master. He has a big fan base but fewer disciples.

In 2011 Kyle Idleman wrote an important book titled “Not a Fan.” I recommend it highly. In it Kyle describes some points to help us diagnose whether we are disciples of Jesus or just fans who admire him and even follow the rules. He calls this section of the book “Define the relationship” and offers 5 questions to help us define our relationship with Jesus.

Have we made a decision, or a commitment?
Do we have knowledge about Him, or intimacy with Him?
Is He one of many, or your one and only?
Are we following Jesus, or following the rules?
Are we self-empowered, or spirit-filled?

Kyle goes on to say that we must be involved in a passionate pursuit, involving daily surrender leading to a daily death to self. This is to be pursued wherever, whenever and whatever the circumstances.

Does this sound like your life with Jesus?

There is no other way. It is not a life of secrecy at any level but a total openness to Jesus and to everyone we meet. This is another word for “integrity.” In other words, what is inside is seen clearly on the outside.

No hiding in corners.
No hidden agendas.
No fear of man.

To many this may seem like an impossible dream. It is, if you are relying on your strength to achieve it. Fortunately when Jesus gives a command, He also gives us the means to carry it out. He has poured out the Holy Spirit on all who would receive Him. It is in the power of Holy Spirit that we can, and will, live this new life.

What are you hiding? Bring it to the surface and expose it to the light of Jesus. Then you will see how freeing it is to live a transparent life. Nothing is hidden from Him who is The Light of the World. He has called us to be the same.

Mat 5:14 NIV  "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Let your light shine!!