Checkpoints

I never got into video or arcade games much as a child, but I had a lot of friends who did, so I would play them every once in a while. Certain games, such as automobile racing ones, had checkpoints. If you crashed or died after reaching that checkpoint, you didn't have to start all the way over, you just reset back to that last checkpoint. Often times that was a lifesaver!

I believe that as Christians, spouses, church members, employees, and just as citizens on this earth, we ought to have certain "checkpoints" in place. We need to hold ourselves accountable so that we don't look up and find ourselves back at square one (in our walks with Christ, in our marriages, etc.).

Today I want to give you six checkpoints to help you stay on track. So that you'll be able to remember them easily, they all start with a "W.”

1. Walk

In the New Testament, “walk” is often times synonymous for “live.” In Ephesians 2:10, Paul tells us that God prepared good works for us ahead of time “so that we should walk in them.” In Ephesians 5:2, we are commanded to “walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us.” In 5:8 we are commanded to “Walk as children of light.” In 5:15 we are reminded to “walk—not as unwise people but as wise.”

So how are you walking? How are you living? And how is your walk with Christ?

2. Wife (Spouse)

Sadly, marriages often take a back seat to work, success, hobbies, and even children. But notice where it falls on this list—your marriage is important.

How much time have you spent with your husband or wife this week? Husband, are you loving your wife sacrificially (Eph 5:25)? Wife, are you living in submission to your husband (Eph 5:24)? Married couple, does your marriage depict Christ and His church as it should?

3. Witness

Throughout His life and ministry, Jesus said a lot of things—a lot of very important things. Right now I want to direct you to some of His very last words here on earth:

Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

As Jesus was leaving this earth, He wanted to make sure that He wasn’t forgotten. He wanted His disciples to spread the word about Him. And He still wants us to spread the word about Him today. How has your witness been lately?

4. Word

Psalm 119 is all about the Lord’s commands, statutes, and instructions. It is all about His Word. In verse 105 the psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path,” suggesting that the Bible should be our guide for daily living. Every step we take should be determined by the principles set forth in God’s Word.

So in order to know that Word and live by that Word, we have to spend time reading and studying and even memorizing that Word. How much time have you been spending in the Word lately?

5. Work

We all work. If you are retired, you still do plenty of odds and ends, even if they aren’t for pay. In its original context, Colossians 3:22-25 is addressing slaves, but I believe it has application for employees and workers today. In 3:23-24 Paul commands, “Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.”

Brothers and sisters, we can’t leave our Christianity behind when we go to work. I know you might not enjoy working under your boss, but remember this: before we serve our employers, we serve the Lord. We must do everything we do as if we are doing it for Him (because in all reality, we are).

And don’t forget about the promise in the verse above. Even if we aren’t rewarded here on earth, He will reward us later, in eternity.

6. Worship

You might be wondering why something as important as worship is at the bottom of the list. I saved this one for last because it is a culmination of all the above. Walking with God, loving our wives, being a witness, spending time in the Word, and working enthusiastically are all acts of worship that prove we love, respect, and adore our Savior. So everything we do should be an act of worship.

I guarantee you that if you run through these checkpoints often, you will be challenged. But as a result, you will be changed; you will be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).

How the Church Becomes an Idol

The first occurrence of the word church (ekklesia) in the New Testament is found on the lips of Jesus in Matthew 16:18 — “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church…” From this point forward it is clear that God’s grand plan was for Jesus’ disciples to establish the church after His ascension.

And this is exactly what they did. If we fast-forward to Acts 2, in fulfillment of Jesus’ statement above, it is Peter who stands up to give his famous Pentecost sermon (v14), leading to the salvation of many (v41) and the establishment of the church (vv42-47).

This is the church that the apostles continued to grow. This is the church that the Reformers fought to preserve. This is the church that so many have been a part of throughout the centuries. This is the church that you and I are a part of today.

But I am afraid that this church, fashioned by the hand of God, has in some ways replaced God.

Allow me to share with you four ways in which the church becomes an idol…

1. When the happenings are more important than the Head

We are taught very clearly in Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 1:18 that Christ is the head of the body, the church. But do all of our church’s events, programs, and happenings point to the head? Do they point people to Christ? Do they result in the changing of lives and the growth of the kingdom? Or do they merely result in our happiness and contentment? Christ must be the center of everything the church does.

2. When the work is more important than the Word

You may think that pastoring a church is simple. After all, pastors only work on Sundays and Wednesdays, right? Wrong. The work of the church, led by the pastoral staff, is a huge endeavor. There are meetings to be held, prayers to be said, visits to be made, songs to be sung, meals to be cooked, and events to be planned. But none of this should outweigh the studying, the preaching, the teaching, and, as a result, the exaltation of God’s inspired Word.

When the focal point of a worship service is not the preaching of the Word, something has gone wrong. When the word of man is given more emphasis than the Word of God, something has gone wrong. When meals and meetings take precedence over meditation, something has gone wrong. When more time is dedicated to event planning than exegesis and exposition, something has gone wrong.

Let Isaiah 40:8 remind us that “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”

3. When the building is more important than the body

Buildings are important. Buildings are needed. Churches today are constructing multi-million dollar facilities, and are putting them to great use. But we cannot forget that the church is not the four walls and the steeple (wait, do churches even have steeples anymore???). Even though Webster’s dictionary primarily defines the church as “a building that is used for Christian religious services,” the Greek word ekklesia refers to the “assembly” or the “gathering”—the people in the pews.

So while buildings are important, we shouldn’t sacrifice the needs of the people for the sake of our building projects. A strong body ought to be valued more than a state-of-the-art building.

4. When money is more important than ministry

In no way am I suggesting that money is unimportant. Giving financially to your local church is important. The way the church manages the money given is extremely important.

But here is what I’m getting at: The way a church spends its money needs to reflect its devotion to ministry. The church needs to focus on serving its members and reaching out to the lost more than on how much money is in the bank account.

After all, the church doesn’t have a 401k. While a church should put some money aside for emergencies and for the future, it should also be willing to spend money for the sake of the kingdom. Money should never hold a church back from doing the ministry God has called it to do.

In conclusion, let me ask you this: Do you see how easily the church can become an idol? Do you see how the line has been blurred between worshipping Christ and worshipping His church?

Remember, we can keep the church from becoming an idol when we:

·      value the Head more than the happenings

·      highlight the Word over the work

·      care about the body more than the building

·      focus on ministry more than money