Hearer to Doer
Entertained?: Week 3
Pitfalls to an entertainment-driven church:
• It tends to create passive attenders, instead of active followers.
• It tends to breed a performance faith, instead of an authentic faith.
• It tends to focus on special moments, instead of everlasting movements.
• It tends to elevate certain front and center gifts, instead of every gift that comes from God.
It is becoming more and more difficult to distinguish the life of the believer from the life of the unbeliever. This epidemic of disobedience comes largely out of spectator Christianity. —Mark Nysewnader
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
What does it mean to teach someone to obey?
James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
The intent in learning the Scriptures is not simply for
The best witness we have as the church is not our good music, nor the programs that meet felt needs, nor the quality of the edifice that people worship in. The best witness we have is our transformed lives. —Pastor Rich Villodas
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Obedience is the fruit of faith in Christ.
Think about how the notes and lyrics on a musical score sheet come to life through the instruments and voices for an audience to hear. How might this relate to a proper faith in Christ and the words or commands given throughout Scripture?
What steps can you take to live out the text?