Echoes of Here I STAND

1 Corinthians 16:13

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Recently I was able to be apart of a play in my theatre group called Reformation of Katherine, a story about Martin Luther and his wife Katherine Von Bora. And there was one song in the play that I looked forward to more than any other part of the play. It's a part on the play where Martin is surrounded by all his students and they're pelting him with questions about topics that were a big deal back then. And when the students settle down one comes forward and asks, where do you stand Doctor Luther? Martin replies, "gentlemen I stand right here, a simple Christian, a humble believer." Then he sings a song about standing on God and God alone, even in the midst of turmoil and strife we are to stand on God and God alone. 

This brings me to the verse that I've shared but before I get into that I want to talk about something. There is a lack of depth in our churches nowadays. A lack of spirit-led revival and passion. We are the church of Christ, saved from sin and called to live lives wholly and fully devoted to one thing and one thing alone, and that one thing is Christ. We are so preoccupied with looking like Christians we forget to live like Christians. We forget the reason for which we were saved. It says in Romans that we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations. Not just to go to church on Sunday, leave our religion on the doorstep and walk away unchanged and unmotivated to change the word for Christ. Now back to the verse. It says to watch, what does that mean? It means to pay attention and keep our focus on what's going on around us. But that leads into the next point in the verse. Stand fast in the faith. Stand! It said to stand, why? Because no one has ever changed the world by sitting. No one has ever altered the course of humanity by staying seated and not getting up and putting action behind there conviction. No one has ever changed the world by sitting and watching things happen and then do nothing about it. But watching and standing go side by side, we are to watch and when the moment is right we are to take a stand and keep standing until we are told to rest or we are done. 

That brings me to my next point, what does it mean to stand? What does it look like to not passively sit by, but to strive and to stand up for something? 

Hebrews 12:2 

Looking into Jesus, the hero and finished of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the CROSS despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

That's what it looks like. Jesus was the passionate man that ever walked the earth. He was so passionate and strove so hard towards the high mark of his calling that he was not only ready to die for what he knew to be true, but he was ready to take on the death of everyone in the world. Because sin is death and he took all the sins of the world. Jesus was the most radical person who ever lived on this planet and he calls us to a life of radical abandonment that starts with a stand. A stand on truth a stand on righteousness, a stand on Him. Christianity is not a passive religion. It is a religion that requires all of your heart mind soul and strength. It is not possible to claim a life reborn and not live like you are. It is not possible to say that you have been changed by Christ and then leave your religion on the doorstep of the church! It is not possible to claim an inheritance of righteousness in Christ and not be motivated by his sacrifice and love for you! We as a culture have turned Christianity from a life changing revelation, to fire insurance! We are no longer raising disciples were raising the number of people walk into the doors of our church. We've taken away the very thing that could put our world back into order and that is a passionate drive for our holy lord and savior Jesus Christ. It brings me to tears to think that we've moved from life changing religion, to lovey dovey fluff. Our world is falling deeper and deeper into a hole that we as the church of Christ should never have allowed to be dug. But this is not the end, we as Christians can change our world again. 

What would happen if every person who claimed Christianity, suddenly and deliberately stood firm? What would happen in our world if suddenly we who have the power of the God of the universe inside us in the form of the Holy Spirit, began to passionately strive toward Christ? 

I'll tell you what would happen. Our world would change forever. This world is not too far gone. The end is near but it hasn't come yet, and as long as I still have a breath on this earth I will still be preaching his name. As long as I have even the smallest amount of strength left in me I will strive toward my savior. Join with me brothers and sisters, and take a stand for Christ. The time to stand is now or never. God calls us to stand, will you? 

Hear the echoes of God calling for a revival in our world. Hear him call your name and ask whom shall I send, and hear the echoes of the prophet Isaiah who responded to those words with "here am I lord, send me."

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the word. Amen.