Jump Start # 1510

Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

  I was reading a book written by popular writer, Mark Batterson, the other day. It is pretty much run of the mill stuff that is being published these days. A few noteworthy quotes here and there, his life experiences sprinkled throughout, but basically what you would expect and find in most bookstore shelves these days. Then I came to page 106. He admitted on paper what is going on in the religious community today. Many accept this, but few are bold enough to put it on paper. Three statements:

• There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet
• I’m not into ‘been there, done that.’ Part of it is a function of theology—I believe the church ought to be the most creative place on the planet.
• We’re orthodox in belief yet unorthodox in practice

Now, on the surface, those three statements sound refreshing and exciting. Out with the old and in with the new. This isn’t your grandma’s church—has an appeal to it. Stuffy, stale, old, out of touch has been put in the attic and contemporary, cutting edge, different has been invited in. You won’t find most cutting edge preachers in suits and ties these days. They are wearing jeans and Hawaiian shirts. They are appealing to a younger generation that has not found an anchor in the Bible. Instead of preaching, they are having conversations. In many communities this approach seems to be working.

Our verse today, from the old prophet Jeremiah, reminds us that God has placed a stake in the ground. These words, God’s words, are what Heaven desires of us. Seek  the ancient paths. God has a plan, a pattern and a way that He wants His people to do things. Our Bibles illustrate the importance of seeking the old paths. All over the Bible we are reminded of this principle. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Paul said, “the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things.” Follow the leader, follow God, is the tone of the Bible. Trail blazers, cutting new paths deep into the wilderness makes for great novels, but lousy theology.

When the statement is made, “There are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet,” are we to assume that God has left the door open and wants us to do whatever comes to our mind? We remember that Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, offered a strange fire to God. We are not told what their motive was, but it may have been nothing more than, “no one has thought of this yet.” God consumed them in that fire. King David, when transporting the ark of the covenant, put it on a cart, instead of having Levites carry it, may have thought, “this is a way that no one has thought of before.” When the ark started to tip, someone touched it to keep it from falling. Immediately he was struck dead.

God has a way. His way is defined in the Bible. Now, this doesn’t mean that we do not put excellence in our worship. This doesn’t mean, long and boring is the way to go. Worship ought to be exciting and challenging and relevant, and helpful, and deep and personal, and honoring God. Songs don’t have to be sung so slow that folks fall asleep. Sermons do not have to be dry lectures that leaves people wondering, “Do we really need to know this stuff?” Absolutely not. Jesus, not only connected with the people, He was practical and revealed what the people need to know.

We can’t think of better ways of doing things than what God has already told us. We can’t improve upon God’s model of things. And then, the statement, “we’re orthodox in belief yet unorthodox in practice,” doesn’t really make sense, let alone work. Try that statement in other avenues and you’ll see what I mean. “I am an American in belief but un-American in practice.” Really? “As a husband, I am faithful in belief but unfaithful in practice.” In integrity, I am honest in belief but dishonest in practice. How about, “I am a Christian in belief yet unchristian in practice.” Do you see how crazy all of this sounds? A person is what they are based upon what they believe. Unorthodox in practice points to unorthodox in belief. From our verse today, one cannot stand in the ancient paths in belief and yet travel down new paths in practice. These two do not fit.

All of this comes down to some simple core beliefs. Do we trust God? Do we think God’s way still works today? Do you have a heart to do what God wants?

At the end of our verse today, even before the ink had dried on what Jeremiah was writing, the reply came back. The nation didn’t need to think about it for a while. They didn’t have to talk it over among themselves. The answer came back, “We will not walk in it.” Their minds were made up. They were done with doing things God’s way. They had tossed out the old ways and were embracing something new and different. For Jeremiah’s people, it included idolatry and compromising with pagans. For Jeremiah’s people, their choice would lead them to being captured by the Babylonians. It meant punishment from God.

The cry to seek the ancient paths is something that we must decide as well. Stick with the Bible way or try something new and different. Radical theology today doesn’t have much patience for following very close to the Bible.

Do you? God wants you to seek after the ancient ways. Our look is backward, not forward. What worked then, still works today. You can’t do any better than what God has already done!

Roger