Are you real?
You may have heard the KJ-52 song ‘Are you real’. If you haven’t, you can listen to it here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RkGU4BmfWUo
I’m not just pointing you to this song because it’s a good tune, but because I want to focus on the challenge laid down in it, particularly the last section of the song:
See there’s a war that’s going on outside
And you can try to ignore and just run and hide
But everyday more and more people die
See the battles for souls, we’re on the front lines
So many souls, just too scared to fight
They’re too worried about what people thinking of their life
How can you fight if you don’t lay down your pride?
And how will anyone see if you won’t shine your light?
So many of your friends walking around blind
You got the source that can open up their eyes
It’s y’all’s choice what you do with your lives
But i’m gonna go to war ’cause I made up my mind
Jesus gave us life when he went and died
So the least that I could do is give him all of mine
So how many of y’all are ready to fight by my side?
‘Cause this is what he’s saying right now here tonight
Come on!
Are you real?
I want to know (i want to know)
Are you real?
Then let it go (you got to let it go)
Are you real?
I want to know (i want to know)
Are you real?
Then let it show (you got to let it show)
KJ-52
‘See there’s a war that’s going on outside
And you can try to ignore and just run and hide
So many souls, just too scared to fight
They’re too worried about what people thinking of their life’
One of the biggest things that holds people back from giving their all for God is fear of what others might think of them. When you think about it that’s a rather weak excuse, because at the end of the day what impact will what people think of you have on your eternal destination? What is more important – what God thinks or what some randomer on the street thinks?
Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 8:38
“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
If we are to win more souls for the Kingdom we cannot afford to be ashamed of Jesus. We cannot afford to be afraid of what people will think of us when we are living out our faith in practical ways. We can’t just take the easy option and conform to the world. We have to be prepared to face the “Why aren’t you doing this? Everyone else is. What sort of freak are you that you’re not?” comments.
‘And how will anyone see if you won’t shine your light?
So many of your friends walking around blind
You got the source that can open up their eyes’
We have the light, and if we call ourselves Christians letting it shine is not optional. It is compulsory. You can’t be a Christian and not let the light that is the love of Jesus shine through you.
Jesus said: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5v13-15 NIV(emphasis added)
We have to shine to everyone. Not just the people we like. Not just the people who know we are Christians. Not just the people we feel comfortable around. Everyone.
“If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5v46-48 NLT
It is not for us choose who we shine to. In the Casting Crowns song ‘If we are the body’ we are reminded:
‘Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come’
Jesus died on the cross for all, not those we choose. Indeed in Matthew 9 Jesus tells us “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do” (v12)
‘Are you real?
Then let it show (you got to let it show)’
It is not enough to talk the talk. You gotta walk the walk. No-one’s going to believe you if they can’t see it mirrored in your life.
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2v14-18 NLT
God cares about what we do, not what we say –( re the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21v28-32))
If we are to win the battle for lost souls, if we are to run a successful rescue mission within a yard of Hell, we need to let Jesus’ love be seen in this world. We need to love people without any agenda. That means not showing love to people so that you can reach out to them, for then there is an agenda, but showing love because Jesus first loved you and you want to pass it on to everyone you meet.
If we want to win the battle for souls there can be no more sitting on the fence. No more status quo. It’s time to get active!