The Why?

Have you ever been around young kids...especially pre-schoolers or early grade school kids? They do something that many of us have forgotten to do. They do something that we often don't like...yet it is so healthy. They do something that we often discourage, yet, I believe Jesus would encourage. You see, Jesus said that we needed to become like little children to enter into the Kingdom of God. Perhaps this is one area he was referring to. I'm speaking of young kids tendency to ask "why?" What a great word! They ask it over and over...and we sometimes answer...but mostly we don't. Unfortunately, we teach them that their "why" questions are not important...or at least not worth our time to answer. What a shame. The older we get, it seems we ask less "why" questions...we seem to acclimate to our surroundings and "go with the flow", so to speak. Whether at home, at work, at church or in our culture...we often do stuff without ever asking why? Which begs a big question...Why? What a shame we have stopped asking this important question. Why questions, when honestly pursued, will often take you to the core...the central truth... the foundation...if you dare to ask of it...and if you dare explore its depths. Often in church circles we do stuff...lots of stuff...lots of churchy stuff...lots of "good" stuff" even...but we never ask why? Shouldn't we? If, as followers of Jesus...Who is Truth...shouldn't we be the biggest askers of "why"? Shouldn't we be the biggest pursuers of "truth"? Unfortunately we often are not... because we fail to ask...why? For example...when asked, why do churches even exist...some would say "to worship God". Now, though this is partially correct, wouldn't a "why" fit in well here? Why is church conducive to worshipping God? Why is church necessary in the worshipping God equation? Why is that the method of choice? Another common answer to why churches exist, some would say, "is to go into all the world and preach the gospel" (known as the "Great Commission" in church circles). Wouldn't this be a good place to ask, "why"? Why do we need to "go"? Why do we need to preach the gospel, and what is "the gospel" by the way, that we are preaching? Though both of these common answers are partially correct...they are not. A simple "why" will take you deeper...to the "foundation" as to why we do these things at all. Why do we worship God together? Why is the Great Commission a big deal? And are these 2 things the "most important" thing followers of Jesus are about? Dare I say..."no!" Why, do I say that? Simple...Jesus was asked very directly what was "most important"...and he answered very directly...and simply...Jesus said "everything" (as in all things...as in even church things...as in life things...as in every single thing!) ..."everything" hung on this (as in hanging like a picture on a nail...i.e. "completely dependent on") ...Everything hung on this..."love God with your whole heart, mind and flesh...and love others as you love yourself". If you ask "why" long enough...and dig deep enough...you'll end up at this central... foundational truth...that EVERYTHING HANGS ON! Why do we gather to worship together? Because we are created to love God AND love each other...and gathering together is very conducive to doing just that. (it should be noted that "if" your gathering together is "not" conducive to worshipping God and loving each other well...then some serious adjustments need to happen...it may begin with a "why" not question?) Gathering ALONE...seperately...may allow you to worship God...but it hinders the second half of Jesus emphasis...the loving people part. Can we gather in mass and not love each other well? Sure...many churches do...sadly, they are missing a key component of what Jesus calls His "church" (His people) to be. But being alone ensures you fail on the loving people thing...cause their ain't no people around for you to love on! Why is the Great Commission so important? Because if you really do love God with all you got...His love will grow in you and you'll naturally want to share that love with others. As you love them, the Great Commission happens...its a natural flow out from your life, as you love God and allow His love to flow through you to others. So what's the danger of not asking "why"? Well, you may gather...or not gather in worship...without fully understanding why. Too many gather because "you should" without knowing "why". Knowing "why" gives you greater motivation...and a more natural flow into worship... rather than it becoming some stale ritual you do, because you are "supposed to". The same can happen with the Great Commission. Too many "do" the preaching the gospel thing...without living it. The result...people are repelled by the gospel...not attracted to it. Without love as its motivation, even evangelism and outreach, can become an exercise in ritual...without the heart to it that Jesus intended. People sniff it out quickly too. People know when you really care and love them...and when they are some project for you...some notch in your church belt...somebody you need for your agenda. May God forgive us for not asking "why". May God forgive us for doing so much churchy stuff...without even knowing why...without even having Jesus heart at the core of what we live. At ECHO, our challenge is to become a group of Jesus followers who will always ask "why"...and not be afraid of the answer. If the answer takes us nowhere...then perhaps what we're doing is not rooted in Jesus truth. If that's so, then we need to adjust. If we ask "why" and it takes us back to what Jesus said "it all hangs on"...then we know we are on the right track... motivated by whats right...God's love for us, flowing through us, to those around us...and in that the Kingdom of God will be expanded...because we dared to ask "why?"

be God's!
Brian O
Lead Pastor dude, ECHO