Value # 7 – To allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us even if it is into the sometimes uncomfortable world (the kingdom of God) where there is no doubt of the reality of Jesus.
The seventh and final overriding principle, or core value, of Good News United Methodist Church is the hardest to live by and follow. So far the values have included things that we can do without any real personal sacrifices and consequences. But, number seven, requires more from us. It requires us to do the three most foreign things possible for human beings.
The first is to be quiet and listen. The twenty-first century human being is not used to being quiet. In fact, we do everything possible to avoid it. So much so that if the world around us becomes too quiet, we have continued to find ways to fill the emptiness with personal music devices. The latest in the line includes the IPod so that each of us is never too far a way from our own personal soundtrack. But, we believe we must be still and listen. Listen for the voice of God through the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our way.
The second thing this value requires is that once we know where God would have us go, we must follow without question. In fact in most cases, it means following without even knowing where we’ll end up. Abraham moved his family out of his hometown to a location only God knew of simply because he heard God say, “Go and I will be with you.” Moses heard God’s voice in the burning bush and, after some resistance, began a mission that would take the rest of his life. And, then there were the disciples. They left their families and nets behind to follow the one they believed to be the Messiah – Jesus Christ.
The third most difficult thing for human beings to do is voluntarily walk from the comfortable to the uncomfortable. It is not human nature to make things harder by choice. In fact if the truth be known, we as human beings really only have one priority – ourselves. And, the one thing we like most of all is comfort. We want to feel good. So, why would perfectly normal human beings make the choice to place ourselves in situations that make us anxious, scared, worried, and basically uncomfortable?
It is because of the one thing that all these values, overriding principles, have in common. We have to have faith. We have to really believe that Jesus existed. We have to really believe that Jesus is the Messiah. And, we have to really believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This faith cannot just color our Sundays but color our every days. If we believe in Jesus, then we must love our neighbors everyday. If we believe in Jesus, we must trust God in all things. And, if we believe in Jesus, we must follow him and leave the nets of our old world behind. The Bible teaches us that if we really believe in Jesus we will be led by the Holy Spirit to some places that will make us uncomfortable (the courts of the Pharisees, the feet of the lepers, dinner with sinners, the foot of the cross). Sometimes we will be asked to go where we don’t want to go and help people we don’t want to help. If we really believe in Jesus, we will be asked to follow and leave our nets behind – including the nets of our own selfish fears and desires. It means being a Christian and not just claiming the name Christian. (Acts 1:8, Acts 4:31)
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