Focus: Comfortable Christianity

Text: Ams.6:1; Jer.48:11.

"Woe to them that are at EASE in ZION, and TRUST in the mountain of SAMARIA, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came."

"Moab hath been at EASE from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath NOT BEEN EMPTIED from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his TASTE remained in him, and his SCENT is not changed."

What sort of Christianity are we practicing today? It seems so different from Biblical Christianity. We are so much at ease, feeling good and groovy. Our kind of Christology and theology has resulted in our complacency. We have the Spirit, but no power, no fire, no unction, no supernatural exploits, no zeal, no commitment. We are just simply religious, having the right words and possessing a lot of knowledge about God. Our goodly scent is not being felt because no one is willing to break the alabaster. Our taste has remained in us because our faith is only a private thing. We love easy faith - faith without stress, faith without works, claiming without possessing or even possessing without manifesting.

At ease in Zion and comfortable in Samaria. Zion is the south of Israel while Samaria is the north. It is the same story of spiritual stupor, lackadaisical attitude and spiritual lukewarmness everywhere. The fire of Pentecost is either burning very low or missing entirely.

Before the Spirit came, the disciples were SITTING in the Upper room, but when the fire of the Spirit came and sat on each believer, they were STANDING as Peter delivered that Spirit-empowered word that saved 3,000 souls at once.

As soon as the early church felt somewhat secure and entitled, God allowed the kind of persecution that pulled them out of themselves, and they went EVERYWHERE preaching.

Apathy and atrophy is killing us. Our comfortable sermons have produced a comfortable church. We do not care that souls are wasting away and dying without Christ. We even use the phrase "May his soul Rest In Peace" thoughtlessly! Can a soul without Christ rest in peace at death?

O Lord, send us another Pentecost! Let the fire of your Spirit burn in us. Something is not right with us, and we know it. O Lord, Give us eyes to see and the help needed to make things right. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter