Tuesday, April 17, 2012

SET THE WORLD ON FIRE

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."
-Matthew 5:14-16

"On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability."
-Acts 2:1-4



Today I stopped at the gas station to fill up the car. I went inside, grabbed a Pepsi Next, a Snickers bar, and paid my bill. As I was approaching the counter I heard 'we are young...so lets set the world on fire...we can burn brighter...than the sun.' It was a catchy tune and it reminded me of the fact that we are young. I mean come on! Methuselah lived to be 969 years old! And now, we only live to be 100 if we're lucky.
So I decided to go back and 'google' the lyrics I had heard and found out it was a song named 'We Are Young' by a band called 'FUN'. I decided to pull up the video on Youtube and saw an interesting thing-life happening in slow motion while the song was sung at normal pace. What struck me was more of the lyrics as I listened. 'I just thought that maybe we could find more ways to fall apart' and 'I found someone to carry me home tonight'.
While I realized that this video was shot around a bar setting/scene...I decided to find an acoustic version-something I'm a big fan of and perhaps someday, I too shall learn to play the guitar. Anyway...this time I just listened without focusing on the video. And without distractions I was actually brought close to tears. Why? Because of how powerful the chorus is.
I immediately thought about the early church-specifically, as it was described in the books of Acts! The church was definately on fire! Of course not literally...but the Spirit of God was among the believers and His church was unstoppable. So much so that Herod, who had beheaded James and had imprisioned Peter died of worms because of the power of prayer (check out Acts 12:23). The church was praying for Peter's return and so it happened!
What happens in the book of Acts is the continuation of Christ's ministry through his disciples who have now become the apostles-simply put, his pupils have become the messengers of Christ as he had intended and commanded (Matthew 28:16-20).
While I could go on about the early church and how seemily unstoppable it was, I cannot say that about today's church as it has long been in decline. Just as the lyrics points out, we have become too successful at fall a part-dividing one another in today's culture, family, and faith community. It would seem that we lack the Spirit that God has given each of us-those gifts that well up within us have become silenced by the shackles and chains that have conditioned us to believe that we can't do it. Hope has now given way to feelings of hopelessness-the idea that we can set the world on fire with our passions and ideas have become a numbers and percentage game-what's the point in trying?
That's where my tears came from...it came from the brokenness I see among the youth of today-the byproduct of church families that have grown disconnected and disenchanted with the power of God. This bah-humbug feeling is sad to me because I don't buy into it...I think and know that I am still young and that I have a passion which will make a difference-maybe not worldwide, but like the 'Starfish Story'...I can make a diffference for one, just like I was one who was changed.
So my challenge to you is to ignore the negative world around you that tries to bring you down. Stop coping with pointless distractions and being to deal with your unhappiness and set the world on fire!!! You can change the place you're in...
Enjoy the video...get caught up in the chorus...join the chorus!

ENGAGING DOUBT