Thursday, May 24, 2018
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There are lots of people who just love to play golf, and some charitable organizations have found a way to harness golf fever to help support their work. They have these benefit golf tournaments on behalf of their cause. In one major city where a friend of mine is in charitable work, they asked the local NFL quarterback to be the chairman of the golf tournament--well, actually, the honorary chairman. His name on the invitation and the letterhead--ooh, those were impressive, and it made the whole event feel more important. But don't be fooled. Mr. Quarterback had absolutely no say in how that day was organized. Did you get the word? He was the "honorary" chairman. That's a big title, but no real authority.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Honorary Chairman Charade."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from the words of Jesus Himself beginning in Luke 6:46. He begins with an unsettling question. "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord', and do not do what I say?" Jesus says, "You're saying the right words. You're giving Me the right title. But I'm not really in charge. You are." Jesus then proceeds with an example that shows the difference between the person who knows what Jesus wants and the person who does what Jesus wants.
He says, "I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
Here's a believer who is headed for a collapse. Why? Because he has allowed Jesus to become just his honorary chairman. See, a lot of Christians play that game--maybe you. Jesus' name is still on the letterhead. Oh, you've continued to give Him the right title--"Lord". He still has your official allegiance as the final word in your life. But could it be that, in reality, you have given Jesus little real authority over the choices that make up your day?
It's all too easy for that to happen when you've followed Christ for a while. There was a time when you surrendered it all to Jesus. But your life has grown and changed a lot since then. You've got a reputation, you've got a lot more earth-stuff, you've got relationships, you've got a family, you've got your financial position, a career, some scars, some spiritual struggles. And you may not have extended Jesus' Lordship daily as each new day's experiences emerged. And now there's a lot of pieces of your life that are not really under the Lordship of Christ.
Maybe you're depending on a commitment that was very deep and very meaningful at the time, but it wasn't sufficient to cover a lot of the ground that has become now your larger life today. So, what was once passionate with Jesus has become sort of professional. What was once vibrant and alive has just kind of become official and cold.
If Jesus is really just the honorary chairman of your life, it's time to return again to that altar of total surrender. It will be harder this time because you've got a lot more to surrender. But Jesus died, not to have the title but the real authority over your life. An authority that has to be expanded daily as your life grows daily. There's always new ground to give to Him.
Light again that fire that once burned so high in you--the fire that's kindled, not when Jesus is your honorary chairman, but when He is the hands-on Lord of every choice you make!