Tuesday, July 5, 2011
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I was ten years old, and I saw a movie I never should have seen. It's about this dinosaur that got thawed out at the North Pole somewhere, and he'd been kept there for several million years. He really should have stayed there. Yeah, because see, he made his way to New York City. Don't ask me how. I didn't think about that at the time. All I know is, I will never forget the scene of this big, old Tyrannosaurus Rex roaming the city, ripping up the roller coaster at Coney Island, knocking down buildings, grabbing a policeman in his hands, and devastating pedestrians.
Of course, it's dangerous to be a pedestrian in New York even when there isn't a monster there, but it was especially dangerous in this movie. I had nightmares for months to come about that stupid thing.
Did you know there's a monster on the loose right now? He's tearing up the Christian world, and it really is a nightmare.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Monster On the Loose."
Now, our word for today from the Word of God is from the life of John the Baptist. I'm reading from John 3, beginning at verse 26. "And they came to John and said, 'Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan, (that's Jesus) the one you testified about, well, he's baptizing and everyone's going to him.' To this John replied, 'A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, "I am not the Christ, but I'm sent ahead of Him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens to him and is full of joy when He hears the bridegroom's voice." That joy is mine and is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.'"
John the Baptist refuses to take the spotlight. He insists on getting people's attention off of himself and onto Jesus. And he sums it up in John 3:30 - "Jesus must become greater; I must become less." I'll be getting less and less prominent; Jesus will be getting more and more attention. What a breath of fresh air that is when you contrast it with a lot of what's going on in Christian circles these days, which leads to the monster on the loose. His name--"ego." Yeah, that's the monster that's on the loose in Christian circles.
How many personal empires are we building in Jesus' name? Getting people attached to us more than to Jesus, taking privileges for ourselves that Jesus would never take. And I don't mean just in big ministries. We're all vulnerable to this, and it makes us a laughing stock for unbelievers; it makes for disillusionment among believers. It doesn't usually start that way of course. Oh, usually a leader starts out being submissive and humble, but we get a little taste of people looking at us and looking to us, and needing us, and complimenting us, and it tastes good.
Oh, our vocabulary doesn't change, but our motives do; our attitudes do. And we start to think, "Hey, aren't I something!" Instead of, "Isn't He something?" You begin to think it's you instead of Him. You start enjoying seeing your name on things. You expect special recognition, special treatment, and you are being set up for a fall. The Devil exploits inflated egos to pull leaders into greed, and adultery, and the worship of power.
Then there's John. Jesus said he was the best man ever born. He refuses the glory. You know, we could point the finger at some folks who have made the headlines, but I think we should look in the mirror. Is the monster of ego on the loose inside of you? Before that monster does any more damage, deal with him. Repent of that pride and come back to the simplicity and humility of being surprised that it's you He's using.
Take it from my childhood trauma, "A monster on the loose, especially the monster of ego, can only lead to nightmares."