Dinner Invitation

Dinner Invitation

"We would like to have you over for dinner." 

These words can make a the heart of a new resident in a community sing.  For anyone hoping to feel welcome to new to the area, a gesture like this from a sweet local family speaks volumes.  Now, imagine the sweet family is a family of wolves and the newcomer is a sheep.  The phrase, "over for dinner" has a different meaning, doesn't it?

On Sunday, we looked at how to distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.  The key is the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 John 4:1-6).  He told us that many false prophets are purveying their lies in the world and in the gathered church.  The trouble with spiritual wolves among the spiritual flock is that they are not so quickly identifiable.  They may be wolves who are wholly committed to doctrines that deny or contradict the gospel.  But, they may be sheep who simply have not been discipled much if any in the gospel.  What can we do to protect the flock and identify wolves?

The apostle Paul tells his disciple Timothy, who is learning to shepherd a flock, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.  Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:16). Vigilance on our heart's character and on the truth we believe. What we believe to be true determines how we live. A lifestyle of study and meditation on the gospel should fuel our worship, our words, our thoughts, and our actions. Paul says this has a salvation power because it grows us in Christ and demonstrates the power of the gospel to others.

I pray that when a wolf enters our church he or she will find it well guarded by godly, biblical elders, deacons, and members who are being saturated with the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures. In a church like this, a wolf will have little to eat for dinner and will usually move on to easier prey.

For your saturation in the gospel,

Loren