Just Scratching the Surface

Recently I watched a movie entitled "The Second Chance."  It is a drama about a suburban pastor that is forced to work alongside an urban minister.  The suburban pastor (who just so happens to be Michael W. Smith) is a gifted musician and pastor in the church founded by his father.  He is comfortable in his church and their efforts of mission work abroad, in the apparent success of the church's growth and standing in the community.  The urban pastor's church is an affiliate of the suburban mega church because it was planted by Smith's father.

As you can imagine the needs of the two congregations are vastly different.  Throughout the story both ministers are challenged to examine their own views of salvation and ministry.  This is where it got personal for me.  It really made me examine whether or not I have become comfortable in my Christian walk to the point that I am not digging deep into the Christian experience that Christ died for us to have.  Is my walk more about me than about his kingdom being advanced here on earth?

^{In Hebrews 6:1-3 the author writes, "We must try to become mature and start thinking about more than just the basic things we were taught about Christ.  We shouldn't need to keep talking about why we ought to turn from deeds that bring death and why we ought to have faith in God.  And we shouldn't need to keep teaching about the baptisms or about the laying on of hands or about people being raised from death and the future judgment.  Let's grow up, if God is willing."}

After reading this I thought wow if laying on of hands and raising people from the dead are what is considered the "basic things we were taught about Christ" than I am just scratching the surface of what Christ died for me to experience.  So how do I move from basic things to the mature things?  What do I need to do differently?  For starters I am asking for grace to see beyond me.  Just as the pastors in the story had to both see beyond what they were use to in order for God's greater purposes to be fulfilled.  Also, I have to stop walking in unbelief and fear.  Now at this point I realize that no change can be brought about simply by my own efforts but only through the work of the Holy Spirit. So it is my prayer that Holy Spirit will help me to begin to not just scratch the surface of this walk but to put a vision in my heart of what our experience is really suppose to look like.

Be Blessed ...