In ministry, we often are waiting and looking for “the next big thing“. This causes us to look and research and ponder and pander to things that often don’t really matter. One of the blogs I follow posted a link to the “Parable of the Toaster“, which as an IT consultant, I find true yet hilarious. As a Pastor, I find some grief in this parable. This story is convicting of the fact that we often do much in church life that doesn’t mean squat in terms of eternity. We are focused on matters such as tradition, preference, image, and comfort – all things that can be very good on their own. However, when they run contrary to Gods plan and purpose for our lives, they need to be laid aside and quickly.
The Message of the Gospel is simple. We need the Salvation that Christ offers freely by virtue of His death on the cross (Romans 5:8). The only other option is eternal punishment in Hell (Romans 6:23). The rules and regulations of religion make the message messy and confusing. People are craving simple. They can make things messy and confusing on their own. In fact, they know how to do it well (Romans 3:23).