The Bottom Line

I have a rather mixed feeling when it comes to today’s thoughts about free enterprise and the act of profit overshadowing all other consideration of personal well being. I grew up in a small city in Upstate New York during the fifties and sixties. Springtime was a rather significant event, especially after a rather harsh winter. Unlike South Texas, it involves a wardrobe change and the tools of engagement toward household chores changed from snow removal to lawn care and garden tending. Much like South Texas, as long as Texas has winter rains, people have a sense of renewal with the sprouting of flowers filling the countryside with color and the trees putting on their new clothing for the summer. As a youngster, I also felt a sense of Springtime Thanksgiving when Easter rolled around. I grew up in a time when there was no fast-food drive-thru’s and the movie theater was closed on Sunday. It was very rare to find any kind of business open after six, nine at the very latest, on Saturday evening until eight on Monday morning. At noon on “Good Friday”, every business locked their doors and every activity came to a screeching halt until three o’clock. There was a feeling of reverence in the air all day and the anticipation of an awesome celebration to be experienced at worship on the coming Sunday morning. The earth was being resurrected from the winter to newness of life and it was time to remember the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Nothing else mattered that weekend. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ has become as commercialized as the celebration of His birth. It seems the hope that lies in Christ anymore is the bottom line of red or black. It’s all about “me”, my wants and needs and how best “I” can satisfy them. Once again, I would like to remind you, the reason for the season is Christ, nothing more.
“Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Suffering there for all to see. Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Dying there for you and me. Look at him, up there, bleeding! It’s not a pretty sight to see. He doesn’t look very lordly, hanging there on that old tree. Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Suffering there for all to see. Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Dying there for you and me. He could have called ten legions of angels just to come and rescue him. He could have called down God’s anger on everyone, on a whim. Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Suffering there for all to see. Oh, my Lord! Look at him hanging there! Dying there for you and me.”
[Matthew 24: 36-51] Our Lord and Savior, has been gone a long time and our complacency is turning our hearts to stone. No matter how much our attitudes change I can predict this: The Bible will still have all the answers; Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on earth; The Holy Spirit will still move; God will still honor the praises of His people; There will still be God-anointed preaching of the Word; There will still be singing of praise to God; God will still pour out blessings on His people; There will still be room at the cross; Jesus will still love you; And Jesus will still save the lost who come to Him. Do you call yourself a servant of the Master, yet do not do the things he has assigned you to do? What came first, the spirit or the body? Which will live longer, the spirit or the body? One day we’ll all leave this world behind. Is your spirit ready to move on? Does your bottom line belong to the world or heaven?