Isaiah 57:14 + 62:10

Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.

Pass through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.

How often do we set up obstacles for the unbeliever rather than tear them down? The truth is that sometimes (and I would argue many times) we get so hung up on the things that really don’t matter, we’re blocking the road to Jesus! At our church doors, are we encouraging everyone to enter, or are setting up guards who make sure that everyone’s got their shirts properly pressed and tucked in? Do we look in contempt if they smell like smoke? Does their political beliefs cause us to question them? What sinners we are! “Pass through, pass through the gates!” should be our heartfelt plea!

Even inside the walls we bicker over the most ridiculous things. We tear each other down as if our way is the only right way – so quickly forgetting that Jesus’ way is the only right way; and whatever removes the obstacles for as many people as possible is what we’re commanded to do!

This means we are going to have to contextualize our message for the culture that we live in. This doesn’t mean that we change the truths of the message. We hold our core theology in a closed hand but our methodology in an open hand – open to change and adaptation according to the culture we are in. And don’t think that there is a church out there that doesn’t do this – every church contextualizes, the question is to what culture or year? See, pews weren’t put into the church until the 13th century – before that everyone had to stand. The King James Version of the Bible was recorded in the 17th century according to the language of the time. The list could go on and on. Today there are more TV’s in America than people! To not make use of the technology of today would mean losing our foothold in the culture and would result in the viewing of church as outdated and it’s message inapplicable.

Build up, build up, prepare the road! Don’t block it.