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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Sizzle (05/02/13)
Obedience…now that’s a word that sizzles. What a sizzling difference we would make in the world if we were all obedient in the way we lived out our faith, the way the early church was.
A friend on Facebook recently posted a Francis Chan video from faithvillage.com entitled, “Go Clean Your Room.” In this video, Francis Chan gives a sizzling illustration of what obedience in the church should look like versus how we often "do" it. He says that when he tells his daughter to go clean her room he expects her to go clean her room. If she goes to her room, and comes back in a couple of hours and tells him, “Hey, Dad, I memorized it. I can say it perfectly…'go clean your room.'” “No!” Chan says, “That’s not going to fly, and she knows it. Or, if she comes to me and says, ‘I can say “go clean your room” in Greek!’ She knows that’s not what I want. Or, if she says ‘Hey, Dad, I’m getting a group of friends together and we’re going to study it, and see what it would look like if I really were to clean my room.’ She knows she would never get away with it.” He goes on to ask why we think we can get away with it in the Church…treating God’s commands in his Word that way, when we can’t get away with that type of obedience in any other area of our lives. God wants us to OBEY His commands; not memorize and study them, and never get around to doing them!
The message of this video sizzles in my heart, as I see myself in Chan’s illustrations. How difficult it is to obey Christ’s teachings, but as a Christ follower that’s what I’m called to do. Am I one who is putting my hand to the plow and looking back, or am I truly following after Christ through obedience to His commands?
With the Lord's help I will be obedient so that He can sizzle in the hearts of those who don’t know Him, and they can turn to Him and become Christ-followers, too.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
dub W
05/10/13
First, learn Challenge paragraphing and spaces between. Second, I must note, the church as a whole was not necessarily obedient - Paul's dilemma; indeed it is by God's Grace we survived at all. Now, the positive - good review of the video.
C D Swanson 
05/11/13
Nice message and interesting "video" description...I enjoyed this short yet engaging piece. I liked the way you used "sizzle" in describing Jesus, and love in the heart.

God Bless~