Tuckered Town

 

Tuckered Town

Tuckered Town - Audio/Visual

You people in Galatia were told very clearly about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. But you were foolish; you let someone trick you. Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by following the law? No, you received the Spirit because you heard the Good News and believed it. You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish. Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not! Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you because you follow the law? No, he does these things because you heard the Good News and believed it. The Scriptures say the same thing about Abraham: “Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.” (Gal. 3:1-6)

Turn north onto Stress Boulevard (just a few blocks east of Worrywart Way), then merge right at the fork in the road that leads through Exhaustion Valley. There you'll find yourself on the run-down streets of Tuckered Town – a place where the residents really do live up to the town’s name. They shuffle like pack mules on a Grand Canyon climb – eyes down, faces long and shoulders slumped. And when you ask the residents to explain their sluggish ways, they point to their cars. "You'd be tired too if you had to push one of these," they say. And to your amazement that's exactly what they’re doing. Shoulders pressing, feet digging, lungs puffing, they muscle automobiles up and down the town’s streets. Rather than sitting behind the wheel, they lean into the trunk. The sight is puzzling to be sure, but the sound is even more shocking because listen…. That’s right – the engines are running. Residents of Tuckered Town turn the key, start the car, slip it into neutral and then – shove.

A young mother rolls her minivan into the grocery store parking lot and you ask, "Have you ever thought of simply pressing the gas pedal?" "Oh sure I have. And I do," she says, brushing the sweat away. "I press the gas to start the car, and then I take over." And just then, you hear a whistling noise behind you so you turn around. And there stands an out-of-breath guy leaning against his eighteen-wheeler, wheezing like an overweight marathoner. "Did you push this truck?" "I did," he gasps, covering his mouth with an oxygen mask. "But why not use the accelerator?" He cocks an eyebrow and then boasts, "Because I'm a Tuckered trucker, and we're strong enough to do our own work around here." Funny. The Apostle Paul asked the Galatian church the same question: "You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That’s foolish." (Gal. 3:3)

Is God nothing more than a jumper cable? You know, jump-start a new, spiritual life and nothing more? Apparently, Corinthian Christians were pushing a few cars around, too. "You are still not spiritual," the apostle accused them. (1 Cor. 3:3) Well, if that was true then what was Paul saying? Were they saved? Yes, because he addressed them as "brothers and sisters." (1 Cor. 3:1) He considered them to be God's children – saved and heaven-bound. But not spiritual. Plugged in, but not flipped on. "Brothers and sisters . . . I had to talk to you as I would to people without the Spirit – babies in Christ . . . You are still not spiritual, because there is jealousy and quarreling among you, and this shows that you are not spiritual. You are acting like people of the world." (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

I used to think that there were two kinds of people in the world: the saved and the unsaved. But Paul explains a third: the saved but unspiritual. The spiritual person is Spirit-dependent, Spirit-directed and Spirit-dominated. That person seeks to "walk in the Spirit." (Gal. 5:16) The unspiritual person, on the other hand, cranks up the car, sticks it in neutral, gets out of the vehicle and then pushes. Tragically, these people act "like people of the world" (1 Cor. 3:3) – in language, lifestyle, priorities and personality, they blend in with non-believers. They let God save them but not change them. Such carnal Christianity frustrated Paul, so he reproves them – “You began your life in Christ by the Spirit, but now you’re trying to make it on your own power. That’s foolishness." (Gal. 3:3 – my paraphrase) Foolish and miserable.

Frankly, you don't want to carpool with unspiritual Christians because they don’t have any kind words to share. "There’s jealousy and strife" among them, according to Paul. (1 Cor. 3:3) The only joy they know graduated from high school last year. And gratitude? For what? The two-ton Hummer they push up the hill every day? Right. The saved but unspiritual see salvation the way a farmer sees a hundred acres of untilled soil – lots of hard work. Church attendance, sin resistance – have I done enough? No wonder they're tired. No wonder they argue. "You’re jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you’re controlled by your own desires?" (1 Cor. 3:3) Harsh words. Joyless days. Contentious relationships. Thirsty hearts. You’d find more excitement at an Amish prom. Who would ever want to live in Tuckered Town?

Better yet, who would want to move there? Nothing repels non-Christians more than gloomy Christians. No one wants a free truck if you have to push it. Your neighbor doesn't. You don't. And God doesn't want it for any of us. He never intended for you to perambulate your life. His word then for worn-out Christians? "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live in him." (Col. 2:6) But how do we receive Christ? The same way we live in him – by coming thirsty, drinking deeply, and often. When you do, saving power becomes staying power. "God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." (Phil. 1:6)

Christ didn’t give you a car and tell you to push it. He didn't even give you a car and tell you to drive it. You know what he did? He threw open the passenger door, invited you to take a seat, and told you to buckle up for the ride of your life. When Christ enters the Tuckered Towns of this world, he stands at the intersection of Exhaustion and Defeated avenues and says, "'If you’re thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! Because the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.' (When he said 'living water,' he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him)." (John 7:37-39) "Come to me," Jesus says. Not "come to my church," or "come to my system," or “come to my religion.” But "come to me!" Come to him and drink. No sipping. No tasting. It's time to take a long, thirst-quenching drink because thirsty throats gulp water. And thirsty souls guzzle Christ.

The margin notes of this same scripture in the New American Standard Bible state: "Keep coming to Me and . . . keep drinking." In other words, annual fill-ups or monthly sips just won't do. You aren't sampling wine at a Temecula vineyard. You're hiking through the Mojave desert. And that mirage you see? It’s not a mirage at all, but is the very river of water that you need. So, dive in and drink. And as you do, look what happens – “rivers of living water will flow out from within." (John 7:38)

The word for “rivers” can be translated “floods.” (See, Matt. 7:25, 27; Rev. 12:15-16) And we've all seen torrents of water strong enough to wash whole houses away. Newscasts run and re-run images of a house and other stuff floating downstream. So what’s the force that can float a house down a raging river? It’s a force that’s smaller than the power who floods you. "He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him." (John 7:39) God's Spirit. God's powerful, unseen, undeniable presence pulsating through heart canals. A "spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life." (John 4:14) God's Spirit rages within you. Whether you feel him or not is unimportant. Whether you understand him is insignificant. Jesus said, "Living water will flow out from within." (7:38) Not "may flow," "could flow," or "has been known to flow." But, "will flow."

If that’s the case, then why are we so weary and irritable? If God's Spirit lives within us, why do we have the compassion of a boat anchor? We can't tolerate our co-workers, control our tempers or forgive ourselves. And we’re tired. But God through Paul answers that question with five rich words: "Be filled with the Spirit." (Eph. 5:18) In fact, the verb tense would have caused original readers to see capital letters: BE FILLED. With the same imperative that he instructs, "Forgive," "Pray," and "Speak truth," God commands, "BE FILLED."

And not only does Paul give a command; he gives a continuous, collective command. Continuous in the sense that the filling is a daily privilege. Collective because the invitation is offered to all people. "You all be filled with the Spirit." Young, old, servants, businessmen, seasoned saints, and new converts. The Spirit will fill all. No test is required. You don't need to persuade him to enter; he already has. In other words, you’ve got company. "Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you." (1 Cor. 6:19)

As a Christian, you have all the power you need for all the problems you face. The real question then is not, “How do I get more of the Spirit?” The real question is, “How can you, Spirit, have more of me?” And we'd probably expect a Mother Teresa-sized answer to that question, i.e., answers like build an orphanage, memorize the book of Leviticus, or bathe lepers. Do that and be filled, we think. "Do this on your own and be tired," God corrects. So do you desire God's Spirit? Well, here’s what you do. Ask.

"Everyone who asks will receive. . . . You know how to give good things to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:10, 13) The Spirit fills as prayers flow. Do you want to be filled with strength? Then pray, "Lord, empowered by your Holy Spirit, I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13) Welcome the Spirit into every room of your heart.

I did something similar with the air of my air conditioner this past summer. Outside, the sidewalk had been sizzling in brick-oven heat during the day. But as I stepped inside my house, I was as cool as the other side of the pillow. Why? Well, two reasons, really. One is that an air conditioner sits next to the house. I didn’t build it. I didn’t install it. It came with the mortgage. But when it’s on, credit the cool house on a good air conditioner. But you have to give equal credit to the open vents. I did not install the cool air maker, but I did open the air blockers. Cool air fills the house because the vents are open. It wasn’t very complicated, either. I just went from room to room and adjusted the levers to release the air.

The Holy Spirit will fill your life as you do the same. Room by room, invite him to flow in. Try this. Before you climb out of bed tomorrow morning, mentally escort the Spirit into every room of your house or apartment. Before your feet touch the floor, open each vent. Got anger in a bedroom? Unpayable bills on a desk in the study? Conflicts in the kitchen? Need some air in the family room, or a change of atmosphere in the hallway? Invite him to fill each corridor and room of your life. Then, having welcomed him into your whole heart, go to your garage, climb into the passenger seat, buckle up and thank your Driver that you don't live in Tuckered Town anymore.

Grace,

Randy