It was a big deal when my Nana bought her first new car, a 1967 Buick
Skylark hardtop. But the real attraction to my cousin and I was the rear seat
speaker. Stereo, or at least an additional speaker to blast out the hits on the
Sonomatic radio, which in the mountains of the Poconos could be Staticmatic.
But she had taken us a giant step in car sounds, and I couldn’t understand why
my father just didn’t hook one up in his Rambler. It would be when I got my
first car, and replaced the AM with an 8 track that I got my first real stereo
with rear speakers, and I would join the millions of stereo types who upgraded
their car sound beyond the value paid for their first car. I took a giant step
backwards getting my first Rabbit with only mono FM, but after that the sound
was more important than the performance. I had a motorcycle if I wanted to go
fast. When I bought Garry brown’s 1973 Chevy van, he had two 8 tracks in it, a
project to get his electrical engineering degree. Now I was really a stereo
type....
But when John led me to the Lord later that year, I had met the ultimate
stereo type. John was a sales rep for Marantz, had a quadrophonic system with
four tower speakers for his apartment, and in his Scirocco had a booster, new
word to all of us, with 4 speakers. My stereo experience had come a long way
from Nana’s Buick to Lafayette Radio to my first 8 track. I was becoming a true
stereo type and didn’t even know it!
But when becoming a Christian I became a different stereotype. I was now a
Jesus Freak, Bible Thumper, Church Boy, and others, none of them suggesting any
respect. I found that many of the stereotypes the world had of Christians were
church based, the wanting of all our money, all the laws and rules dictating the
things we shalt not, and making us lead a religious life of piety. Of which I
found none of those things to be true among true Christians. We had a new found
freedom in the spirit, we had individual personalities, we didn’t all go to the
same church or worship the same. We had Jesus Christ in common, and that was
the difference. Something that no church rhetoric no matter how steeped in
denominational tradition could break. Yes, I knew some church folk who
exhibited the stereotype characteristics, but to those in Jesus, who really were
Christians we were above it and wanted no part of it. We came to Christ for
freedom, not for a new set of rules. And one afternoon proved the point, at
least to me.
I was invited to a prayer circle and brought my Bible. Thinking it was
Christians, I was wrong, as this new age cult denied Jesus as God, although he
was a great teacher, and had their own set of rules. Mostly do your own thing,
and many of the girls were many of the guys own things. Later when I shared
this with a pastor, he explained that not all who use the name of Jesus are
Christians. And in the early church many had left and denied Jesus, some even
denying the scriptures predicting him, and falling away from the faith. Going
their own way, making up their own gospel, twisting scripture and taking it out
of context to suit their own good. To substantiate their own sins. Neglecting
the true things of God and choosing to follow false doctrine, and in effect
denying Jesus Christ. Sadly many of these types tried Jesus, but for some
reason he didn’t meet their criteria, and they passed on him. To their own
destruction. Denying that God has everything under his control, and wanting it
under theirs.
Today the stereotype of a Christian hasn’t changed much, as Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday, today, and forever. We change, he never does, which is a
good thing. No new religion sought to take a giant step back, but when denying
Jesus and the power of his word via his spirit, they deny the basic tenets of
becoming a Christian. Maybe John words it best, “they went out from us because
they were never part of us.” And in Matthew 25 Jesus telling the church who has
gone its own way “be gone, I never knew you.” So close yet so far. So where do
you stand....
Do you live a life in Christ, or follow your own set of rules? Remember if
sin wasn’t fun why would you do it? But know Jesus still loves them, and is
patient that none should perish. He gets it, how many of us don’t? Won’t? Or
refuse to do it his way? Beware the scriptures and their teaching if not in the
spirit, for it is the spirit that reveals the mysteries of Christ, without the
spirit they are just words on a page, open to any interpretation to suit the sin
you want to substantiate. And in the end will be judged by the standards they
lived by. Not a way I choose to meet my maker.
Today we don’t have stereos any more, we have sound systems. The stereo
type of 30 years ago is now an i-pod owner, who can download music and take
pictures with his cell phone. But sin remains sin as it always has. And the
stereotype of Jesus will still be confused with the church. Don’t you make the
same mistake, we are the church and Jesus is the head. We are to follow not
lead. He is Jesus 1.0, there are no updates or upgrades. No reverb systems and
no boosters other than the holy spirit. Just how far has the church fallen?
Maybe an example of power in Mercedes Benz sound systems explains it
better.
When the 211 chassis came out, the E class, it had a computer controlled
sound system. That would shut off then magically turn itself back on without
notice. The engineers found it put out too much power and over heated, thus
turning itself off, and back on when cooled off. The fix, depower the unit so
it won’t overheat. Does your God perform under all situations? Does he need to
be reprogrammed? Jesus doesn’t...maybe the ultimate stereo type, the ultimate
multi channel surround sound of love. If music is the sound of love, play
on.
Even in Nana’s back seat we could tell the difference then...
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com