For the last 17 years a neighbor of ours has been watching us leave for
weeks at a time on our motorcycle rides across America. Following us on social
media, his dream was to retire, buy a Gold Wing, and ride it across country.
Which he was finally able to do, after leaving his bike here when moving to
Virginia and flying back for his dream ride. I was excited for him, I love to
ride and travel the back roads, and he expressed a common desire, and said he
would get with me to plan his ride. Which he never did, instead relying on his
GPS, and somehow missing all of the great places in America there are to see.
Using his GPS it carefully avoided such places as Grand Canyon, Canyon de
Chelly, The Million Dollar Highway loop, Route 66, and the hill country of
Texas. Instead he saw I-40, 17, 10, and then 81 on his way home. He got to eat
at GPS sponsored fast food, use exit numbers for direction, and bragged of his
680 mile day, thinks he is an Iron Butt Rider, somehow missing the whole purpose
of why we ride, we take on many forms. He will talk to his non-riding neighbors
who will think him a nut or a hero, but if he encounters anyone who actually
tours, he will come up short. He saw America one interstate at a time, cruise
set, and missing all the country has to offer for a motorcycle rider. This
upsets me, as he has the time and money, a rare commodity having both at the
same time, and thinks he saw America, and is a touring rider. Close, he rode
the freeways across it, and close, he did it on a motorcycle, but fell short of
becoming a real touring rider, settling for a GPS version of America, the
shortest distance between two points the aim, and being cheated on his
experience. He had all the same resources available to him I do, plus my
experience, plus some long distance rider friends I introduced him to, yet he
chose to do it all by himself. Sadly I had called this, as I have seen guys
like him whose pencil has an eraser at both ends just in case, but never have to
use it because they never stray from what the internet tells them. That bastion
of truth once again ruining a great ride, and sadly he will never know it.
I used to minister with a man whose whole Christian experience was inside
the church. Saved at church, taught at church, tithed at church, doing all the
church things that he was told make him a Christian. But when called to go out
and minister, he found the real world much different than the safe walls of the
church. Told to go out by a man hiding behind a pulpit, who had never done it,
his church experience with Jesus caused him heartache and heartbreak on the
outside. Why weren’t the poor he had signed up to minister to interested in
tithing, missions trips, and Christian how to books? Why weren’t they excited
about the latest KLOVE worship music, and why weren’t they immersed in a Bible
study as he was? I think he tried to do it, but on his own, and finally I had
to ask him to leave. His success in ministry was based on numbers, ad sadly
after a few years when he left, a week after a man who attended faithfully to
our group asked “what was the name of the other guy who used to come with you?”
Maybe a fitting epitaph for a dying Christian, who only knew Jesus within the
four walls he called church.
We find Jesus spending most of his time on the road, praying,teaching,
healing, and ministering as needed. He didn’t go to church, but pointed out we
are the church, and while it is great to gather, the real blessings occur in
everyday life with him. When what you have been taught can be applied. I
wonder how many confuse Jesus with the church, and think they are saved because
they go to church? How many churches don’t talk abut sin and repentance, but
concentrate on personal growth by staying within the church? An interview on a
college campus years ago with students asked about the church gave some rude,
but true answers. But about Jesus they had mostly good things to say, but
equated him with the church, so stayed away. Like my rider friend falling short
of the truth of riding by following a GPS and taking the safe route, going to
church religiously, and choosing religion over the truth of the gospel, Jesus
Christ. Knowing Jesus saves you, and going to church nourishes you, not the
opposite. Only Jesus saves, man doesn’t, programs, procedures, and processes
don’t either. Yet many settle for a Sunday visit, albeit reluctantly,and miss
out on all the blessings, all the joy, and all the Jesus offered. A ride less
taken, like a quick trip across America, some relate to Jesus the same way, a
quick trip on Sundays, living the church life of a Christian, but never taking
it to a lost and dying world. And if they take the church instead of Jesus,
they are bound to fail, as homeless, hungry, and thirsty, lonely and abused need
love now, not a message or sermon. For long after the words are forgotten, the
action will be remembered. We all can recall the ministry of Jesus, but we
don’t recall all the words. Yet we don’t follow his example of doing, just of
saying.
Evangelism is not inviting someone to church, just like first aid is not
taking someone to the hospital. Many gather around tables and share Jesus, many
go out and feed the poor in his name. While others just serve where needed, and
see a side of Jesus not offered via religion. I want all of the Jesus I can
get, and he comes in many forms, written, oral, and action based. He works
through us, within and without us, our choice. Some are happy with a mainstream
Jesus, I choose to travel the road less taken with him, to get away from
religion and to spend more time with the man who is also God incarnate. Don’t
read this as anti-church, just anti-religion. I want more of Jesus than the
First Church of the Freeway, more than a freeway relationship when I ride. I
hope you do to, for his offer still stands today. The question is where do you
stand? Where will you stand?
A fancy set of leathers and Gold Wing don’t make you a touring rider, even
a little plush animal on back won’t help. Getting on at one exit and getting
off at another is no way to travel. If you only read the same verse over and
over you get a dim view of Jesus, if all you get is the pastor’s take, you are
cheating yourself. Many avoid the road the good Samaritan took, but that is
where the action is and was. That still small voice is still calling to you to
go out and be a blessing, consider the parable of the road less taken for your
next ride, or your next ministry adventure. An empty barn stays clean but makes
no profit. Where you ride and how tells us more about you than the bike you
ride. We are the church, it’s about time we started acting like it. Something
to remember next time you are asked “where do you go to church?” Your answer
can be “we are the church, and we go where the Lord takes us.” And if on two
wheels.....with not a freeway in sight....
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com