Dear Friends,
When was the last time you experienced a bout of dyspepsia?
Before you Google it, let me provide you with the Cleveland Clinic’s explanation: Dyspepsia is simply “another word for indigestion. People with chronic indigestion often report feelings of stomach pain, over-fullness and bloating during and after eating. Other common symptoms include acid reflux, heartburn and excessive burping.”
Those of us who are of a certain age can remember when there were familiar TV commercials promoting remedies for the kind of dyspepsia brought on by eating a spicy meatball (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=73df0e42ef&e=fbb0a4052b) or food from the snack bar at the drive in (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=1bd8425ee5&e=fbb0a4052b). A couple of Tums, a little Pepto Bismol or some Alka Seltzer and you should be fine before long.
But what about spiritual dyspepsia? According to Charles Spurgeon, we can become spiritually sluggish or bloated when we gorge ourselves on God’s word without getting off the couch and burning away some of calories.
Here’s how Spurgeon encouraged his congregation to keep from experiencing spiritual indigestion.
“Some of you good people who do nothing but go to church and stay home reading your Bibles, would be a good deal better Christians if you would look after the poor and needy around you.
“If you would just tuck up your sleeves for work, and go and tell the gospel to dying men, you would find your spiritual health mightily restored, for very much of the sickness of Christians comes through their having nothing to do. All feeding and no working makes men spiritual dyspeptics.
As I read Spurgeon’s description of this spiritual illness, I found myself thinking about people I know who are prone to groaning, murmuring and despair. I thought about how our engagement with God’s word was never intended by Him to be an intellectual exercise. The Bible itself tells us that the pursuit of biblical knowledge can easily lead to a spirit of pride. “Knowledge puffeth up,” the old King James Version of the Bible tells us, “but charity (love) edifeth” (I Corinthians 8:1). To hear God’s word without acting on it is invite self-deception about our true spiritual condition (James 1:22).
We all know what it feels like to eat too much. We’re uncomfortable, sluggish and lethargic. When we take in too much Bible without acting on what we’ve hear, we can experience the same feelings in our spiritual lives.
Spurgeon tells us that the cure for spiritual dyspepsia is spiritual activity. We shake off the sluggishness and get ourselves engaged is spiritual activity.
“Be idle, careless, with nothing to live for, nothing to care for, no sinner to pray for, no backslider to lead back to the cross, no trembler to encourage, no little child to tell of a Savior, no grey headed man to enlighten in the things of God, no object, in fact to live for; and why wonder if you begin to groan, and to murmur and to look within, until you are ready to die of despair?”
This, says Spurgeon, is the ultimate cure for spiritual dyspepsia. Pick up your pace and serve the Lord more vigorously.
“If there be any Christians here who are troubled with doubts, and fears, and despondences, and spiritual dyspepsia in general, let them ask themselves whether, if they instructed the ignorant, fed the poor, and cheered the down-trodden, they would not find in such a course the way to the most effectual remedy! Let them resort to the Good Physician, and among his divine prescriptions will be this—'Quicken your spiritual pace; throw more energy into what you are doing in my cause, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost shall abound towards you in a greater measure.’”
Ready or not, our annual Trunk or Treat event happens next Wednesday night!
There’s still time (this Sunday) for you to drop of some candy for us to handout to the kids who will be joining us for our Trunk or Treat event. Bring your bags of candy with you to church on Sunday. And if you’re interested in being one of the trunks (hosting a simple carnival style game) be sure to let Jen Gurney know you’re available to help.
Also this Sunday, we’ll have Trunk or Treat flyers you can pass out to your friends and neighbors.
Please remember to pray for this outreach event!
Our Redeemer Men’s Institute meeting in November will be all about theological triage and how we can determine which theological issues are critical and which are less important. Whether you’ve attended either of our first two events or not, every man is welcome (that includes young men who are interested).
In the past several weeks, we’ve seen that we have a clear command from God to go and make disciples. We’ve examined the essential elements of the message we’re supposed to take to the world. We’ve talked about the need to have a game plan or strategy. We’ve looked at how we can cultivate a heart for those who are far from God. And we’ve seen the example set by the early church to proclaim the good news without fear and with boldness. This Sunday, we’ll turn to Luke 10 to see what Jesus has to say to His disciples about the urgency of the mission to which we are all called.
See you in church.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
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