Crowd's Source.

Pastor Sam shared two ways in which people of God pursue holiness. Monastic strategy is one way; the other is incarnational strategy.

In yesterday's post we considered two types of monastic strategy (physical and psychological) that, though beneficial for a personal drawing near to God, do not afford us much opportunity to be a redemptive influence drawing others to God.

What is incarnational strategy? It is the plan of God expressed in the life and ministry of Christ Jesus. Our pastor reminded us of the words of Jesus in John 20:21: "As the Father sent Me, so send I you."

In what way did the Father send Jesus? Pastor Sam summed up God's incarnational strategy in a few words: "Jesus went to weddings; He sat down and talked to people that other people were not talking to; ...He 'became flesh and dwelt among us'."

Jesus, according to Scripture, spent His days in community. In fact, the significant amounts of time He spent with non-religious people drew criticism from the religious leadership. The hallmark of incarnational strategy (as demonstrated in Jesus's ministry) was that although He spent time with people whom religious leadership deemed unworthy of their company, Jesus was never influenced by either the elitist stance of the leadership nor the evil nature of persons bound in sin. Rather, He was the influencer.

Pastor Sam noted that incarnational strategy is harder and riskier than monastic strategy. If we are not secure in our faith, then there is the risk of failing in our attempts to be the means by which people are drawn to the Lord. But what other option is there apart from interacting with the people around us? How will people know of Christ if they are not experiencing His love through us? Incarnational infiltration is the means by which we engage people and permit them to watch us as we live lives of holiness. Why? Not for our own glory, but that they might "see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

There was a question asked during the sermon that we can reflect on today: If Jesus prayed that we not be taken out of the world (John 17:14-18), then why are we trying to take ourselves out?

Lord, You are sending us in the same way the Father sent You: we are in the world to influence the world. Help us to represent You authentically.