Pastor Jim Bachmann, Senior Pastor
To the Colossians Paul said, “Since you have been raised with Christ, set your affection on things above, not here below.” And to the Philippians he said, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
One great weakness of modern preaching is that its great emphasis is on making this life as good as possible. Many years ago Kristen and I were in the Seattle airport waiting to fly home. We noticed a crowd huddled around a television monitor in a Hudson News store. I assumed they were watching a football game. To my surprise they were watching Larry King interview the preacher of the largest church in America. On the newsstands were numerous copies of his books, Become a Better You: Seven Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day. Some of his other titles are: Your Best Life Now, Starting Your Best Life Now, Your Best Life Now for Moms, and Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now.
The theme is obvious: this life, here and now. How different were Paul and the apostles. They weren’t looking for the best life. They were looking to serve Jesus. They knew the best life is in heaven. So they pressed on for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
While in Seattle we visited the original Starbucks. Later I picked up a book by Michael Gill titled How Starbucks Saved My Life, a heartwarming story about a man who was raised in opulence. His family spent time with people like Jackie Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth, and Frank Sinatra. He was raised in a 35-room mansion, graduated from Yale, and made great money when he was 25 years old. But at the age of 54 he was fired. Over the next 10 years he had an affair, lost his family, his money, and his health. One day he walked into Starbucks and got a job wearing an apron, working with and for minorities, and serving other people. He was taught respect, service, humility, and the value of labor. Hence the title, How Starbucks Saved My Life.
As much as I enjoyed the book though, there is a great omission. I hope someone told him that Starbucks won’t save his soul. The life he really needs, and we all need, is everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Savior so he can say with Paul, “Our citizenship is in heaven!”
