The Columbine shooting, the theater massacre in Aurora, the Fort Hood killing, child abductions and murders, porn rings, sporting events, pornography; what do they all have in common?  People indulge in watching the effort, trauma, and depravity of others via the media, and some will eventually act it out.  We live in a culture obsessed with physical gratification, violence, and power (or at least it’s illusion), and that gets its “jollies” watching others kill, mutilate, indulge, strive, etc.  We have become a nation of voyeurs.  Watching is more important than doing.  Living out a fantasy vicariously substitutes for action.  But for a few, that isn’t enough.  And they act out what they once watched.  I have long wondered how many rapes would not have occurred had the perpetrators not been wallowing in digital, pictorial and printed filth in the days and years prior.  As a society we justly criminalize the abuse of other human beings, and yet we defend those who dump fuel on the fire.  Some of the stuff on the magazine rack in an average grocery store would have passed for soft porn twenty years ago. 

    But, I was speaking of voyeurism.  Voyeurism once applied to the interested viewing of another by a hidden observer as they dressed, undressed, made love, bathed or engaged in other intimate actions.  With the advent of modern media, it applies to much more than a “Peeping Tom”:  reality TV, movies, violence; and all from the safety of your easy chair as a detached viewer.  What does this say about us?  It always surprises me to listen to a couch potato criticize an athlete.  I have competed enough to know that things look vastly different from mid-field than they do from the bleachers.  We as a society get entertainment value from watching others excel, others do and dare, others sin, others kill.  But is it remote, detached and devoid of effect?  Experience seems to militate against any such assertion.    And, it can get pretty ridiculous.  Drive through town on any afternoon and you will see the logo of ball teams on car and truck windows, often with an off color remark about another team.  Fans have rioted and assaulted the fans of other teams.  Really?  It isn’t as if the fans were down on the field.  And the players were not at “war”.  They are simply earning their living and might be traded at any time to another club.  Would to God that believers exercised such strong loyalty toward Christ!  When was the last time we missed church or time in the word so we could watch a game, race or whatever?  If we can quote the names and stats of players, is it too much to ask if we even know the books of the Bible? 

    Before I go too far with this I need to say that watching movies, athletic contests, etc. is not wrong in and of itself.  I enjoy a good ball game.  But it isn’t my life, and I am not trying to live out my fantasies by watching.  Too many of us in America are seeking fulfillment through observing the lives and actions of others.  If this was not so the Kardashian’s would be broke!  Paris Hilton would not be a household name, Survivor would tank in the ratings, porn stores might go broke (I wish!).  To anything that draws us to listen, watch or do, we need to apply the guidance of Scripture.  Is it true?  Is it just?  Is it worthy of praise, pure, excellent or admirable?  Not everything adds up to that standard.  When I was a kid, people did stuff.  Now, many if not most, watch stuff.  All I am saying is that doing so carries a price tag if what we take in as a steady “diet” is unworthy and ungodly.  We have gone from being a nation of doers to being a nation of watchers.  And with a steady diet of watching, some can and will cross the line to doing in the most ungodly and toxic of ways.  That’s all I am saying.

     

  Dependence Day    In Isaiah 1:1-20 God confronted Judah with their rebellion.  They had been prosperous and secure and had become complacent and unfaithful.  As Isaiah wrote God’s message his people were enduring judgment as a series or wars and other catastrophes were hammering Judah (Is 1:5-9).

  Yet the nation was, at least outwardly, very religious.  God rebuked them and likened them to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Why, because like Sodom, they were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned for the things that should have been their priority (Ezk 16:49-57).  All their other failings stemmed from these. 

     God had no use for Judah’s religious devotion.  He called it “meaningless,” and said that His soul hated their special days of worship (Sounds like another situation: Rev 3:14-22).  Further, God stated that He did not listen to their prayers (Is 1:15-16, Ps 66:16-20, Mt 5:23-24, 1 Pet 3:7, 1 Jn 5:13).

     God called on Judah to repent (Is 1:15b-20).  A series of verbs flow out: “take, stop, learn, seek, defend, plead,” these are calls to do and not merely to think (See Rev 2:4-6).

God calls Judah to reason with Him and repent and be restored (vs 18).

    God never postures – what he says, He does (Is 1:21-31).  The parallel here is not being drawn between Judah/Israel and America.  That is “apples and oranges.”  God has a covenant relationship with Israel – not with America.  The parallel is between God’s chosen people and the church.  With each He has a covenant relationship.  God has and will judge His people.  We in America are saturated with biblical teaching, much of it good and much of it hideous! How do we respond?  I see two ways in scripture: In Ezk 33:30-33 God tells Ezekiel that to the people who followed his preaching he was no more than a singer of love songs who had a good voice.  He was just entertainment, not any lasting force for good.  Yet, God also made it plain that that would change (Once God had “lowered the boom” on His people).  Mal 3:16-18 shows quite a contrast: The people heard God’s message and repented and enjoyed the blessing of God.  That is what is needed today in our nation and especially in the church. 

     What will it take for our nation?  Consider that since 2003 we have been continually at war and have lost over 6000 of our children in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We have suffered catastrophic damage and loss of life from storms, floods, fires and drought.  Maybe these would have occurred anyway and maybe not.  But we know who rules the universe.  Yet instead of repentance what does our nation focus on?  The sex lives of the rich, famous and idiotic, sports, politics, network TV, social media and on and on.  We are a people asleep in our complacency.  We slaughter the preborn and rush after anything but God. I am speaking here in general terms regarding our nation and culture.  What about us, the church?

     We know that judgment begins in the house (family) of God (1 Pet 4:17).  When considering the visible church there are only two possible categories that people can fall into:  regenerate and un-regenerate.  Either a person is saved or they are not.  Church attendance does not a Christian make!  Tragically the distinction between a believer and a non believer is not always readily apparent to an observer.  In 2 Pet 1:3-11 we are told that God has given us everything we need to posses eternal life and grow in our faith through the work of Christ.  He has called us to Himself “through His own glory and goodness.”  And we are to seek Him!  Doing so results in the fruit of the Spirit being evident in our lives and in an effective, productive and spiritually perceptive life.  The opposite is true if we stagnate.  Spiritual “slugs” manifest a different type of fruit (Gal 5:19-21).  We are to be "salt and light."  The Holy Spirit indwelling and working through God’s people is the most powerful force on the planet.  Seek Him, beloved.  Don’t warm a pew and wait for others to feed you.  Be proactive in your walk with God (Hen 5:11-6:12).  Be available for God to use!  What we do for Him is holy, well- pleasing and our well-reasoned act of service to God (Rom 12:1-2).  And hang on; it is going to get exciting.

    I am far from pessimistic regarding our nation.  God has sent revival several times before and He can do it again!  A relative handful stood the world on its proverbial “ear” in the first century.  Read Eph 1 and stand in awe – the same power that created the world is at work in and through us!  Pray for our nation, pray for the church, pray for revival and seek Him.