Title:- Seeking The 6th Sense
Matthew 16:24,25 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it..
‘Proprioception’ has been described as “the process by which the body can vary muscle contraction in immediate response to incoming information regarding external forces by utilizing stretch receptors in the muscles to keep track of the joint position in the body” . In other words, 'proprioception' is how we know where we fit in space; or better still, it's how we know exactly where our feet are, or our fingertips, or the position of our head. If we lose our sense of 'proprioception' then we lose the sense of our bodily self. So much so that when it happens, as far as our physical 'being' is concerned, we are nowhere to be found! Oliver Sacks describes one of his patients having lost this 6th sense of ‘proprioception’ as being akin to a disembodied lady.
Just about all of us are very well aware of where we are in space. However, 'Who we are?' is a very different question. Now the sad fact, the very sad fact, is that many of us have not only lost our very own sense of self, but have never ever discovered just who we are! And may I say that this is especially true of ministers, who for so long have in a very wrong, way become all things to all men that they may please but a few! Many pastors have utterly lost themselves. So let this question burn into you today. “Who are you?”Peer conformity is rife amongst Christians. I have seen whole sermon series constructed and preached, simply to massage 'the agreed', the 'set in stone' and 'the popular view.' Even if it's wrong! I have seen 'protection of the pulpit' as a guilt edge law (no, I have spelt it correctly) in constitutions, simply to make sure no one rocks the boat. “If you want to be part of this club, you must believe our most intricate of parameters.” People lose themselves in such cringing conformity and of those who have done so, are now sadly and simply, the sorry shell of who they should be and even of who they once were.
However in much more subtle ways, many of us have surrendered our distinctiveness to the imposed destinies of our parents or maybe, the deliberation of committees, or the desire of wives, the demands of our children and even to the social norms of a very sick church society. Many of us ceased to be, a long, long time ago.
Before I continue friends, let me assure you that I am not speaking of disrespect to parents neither am I speaking of the desertion of our loving duty to children, nor bitterness against spouses, nor rebellion in the church. I am speaking of something far, far worse. The loss of ourselves, our true selves. So let me ask you again today, who are you?
In our text today Jesus is not saying that we should cease to be ourselves. He is saying that we should cease to be our selfish selves. There is a big difference. Consider this, for it has been my delighted observation to note that when we truly become more like Christ, we become more the person He created us to be. The more truly sanctified we become, the more we are released into our true selves. If this is true, then being a Christian should be an exciting journey into amazing discoveries about our true desires and our true destinies and not the shameful and shackled constrictions of slave ship conformity that so many of us experience. I tell you today, if you do not free yourself, you will kill yourself, so let me ask you again, who are you? Believe me, once you begin to know that, things will never be the same again!
Lest you are mistaken friend, I am indeed calling for “REVOLUTION!”
Listen:- And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Acts 19:15
Pray:- Lord, break the chains that hold Your creation. Lord let me seek only Your smiling face, Lord, above all thing let me be; that You would truly delight in me.
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