Are You a Stupid Bird?

Michael Horton, in a recent White Horse Inn broadcast, talks about a bird where he lives that will repeatedly fly into the windows of his home, as if it is obsessed with giving itself a concussion. He describes the actions of this bird as mindless, and that it will not stop flying into closed windows. His conclusion and final description is that this is a stupid bird.

The actions of this bird, Horton says, is exactly like the religious life…it is the arrow pointing up (the mindset of doing this particular process or that seven-step program to obtain God’s favor or to get closer to heaven, of trying to climb Jacob’s ladder, only to come crashing back down to the ground discouraged with the realization that it can’t be done).

The sad reality of the majority of the ‘evangelical’ church today is that it is convinced that it has indeed reached the summit through the latest programs and formulas and fads. But sadly, it has reached its destination apart from Christ…apart from the gospel. It’s methods are devoid of Jesus and the cross. It sees no real benefit in baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the means of grace (except in tracking baptism numbers in order to boast in the flesh, and in observing the Table once a quarter so as to appear orthodox).

No, today’s Christian is more interested in law – what he/she can do to gain favor with God – rather than in what Christ has done on the cross as his/her substitute. Today’s Christian is more concerned with trying to do things to obtain God’s favor instead of hearing the proclamation of the word of Christ and of Him crucified. Today’s Christian doesn’t even really need Jesus to reach heaven, just the latest and greatest evangelical gurus and how-to experts, according to Ken Jones of the White Horse Inn. And I fear that many will be at the wedding feast, but will not be wearing the proper wedding garments. And the host of the feast will come up a say, “Friend, how is that you got in here without any wedding garments on?”. They will be speechless, and the host will say, “Bind them hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many called, but few are chosen.” – Matt. 22
Are you a stupid bird? Is the church where you attend staffed with a flock of them? Do they repeatedly fly into the windows of the latest church fad? Pray that God would give you wisdom to examine yourself and the church you are attending so that you can answer that question honestly. If the word of Christ is not being preached from the pulpit (and has instead been replaced by life-application how-to’s, for example), then go find a church where the cross is preached, the sacraments are observed, and repentance and faith are essential.

Take it from a former stupid bird…sooner or later that law-based teaching will come crashing down on you, and you will be crushed by the stone that the builders rejected. For it is not really a window that you keep flying into, but the finished work of Christ.