Coffee Maker Theology

Preachers are supposed to know everything. And I don't just mean everything in the Bible, but everything in the church building. We are supposed to know how to drain the baptistery, how to clean it and how to fill it. We are supposed to know how to change all the various light bulbs in the entire building, and where all the tools, ladders and lawn equipment is located. We are supposed to know how to fix the leaky sink and unstop the toilets when they back up.

But every once in a while I get a call about our coffee maker. We have more than one, but I only get calls on one. It is a Bunn, three warmer coffee brewer like you see in restaurants.

We also have a small, home style Mr. Coffee in the kitchen, but I never get calls on it. Always on the Bunn. The question I get is always the same. "How many scoops do I put in the big coffee machine?" And my answer is usually the same. (Unless I'm really in a mood.)

I tell them, "You put the same number of scoops as you do for the little coffee machine." There is usually a pause on the other end of the phone and then they repeat, (as if I hadn't heard correctly), "No. The big coffee maker."

I repeat, "Yes, you put the same number of scoops as you do for the little one."

Sometimes they question me again, "You mean for that big machine?"

Then I have to explain. The small Mr. Coffee carafe holds 12 cups. The big Bunn carafe's hold 12 cups. Even though the machine is bigger, the pots are the same size, so you use the same amount of coffee grounds.

This usually triggers a light bulb. Often I've had people say, "I never thought of it that way before." They see the BIG machine and immediately assume a larger amount of coffee.

Sometimes we do the same thing with our biblical understanding. We read a sentence and it strikes a cord with us, so we begin to act upon that sentence or phrase without seeing it in context, or questioning the depth of it.

A great example of this is Revelation 3:20. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." I've heard this passage used over and over as an evangelistic call, telling unbelievers that Jesus is standing outside their door knocking. If only they would open the door and let him into their life! And this is a valid call, but that's not completely what the verse is about.

John's revelation was written to Christians. To those who have already accepted Christ as their Lord and savior. And in context, the passage means more. "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

Jesus is calling his disciples, the church, to open the door! This gives the sentence a completely different spin, and impacts us ever more personally.

I encourage you to look deeply at God's word. Don't just accept surface understanding, but set things in context, ask questions, dig deeper, and grow in your understanding. You may be amazed at how some simple, life changing things have passed you by because you looked to fast and jumped to the wrong conclusion too soon.

Think about it.