Wizard of Oz Theology

"We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful wizard of..." We are surrounded in our culture with false advertising. We’re told that we can have it all – a heart, a brain and courage. We are even told that all of our culture’s yellow brick roads will lead us home. We must not be deceived by the wizards in our culture. Listen to the wise man instead. The Wiseman tells us that there is "a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." (Proverbs 14:12). He tells us that we are "to be careful how we walk, not as unwise but as wise men, making the most of our time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15).

In Mark 12:30 Jesus said, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Tinman - love God with all your heart. Many Christians go through the Christian motions but are not true believers. Their obedience doesn’t flow out of their heart. They might understand the gospel in their head but they don’t believe it in their heart. We need Christians that have a heart passion for the glory of God. Cowardly Lion - love God with all your strength. There are a lot of weak and wussy Christians. They are afraid to take a stand. They are afraid to speak the truth in love. They are less than conquerors and would rather survive the culture and escape into the clouds (rapture) than transform the culture and inherit the earth. We need courageous Christians who capture the culture. Scarecrow – love God with all your mind. Christians need to go to God in search of a brain. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We are transformed by the renewal (not removal) of our mind. Christianity is not just an experience involving emotions; it’s a duty involving intellect. Most Christians today have neglected their brain and developed a non-biblical worldview. We need less self-help books and more theology. Dorothy – click your heels together and love God with all your soul.