What if this story were actually true? “Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church where he was to be introduced as the senior pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people, only to receive stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.”
This is just an “urban legend” but could it…does it happen?
Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It’s something you live by and share with others.
Read the text. PRAYER
What if Jesus called you to come and sit down with Him and share everything that you had taught or done? What would tell Him?
Maybe you would say, “Well, I’m not a teacher.” But what you and I do and say, in fact teaches others what we believe about Jesus.
During this message I’ll share some true stories with you about what some have seen from the church.
I heard a story about a lady who visited a church for the first time. She had never been to that church and was searching for somewhere and someone who could help her find some answers to life’s tough questions. This lady was searching for hope in a hopeless situation.
She told me that when she stepped out of her car, she was quickly met by one of the ladies from the church, whom hopefully was going to greet her and show her where to go.
In fact what happened was the very opposite. It appears that this church member, whom was a total stranger to the visitor, as far as she knew, had been holding a grudge against the visitor from many, many years ago. The visitor didn’t even know why she was being confronted. The member of that church told the visitor “I have waited for many years to see you face to face and TODAY I am going to whip your back pew, right here and now.”
All this was because of something that happened a long time ago when this visitor was a child. Apparently the visitor and the member’s daughter got into a fight, as most children do, and this church member vowed to get even with a CHILD, knowing that sooner or later the child would grow up “and when you do you better give your heart to God because the rest is mine.”
[It’s sad to admit but this was my sister who was attacked by one of our members]
If you were this visitor, how would you feel?
What lesson did you just learn about the forgiveness of sin?
Did you find any answers to the questions, in your heart?
What does this say about the shed blood of Jesus being all we need in order to find forgiveness?
In Mark 6: 30 the disciples have returned from their mission and are reporting to Jesus, who is listening, closely, to the disciples as they describe their trip.
They tell Him two things:
1. All they had done. They had been able to heal the sick, cast out demons and all kind of great things.
2. All they taught. They were able to witness to people and they actually listened and were responsive.
**Jesus had given them specific instructions: read verses 7-11
How His disciples live and what they teach is extremely important to Jesus.
This report would reveal three things to Jesus.
1.Their obedience to Him:
All believers will be held accountable for what we teach and how we live. We are to be obedient to Christ, HIS teachings and HIS examples…Saying what He said and Doing what He did.
We must fully understand the fact that each of us will be held accountable to God.
2Cor. 5: 10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
Mat 12:36, 37 “36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
2. Their level of commitment to Him:
Rom 12:9-11NIV “11 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.”
How committed are you? As you think about your level of commitment to Jesus, ask yourself these 5 questions.
1. Is my life witnessing to the power of the risen Christ, every moment of every day?
2. Does my faith in Christ affect the quality of my daily living so that people see in me a Christ-like dignity as well as moral strength?
3. Is there anything in my life that reveals to men and women that Jesus Christ is the One to whom I have promised my commitment?
4. Is there any visible difference in my life compared to the lives of those who never acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior? Matthew 5:46-48NIV “46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
5. Do I display, in the midst of this restless world, a quietness/stillness of spirit which reveals that the peace of God is dwelling in my heart?
(Quoted in the Elmcrest News, Elmcrest Baptist Church, Abilene, Texas, Vol. 20, No. 7, 2/27/91)
3. Their effectiveness as witnesses:
“Pastor Hayes a man in his middle forties was well-loved by his congregation, and faithful to God and to his family. He enjoyed a successful ministry in a growing church BUT Just when everything seemed to be going well; a cloud came over this man and his ministry.
Rumors circulated through the church that Pastor Hayes was guilty of moral misconduct.
He had been seen at the home of Miss Morrow, a school teacher, just a few weeks before she resigned for "personal reasons" and moved to another city.
Apparently someone in the church put two and two together-and came up with five.
Pastor Hayes was innocent, but the stain of the alleged scandal could not be erased. The rumors followed Pastor Hayes for years, seriously hampering his effectiveness as a pastor. It was difficult for him to endure the rejection, mistreatment, and misunderstanding caused by the false rumors.
But it was even more difficult for him to witness the toll these events had on his wife and on his teenaged son.
It was ten years later and after his son graduated from college-that Pastor Hayes learned how the hurtful rumors began. One night a man the pastor had not seen for years appeared at his door. "Brother McLean!" said Pastor Hayes in surprise. "I haven’t seen you in..."
"Eight years," McLean said. "It’s been eight years since I left the church." McLean had been an elder in the church, but left a few months after his term expired. Pastor Hayes studied McLean’s features. He looked older, and something was clearly troubling him. "Please come in," the pastor invited warmly.
"No," McLean answered quickly, "I only have a few minutes to talk. I just had to tell you-I was the one responsible for The story about you and Miss Morrow, I was the one who started it all."
"You!” "But why? You knew I was innocent, didn’t you? Miss Morrow left town to care for her dying father. She called me to her house the day she learned of her father’s cancer. I went there to pray with her. How could you twist that into...."
"I know! I know!" Tears began to fill the other man’s eyes. "I was twisted, Pastor I was twisted with jealousy!
You see, before you came, I was a leader in this church. The previous pastor asked my advice on everything. People looked up to me. The programs I was involved in were flourishing.
"But when you came, a lot of new people came into the church. There were so many new programs and people didn’t listen to my ideas anymore. The church got so big-and it took a different direction. I felt left behind. I was so angry and bitter against you.
Pastor Hayes, I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I just had to tell you."
The pastor stepped toward the man who had deeply hurt him for ten years. He wrapped his arms around Mr. McLean and embraced him. There in the yellow glow of the porch light, McLean sobbed away years of pent-up sorrow and guilt in the arms of the man he had wronged. And Pastor Hayes held him with strong arms of forgiveness and unconditional love, saying repeatedly, “I forgive you, my brother. I forgive you.”
From Courage to Begin Again, Ron Lee Davis
How effective is your witness, for Jesus? Does it build up or tear down the kingdom?
Would you rather cuss and fight or forgive and heal?
Are you willing to allow The Holy Spirit to change the direction of this body?
What if new people come, excited about serving the Lord…Will you let them?
We need to understand that the salvation of the world has been placed in our hands and everything depends on what we are teaching and how we are living.
What would Jesus do? Before you answer that let me ask you this. WHAT DID HE DO FOR YOU?
Maybe you need some forgiveness, some mending…come and let Jesus wrap His arms around you and hear Him say… “I forgive you, my child, I forgive you.”
