The Church As A Hospital

THE CHURCH AS A HOSPITAL

Mark 2:13-17

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: Giving to God

1. The Junior Sunday School Teacher asked her eight eager 10 year-olds if they would give a $1,000,000 to the missionaries. “Yes!” they all screamed!

2. “Would you give $1,000?” Again, they shouted “YES!”

How about $100?” “Oh, yes we would!” they all agreed!

3. “Would you just give a dollar to the missionaries?” she asked. The boys exclaimed, “Yes!” just as before, except for Johnny.

4. “Johnnie,” the teacher said as she noticed the boy clutching his pocket, “Why didn’t you say ‘yes’ this time?”

“Well,” the boy stammered, “I have a dollar!”

B. TEXT

1. 13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mk. 2:13-17

And Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but [only] those who are sick. I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].” -Luke 5:31(AMP)

C. THESIS

1. Jesus was different than the other religious leaders of his day. The N.T. says things like, “And the common people heard him gladly” Mk. 12:37. Non-religious people were attracted to Jesus (Luke 15:1). Numerous times Jesus is called the “Friend of Sinners” (Mt. 11:19; Lk. 7:34).

2. Why did they like Jesus? I believe it was because He didn’t come off as stiff and religious, but as a real person. Also, I think it was because He loved people of all kinds and tried hard NOT to be condemning or judgmental.

3. I believe these characteristics are sorely needed in the church and Christians today, if we would reach a generation that is away from God (and wary of judgmentalism).

4. So this morning we’re looking at the problem of human brokenness, Jesus’ attitude toward lost people, and His reasons for overlooking their guilt.

5. The title of this message is “The Church as a Hospital.”

I. THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

A. WHEN YOU NEED HELP

1. If you travel around very much you’ll see a blue sign with a white "H" on it. If we’re in trouble, sick or whatever, this sign lets us know that a hospital is near & we can get help.

2. Today when I see a church with a cross on it or a church sign on the side of the road I am quickly reminded that this is a place I can get help also.

3. But you know, not every church you see is a place where we can get help. Sometimes churches are no more than museums or Country-Clubs, unable to help those in need. But God has called the Church to be a Ministry of Reconciliation.

4. Jesus died on the cross so that man could be reconciled back to God. Humans were created to love God, to have a relationship with God.

B. PROBLEM: HUMANS ARE BROKEN

1. But humans are broken. Wouldn’t it be nice if, like Wal-Mart, there was a great big service desk that you could take people & say, “Here! They don’t work, they are broke, they don’t fit in, here take them back, FIX THEM!!” We work in cooperation with the Lord to fix them. The question is, “Are we open for business?”

2. I’m praying for God to send us broken people, hurting people, lost people, people that others just throw away. Will you be Christ’s ambassadors to them?

3. God doesn’t look at the size of a church; He looks at the AVAILABILITY of the church, the WILLINGNESS of the church. Are you willing to be God’s hands extended?

C. DO WE HAVE THE WRONG APPROACH?

1. “The church should be seen as a hospital; a rehab clinic; a place of refuge. The church is NOT a country club. Stop treating it like one. The person smoking outside the church doors; the woman in “inappropriate clothing”; the man with whisky on his breath – these are children of God, not excuses to pass judgmental glances at. Ask them their story. Buy them coffee. REALLY listen to them. That, is the Gospel…not telling them that they “need to get their act together” in order to attend a church.” Spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com