S- Matthew 9:11-13 "But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'why does your teacher eat with such scum?' When Jesus heard this, he said, 'Healthy people don't need a doctor - sick people do.' Then he added, 'Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.; For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.'"
O- When the Pharisees saw Jesus with tax collectors and other sinners, they were appalled because their view of being religious was to not associate with sinners. Jesus challenges them to think about the point of a passage in Hosea 6.6 (NLT) that says "I want you to show love, not sacrifices." He then plainly states that He is here for the sinners not those who think they are righteous.
A- I've been thinking a lot about the conventional church lately. Churches today have a lot to offer from recovery programs, to woman's programs, youth ministries, men's ministries, pet ministries. (Alright, maybe not pet ministries). But we offer so much to so many different people to get them to come to church. The problem is that there are a lot of people out there that won't come to church simply based on the fact that they don't think they're good enough to come. People know they aren't perfect and that they are sinners, but they still won't come to church. In the midst of trying to make our church buildings comfortable for people to come into, I think we've missed the point of needing to go out to the hurting people that no matter how seeker sensitive our churches are, they won't come in the doors, because they don't feel "worthy" to come in.
Think about someone who is sick, say with a self inflicted wound or an STD, something that they had a part in making themselves that way. Even though the one place that can cure them is the doctor's office, the last thing they want to do is admit their guilt and shame in putting themselves in that position. It isn't until someone comes alongside them and helps them move beyond that guilt and shame that they will come to the doctor to get healed. I think it's the same way with us as followers of Christ, we need to go out to those who are hurt and know they need help, but are too ashamed to ask for it. We need to go alongside them, help them move past their guilt and shame and see their need for God, before we bring them into our churches.
P- God help me to identify those that are hurting. Help me see how I can come alongside them and help them experience you. I pray that those people will have the courage to be helped and the humility to admit that they need you.
O- When the Pharisees saw Jesus with tax collectors and other sinners, they were appalled because their view of being religious was to not associate with sinners. Jesus challenges them to think about the point of a passage in Hosea 6.6 (NLT) that says "I want you to show love, not sacrifices." He then plainly states that He is here for the sinners not those who think they are righteous.
A- I've been thinking a lot about the conventional church lately. Churches today have a lot to offer from recovery programs, to woman's programs, youth ministries, men's ministries, pet ministries. (Alright, maybe not pet ministries). But we offer so much to so many different people to get them to come to church. The problem is that there are a lot of people out there that won't come to church simply based on the fact that they don't think they're good enough to come. People know they aren't perfect and that they are sinners, but they still won't come to church. In the midst of trying to make our church buildings comfortable for people to come into, I think we've missed the point of needing to go out to the hurting people that no matter how seeker sensitive our churches are, they won't come in the doors, because they don't feel "worthy" to come in.
Think about someone who is sick, say with a self inflicted wound or an STD, something that they had a part in making themselves that way. Even though the one place that can cure them is the doctor's office, the last thing they want to do is admit their guilt and shame in putting themselves in that position. It isn't until someone comes alongside them and helps them move beyond that guilt and shame that they will come to the doctor to get healed. I think it's the same way with us as followers of Christ, we need to go out to those who are hurt and know they need help, but are too ashamed to ask for it. We need to go alongside them, help them move past their guilt and shame and see their need for God, before we bring them into our churches.
P- God help me to identify those that are hurting. Help me see how I can come alongside them and help them experience you. I pray that those people will have the courage to be helped and the humility to admit that they need you.
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