And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured to His disciples, saying, "Wherefore are you eating and drinking with the tribute collectors and sinners?" And answering, Jesus said to them, "Those who are sound have no need of a physician, but those who have an illness. I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance"
Lukes Account 5: 30-32, Concordant New Testament
The religious steeped Pharisees could not understand why Jesus would spend His time breaking bread with hated tax collectors and sinners. They perceived that His time would be better spent condemning rather than befriending such people. But Jesus put them in their place with a dose of the truth which He had been sent to proclaim. "I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance" {Lukes Account 5:32}. In the wake of the assassination of Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk, I've been spending a lot of time in thought and prayer as to why it is that he has been so fondly remembered. For even those who at one time disagreed with him have now confessed to the impact which his words had on their lives. For much of my life within the mainstream church, I was taught that ministry to others involved seeking out the sinners and speaking condemnation to their behaviors. "You're on your way to hell" became the catch phrase for many church ministries. Even today, I can hear the echoes of this teaching in the words of well meaning believers. That my sin will eventually lead to my downfall and eternity separated from God. I've come to refer to this teaching as the separation theology of the church. While I definitely heard this in the words of Charlie Kirk, I believe what separated him was not his message, but the audience he often chose. Just as Jesus Himself chose to befriend tribute collectors and sinners, so it was that Charlie Kirk chose to put himself where his message was most needed. That is, within the confines of the colleges and universities of this nation. I believe that there is a reason for that. For too long, people have been complaining about the disconnect between the youth of our nation and those of us who have seen too many years fly by. All too often, we berate the younger generation as being lost. I believe that Charlie Kirk dedicated his ministry to make an impact upon those who need a physician. To speak his message of Jesus and common sense unto those who needed to hear it. Like I said, it is this type of ministry that I was introduced to only after I walked away from the church.
Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I
Paul to Timothy (1) 1:15, Concordant New Testament
I was thinking this week of the ministry of Jesus and I concluded that it is Jesus Who went where He was needed. It would have been easy for Him to proclaim the good news of His gospel to those who accepted His message and call it good. Yet this was not why He was sent. Indeed, Jesus has been dispatched not to judge the world, but that the world would be saved through Him {Johns Account 3:17}. I've spoken many times of the community which I've developed within the local gym I frequent. I did not step into this area with guns blazing and speaking verses of the condemnation of sin. I did not speak to those around me that they were condemned to hell if they did not repent. No, I spoke to them as friends. Like Jesus, I met many of my friends exactly where they were at in life. I don't speak of condemnation, but of the grace and forgiveness only found in the Father. I take no credit for myself, but give the glory to God. For it is He who has brought me to this place in my life to speak His evangel of the truth of the Lord to those desperate to hear it. The more I think about it, this is true ministry. To meet people where they are in life. To approach them as a friend and not a judge of their behavior. The ministry of the church will focus on the sin of the individual. The truth spoken by the evangel of the apostle Paul speaks to that sin no longer being an issue for us. It is Paul who has proclaimed the truth the Jesus has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. That we might be considering ourselves "Dead, indeed, to sin" {Paul to the Romans 6:11}. The lie spoken by those within the church continues to be that our sin separates us from God. I admit that I heard this in the words of Charlie Kirk as well. I can't fault him, like me, this is how he was taught to minister to the people. The truth is that we no longer need to believe in the lie that our sin is forever before us. For Christ has died to that sin of our past, present and future. Sadly, there are those who continue to believe in the lie spoken by the deceiver. It is these who need the message of grace and forgiveness spoken by Jesus. It is these who need the physician.
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment