Fisher of Men
Today is Sunday, and its late at night and I am growing tired. It was an interesting day though. Slept late, but still made it to church. Church is part of what made it an interesting day. The pastor has just started a new serious called "No perfect people allowed.'
The gist of the series so far can be quantified in one statement as far as Christians go, "Who cleans their fish before they catch em?" What a wonderfully enlightening statement. I for one can get on board with this statement. What he is trying to say is that according to traditional Christian belief we are all sinners and through the grace of God we are saved, cleansed of that sin. So did God clean us before he caught us, or after?
I don't know about you, but I was a dirty person before I knew Jesus. I sinned up a storm, I was what is called a secured sinner, meaning I know I sinned, but didn't care. When God caught me I was still a terrible sinner. In fact today, I am still a sinner, but now I am an unsecured sinner, meaning I hate the fact that I sin and when I do, I try and repent and ask for forgiveness for my sins. The way the pastor is using this is that we as Christians present ourselves as "Perfect" people and often are or seem judgemental of other people.
I would like to think that I am not, and only those I know and come into contact with can tell me. I call it trying to live a life as and example of Jesus, which means that I cannot judge others because I am a sinner too, but rather I need to be accepting of others where they are at right at that moment because that is what God does for us. I agree whole heartily with the pastor. Jesus was often with sinners, so much so that the religious leaders scorned him for it. As Jesus said, the healthy are not in need of a doctor.
In this doctrine, and in the Christian belief, we are commanded to go forth and spread the gospel Matthew 28. Asia is in need, desperate need of the gospel, money is their current god. To share the message with these people is their divine right, their divine right to hear it. After they hear it, is their choice to accept it or reject it. Can I judge a villager that greets me wearing a nose ring, and a loin clothe any more than I can judge an American teen with a nose ring, and tattoos? No, instead we are called to love them as we love ourselves. Chinese and Vietnamese deserve no less.
We've taken what Jesus gave us, and we have in turn became hardened just like the religious leaders of his time. Closing our doors to those we disagree with, but I ask you, how can we deliver the message if they are not there to hear? When I go to Asia, I must meet them right where they are. I listen to them while they tell me about their religious beliefs, and I even visit there temples. After all, can I expect them to listen about my religion if I will not pay them the same common courtesy? Nor can we expect the same for our fellow Americans because often times they don't have the vocabulary we do, Christian vocabulary. They most likely have had a bad experience with other hard line Christians who were willing to condemn them.
Lets walk in the path of Jesus, and lets love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and lets accept people right were they are, lets clean the fish only after they have been caught. My heart is in China, and I so want to be there, serving the Lord doing Kingdom work. I must be patient and listen for Him.
The gist of the series so far can be quantified in one statement as far as Christians go, "Who cleans their fish before they catch em?" What a wonderfully enlightening statement. I for one can get on board with this statement. What he is trying to say is that according to traditional Christian belief we are all sinners and through the grace of God we are saved, cleansed of that sin. So did God clean us before he caught us, or after?
I don't know about you, but I was a dirty person before I knew Jesus. I sinned up a storm, I was what is called a secured sinner, meaning I know I sinned, but didn't care. When God caught me I was still a terrible sinner. In fact today, I am still a sinner, but now I am an unsecured sinner, meaning I hate the fact that I sin and when I do, I try and repent and ask for forgiveness for my sins. The way the pastor is using this is that we as Christians present ourselves as "Perfect" people and often are or seem judgemental of other people.
I would like to think that I am not, and only those I know and come into contact with can tell me. I call it trying to live a life as and example of Jesus, which means that I cannot judge others because I am a sinner too, but rather I need to be accepting of others where they are at right at that moment because that is what God does for us. I agree whole heartily with the pastor. Jesus was often with sinners, so much so that the religious leaders scorned him for it. As Jesus said, the healthy are not in need of a doctor.
In this doctrine, and in the Christian belief, we are commanded to go forth and spread the gospel Matthew 28. Asia is in need, desperate need of the gospel, money is their current god. To share the message with these people is their divine right, their divine right to hear it. After they hear it, is their choice to accept it or reject it. Can I judge a villager that greets me wearing a nose ring, and a loin clothe any more than I can judge an American teen with a nose ring, and tattoos? No, instead we are called to love them as we love ourselves. Chinese and Vietnamese deserve no less.
We've taken what Jesus gave us, and we have in turn became hardened just like the religious leaders of his time. Closing our doors to those we disagree with, but I ask you, how can we deliver the message if they are not there to hear? When I go to Asia, I must meet them right where they are. I listen to them while they tell me about their religious beliefs, and I even visit there temples. After all, can I expect them to listen about my religion if I will not pay them the same common courtesy? Nor can we expect the same for our fellow Americans because often times they don't have the vocabulary we do, Christian vocabulary. They most likely have had a bad experience with other hard line Christians who were willing to condemn them.
Lets walk in the path of Jesus, and lets love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and lets accept people right were they are, lets clean the fish only after they have been caught. My heart is in China, and I so want to be there, serving the Lord doing Kingdom work. I must be patient and listen for Him.
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