Luke 15:1-7
Have you ever ask the question: Why does it bother me when
folk show-up at church dressed in what I would consider not appropriate? Could it be we are more like the Pharisees
and scribes than we are willing to admit?
As we look into Luke 15:1-7 keep that at the forefront of your mind.
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to
hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man
receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 ESV) I’ve been in that group of Pharisees and
scribes more often than I would like to admit.
It brings to my mind a young man named Kevin Carroll who came to Spring
Baptist one Sunday morning, he had long unkempt hair, white painter overalls
with different shades of paint on them, and the boy was barefooted, and God
showed up before any of us Pharisees could approach him. Now God took on the form of our pastor Harlan
Caton, and this is what happened, Harlan welcomed this long hair unkempt young
man as if he was of great importance, very special, and he was to the kingdom
of God.
Harlan said loud enough for all of
us Pharisees to hear, young man I want you to sit on the front roll each time
you are here, I also want you to keep your eyes on me and listen to what God
has to say to you, and if anyone has a problem with how you are dressed you pay
no attention to them and tell them you are my personal guest. The rest of the story is Kevin became a dear
friend to Jan and I, Kevin came to Christ, his hair got groomed, his dress
changed, but that is not the best, his life changed and Kevin became a youth
minister, married a beautiful lady and the last time we saw them they had
children of their own and were busy in the kingdom of God.
As we look at Jesus’ reply, Kevin
was that lost sheep, how many Kevin’s are we passing by each day? “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one
of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the
one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on
his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends
and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep
that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no
repentance.” (Luke 15:4-7 ESV)
When our self-righteousness exceeds Christ mercy and love, we are close
to judgment!
It has been my observation that the
self-righteous are very often religious, I did not say they were Christ
followers, for when self is on the throne of my life or your life there is
little room for Christ. So this word is
for each of us who have flesh that wants chapel bells and proper dress, and it
matters not if they are filled with demons from hell if they look and act good
in the chapel. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the
faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus
Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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