The Social Club

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd March 8, 2016 - Filed in Devotional - 8,478 views
  Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.' Luke 15:1'2 WEB
  
  I could hardly contain my excitement as we headed to the church. For several weeks I had been sharing my faith with a friend at work and finally he had agreed to come to church with me. As far as I know, he had never been to church before, and I was young and naive about the traditions of men.
  
  We were both musicians, but where I was clean cut, he actually looked like one. He had really long hair like most rock and roll drummers did in the 80s and a few tattoos, but he was a good hearted guy that would give you the shirt off his back.
  
  My church had been having a revival meeting all week. The preacher brought a solid message every night about Jesus, love and mercy, heaven and hell, the works, followed by a very effective altar call.
  
  Wanting my friend to hear the message about Jesus uninterrupted, I got us seats on the front row and we settled in to listen. When the preacher walked onto the stage and saw my long-haired friend sitting on the front row, the message suddenly changed from how Jesus came to seek and save the lost, to how shameful it is for a man to have long hair. He yelled his way through the scriptures with a red face while staring directly at us.
  
  I sank lower and lower in my seat as the service went on and my excitement gradually became disgust. I slowly realized that they only wanted to share the good news of Jesus amongst themselves, and they seemed to hold me in contempt for bringing a sinner into their temple. It was as if I had brought moist dung to their dinner table.
  
  We crawled out of that building in shame. How could I have embarrassed my friend like this by bringing him to such a place. I attend a different church today, and I am not sure if my friend ever went to church again. He stopped talking to me and we finally lost touch.
  
  Jesus did not reject the lost and we should welcome them just as they are. Until they come to know Jesus, you can save the commandments for your Bible study. It is not the outside of us that matters anyway, but the inside (Matt 23:27).
  
  If we reject the lost and hurting that try and come to us, then we have become nothing more than a social club with a dress code. It is always a religious spirit that rejects the lost, not the Holy Spirit. Jesus ate and drank with the sinners, not the religious pharisees.
  
  Prayer: Father let me see the world through Your eyes. Help me see the good that You have placed in people and value them. Please don't let me ever drive someone away from You, but instead use me to bring them to You, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.