I've been concerned about a lot of the messages I've been hearing and seeing posted on Facebook by my fellow Christians; ministers and laity alike. None of which lack zeal or passion for sharing the truth. But my concern is many of the messages lack compassion.....
1 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 (NKJV)
Amazing! The Light of the world; the one who came into the world to call men out of the darkness of sin; He who once declared "men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil" ...always found himself surrounded by sinners. The above text takes place at a time in Jesus' earthly ministry when He had developed a reputation for hanging around, drinking and cavorting with sinners. He was known to be the honored guest at the soirées thrown by "tax collectors and sinners." In affect, the text represents the "gossip in the Gospel....."
What's amazing about this text, and that which I think makes it a good lesson for those of us who are Christians; called to be "the light of the world;" we ministers of the Gospel to sinners is this, light exposes sin. There is no way a sinner can come out of darkness except his or her sin is exposed for what it is. And here Jesus is, The True Light; no sin found in Him at all. Yet, sinners who love darkness are willing to hang around Him; risking exposure. They absolutely loved having Him around. Could it be that He compromised His convictions and that endeared them to Him?......
Or could it be that there was something in that light that while it exposed their sin, it drew them to Him nonetheless? Well, it's obvious that His love was in His light. I believe that we as Christians, particularly preachers, teachers, ministers of the Gospel, have often lacked the love in our light.....we are quick to expose peoples' sins; often leaving them ashamed and embarrassed, feeling rejected and hopeless. So, rather than our light attracting them, it repels them. They're not drawn to the light, they retreat further into the darkness.
If we are the "light of the world," what is missing in our light that allows us to expose sin yet sinners are not drawn to us the way they were drawn to Jesus? How many sinners love being around us? How many run when they see us coming? If there is no genuine love in the light, our Gospel can do more harm than good! The Sun is a wonderful light.....it warms the earth. Life grows and is nurtured by its light. Our way of travel is made clear by its light. Even tender blades of grass will penetrate the smallest cracks in the asphalt to reach towards its light. We all love the sun's light. But if that very same sunlight is shined upon anything through the lens of a magnifying glass, it would be consumed; utterly destroyed.
So it is with the souls of men when we minister the light of the Gospel without Love. We cannot fake genuine love for a sinner; either our light exposes and attracts or exposes and repels. We can try to make excuses for our failure to reach sinners all we want to..... "it's a different world now; people don't want to accept the truth anymore." "Sinners are more bound in sin now than they were in Jesus' day." None of that is true! People are the same and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have to just do it like He did it; He had "love in His light." Is there any in yours? God bless you! Love ya with the love of Jesus....I really do.
Senior Pastor J Troy Blackwell
Freedom for Living Ministries
March 8, 2014
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