I don't get out much. Really...
As a Pastor, I spend most of my days in very sheltered environments either at my home or at the church. When I do get out I am typically on a mission to buy something, eat something, or to wet a line. Rarely do I go out with the purpose of feeding Jesus or at the very least offering Him something to drink.
This past Saturday morning was an exception...
I got up and started my day at about 7:00. I had my morning coffee, checked Facebook, fed the dogs, and was doing most of my normal morning things when I noticed two utility workers a couple of houses down loading up what remained of a tree that had been cut down. Knowing that I would need some firewood come winter, and knowing that they would be dumping the remains of the tree at the local city dump, I got in my truck and went down to get a load or two of free firewood.
The two guys were really nice and even helped me load the wood into my truck. We began to chat a bit (mainly small talk) when I decided to tell the guys about my occupation. "I'm a Pastor at First Baptist Church here in Tullahoma", I said. "Where is that?", one of the guys asked. "It's on the corner of Washington and Grundy Streets", I replied. "Oh, that BIG church", one of the guys stated. "'Yeah, I use to go to church but got away from it'. 'My mom keeps telling me I need to get back into it'", said one of the men. "I couldn't ever go back to church", said the other guy. I was in prison for a time, and well... I've done too much wrong in my life... more than you would ever want to know".
As the proverbial doors opened wide, I had the chance to begin sharing with the two men about the grace of Christ and the fact that we ALL are sinners. I had the opportunity to tell them that nothing they did or could ever do would ever separate them from God's love. I shared with them the fact that apart from God's grace and Christ sacrifice I too would be without hope. However, we all have hope and can spend eternity in heaven because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. And He did it knowing that we would rebel, sin, and overall just mess up. (Romans 5:8).
Both men told me they had never heard much of what I had told them, and then they went on to tell me they would have never thought a Pastor could be so real if they hadn't met me. They seemed literally "shocked" at the fact that I was human and that I relied on the same grace and salvation that could save them.
At the end of our conversation I told them where I worked and made it clear that my door would always be open to them if they ever needed to talk or needed anything at all.
In having to be at the church for a funeral in 45 minutes we said our goodbyes and I drove off with my second load of firewood. However, what I really left with and am still left with today are a lot of thoughts and questions. Questions like:
1. How many people just like these two guys are out there? What are we doing to help them? Are we so focused on ourselves that we neglect to be and to share Christ with the lost right in front of our noses?
2. Are we as Christian's loosing the battle in this country because we don't get out enough? I mean, Jesus Christ hung out with tax collectors and sinners. Maybe He would have more likely been found in the local bar than in the average local church.
3. When was the last time I shared the hope of Christ with someone? If that question was asked to the average "Christian" what would their answer be? I am afraid I know what many of the answers would be...
4. Is our church just a Country Club or is it a hospital for the hurting? Ok, you say it's a hospital for the hurting... If that's so, our "ER's" should be jam packed week in and week out with the TONS of hurting and dying people that are all around us. Bottom line: We need more Pastors and Christian's to make old fashioned "house-calls" (get out into the trenches in our communities) and quit waiting for people to walk in to our "Country Clubs" we call churches.
I could literally go on and on with the questions and thoughts that this one Saturday morning has brought to my mind... Perhaps though, this scripture passage sums it up best...
Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT)
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at His right hand and the goats at His left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Christian, this isn't a game were playing; there are people's lives at stake! Again, I ask you, "When was the last time you fed Jesus?" The scripture tells us that anytime we do anything in Jesus name we do it as if we had done it to Jesus Himself. Our call to go and make disciples is clear yet so many people continue to do nothing with the exception of those things that benefit ourselves. We cry out about the moral decline in our country but do nothing ourselves to actually reverse the trends. If a person is drowning and you stand there holding a life preserver yelling out "someone is drowning" but never throw it out to them, all you have done is state the obvious while the person dies in the process. Christian, you have the life preserver (Jesus Christ) and people around you are drowning, calling out for help, reaching out for hope...
Will you share your food with Jesus? Will you throw out the life preserver? People are hopeless, helpless, dying... Christian, you have what they need.
An old hymn says it best. "Rescue the perishing, care for the dying. Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save!"
Please...do more than think about it...
Pastor Christian Watts
