1 Thing Matters

There are invitations we might be tempted to reject: an invitation to an event you are not interested in, an invitation to a party that takes place at the same time as something else you want to do. There are other invitations which people would say you’ve lost your mind to reject: an invitation to go on a free tropical vacation, an invitation to go backstage and meet your favorite musical group, an invitation to the Super Bowl. We get so many invitations. Some we accept; others we reject. 

Where does God’s invitation to participate in his heavenly banquet rank? Scripture often pictures eternal life as a joyful party, full of friends and family, laughter, and the finest foods. Through a story Jesus teaches us how crazy it would be to reject God’s gracious invitation to that eternal celebration. More, Jesus tells us what we need to get into that best of all banquets.

“Foolish” might be how we’d initially describe the person who repeats the same behavior and expects to get a different outcome. “Reckless” might be another description if that repeated behavior puts someone else at risk.  

But what if that person has gone to great lengths to arrange for his desired outcome, only for others to disrupt it each time? Perhaps he isn’t so foolish or reckless after all; rather, he is determined - determined to keep after it until his desired outcome is realized. Jesus’ story both warns and encourages us. Let us not disrupt but deliver the Lord’s desired outcome. 

Give a single bag of M&Ms to two four-year-olds and tell them to share. You will witness counting done with accountant-like precision. Each child will get an equal amount of candy because that is fair. Human beings have an incredibly strong sense of fairness. That is why it can be so perplexing when we see how God dispenses blessing and grace. We see people who mock God who are more prosperous than believers. We see people who convert on their deathbed, and Scripture tells us they obtain the same salvation as someone who has been Christian all his life. How is that fair?

Through a simple story, Jesus teaches us a profound truth. It appears that God is not fair. He does not give us what we deserve, and that’s called mercy. In fact, he gives us what we don’t deserve, and that’s called grace. No, God is not fair… at least according to our standard of fairness. He is fair according to his. 

“Pay it forward.” That phrase means that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass along kindness to another person instead. Doing something kind for someone else is a way of thanking the person who originally did something kind for you. 

Today God applies that concept to forgiveness. God forgave our countless sins, paying an incomprehensible price to do so. Obviously, we will never have occasion to do the same for God because God has never sinned. God has never wronged us. 

But others may do us wrong. Others may cause us pain. And when we are quick to forgive, it is one way we thank God for being so quick to forgive us. This is the kind of church God wants—people who, like him, are quick to forgive.

Imagine, late one night, you notice the house across the street is on fire. You see no activity inside. You say to yourself, “Pounding on the door in the middle of the night might scare the family. I’m sure they’ll realize what’s going on eventually.” 

Ridiculous! You would never do that! To let a family sleep while flames surround them would be cruel. Your inaction would make you a killer. The truth is you would pound on their door at 3:00 AM, screaming. You would throw a brick through their front window if that was what it took to warn them. You would not care if it startled the family. This is a matter of life and death! Love compels you to do whatever it takes.

God wants the people of his church to be willing to say hard things to people when that is what is necessary to save them from an even worse type of fire. Warning against sin is not easy. It upsets people, even offends them. But saying hard things is the loving thing to do when it is a matter of eternal life and death.

“Be true to yourself, no matter what.” This is the encouragement the world provides. Along with it? An emphasis on the importance of self-discovery, self-image, self-love, self-esteem, self-acceptance, etc. Do you notice a theme? 

Jesus has a shockingly different take when it comes to “self.” He encourages denial. Deny yourself. Die to self. 

But Jesus goes even a step further! He also calls us to carry our crosses - the very burdens and trials the world would tell us to set down! Why would we ever follow such seemingly backward advice!?! Because there alone will we find life. In Christ’s church, self < everything else. 

Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Make no mistake. That is the most important question in the world. And it is a question every human must answer. A complimentary answer can still be dead wrong. Some in Jesus’ day thought he was John the Baptist or the prophet Elijah come back from the dead. Complimentary, but dead wrong. Today plenty of people believe Jesus existed. They believe he was a wise teacher or a role model for love. Complimentary, but dead wrong if missing the main point. 

Jesus is both Lord and Savior, the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This truth is the core of saving faith. It is the central message God has called our church to proclaim. What does God want in a church? He wants a church that clings to Jesus Christ.

“All are welcome!” Is that true at our church? Historically, it rarely is true. In the gospels, the average Jewish person would have thought it odd, even offensive, if someone who wasn’t an Israelite walked into their place of worship. Taking it a step further, some of the Jewish religious leaders would imply that church was meant for those who zealously followed religious customs and traditions. Those were “good church folk.” So church was meant for people of the right heritage and who behaved the right way. What about us? Is it conceivable that a stranger could walk into our church and for some reason you would ask yourself, “What is someone like that doing here?” Or, just perhaps, you are asking that question about yourself? “There are some seemingly godly people here. I’m not like them. Do I really belong?” 

Today, Jesus shows us that God wants church to be for all people. All of us—regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, or social status—have the same problem of sin. And we all have the same Savior. Therefore, anyone who comes to Christ’s Church and cries out, “Lord, have mercy!” is more than welcome.