This Sunday's message was from I Timothy 2 and we saw how the Gospel spoke to some of the problems in Ephesus. Among other things we saw that the gospel is INCLUSIVE rather than EXCLUSIVE. It is for everyone - Jew and Gentile, slave and free, red, yellow, black, white and any mix thereof, rich or poor. The reality of the Gospel is that no matter what categories we best fit in, at the heart of it we are no different than any other category. We are all sinners in desperate need of a Savior. And we all share the common provision - JESUS.
Where religion leads to pride - we are better than others because we do these things, or don't do those things...- the Gospel leads to humility - I am a sinner in desperate need of a Savior.
When THAT Gospel is grasped and begins to work through us, we find it easier to love the unlovely - the alcoholic, the drug abuser, the old out of control homeless woman that visits the church - The Visitor.
I was humbled, almost to tears last night when I re-lived some of the days events. The Visitor was an older, black, scarred, homeless woman who 30 years ago would be safely kept in an asylum where she could be cared for and not harm herself or others. She sat through the service. Following the service she continued to sit at her table. Kimberly, one of our folks who had been with the kids during the service, talked with the visitor.
Then, as I spoke to others someone said, "we need to get some help for her!"
"Why?" I asked.
"She just stood up and wet the floor."
Our visitor stood - bent over - urinating on the floor.
Kimberly held her arm and helped her stand.
Justin headed to the kitchen and I followed him, a minute behind.
When I arrived Justin had located the mop and bucket as well as some cleaning supplies. Quickly and quietly he was out the door with mop in hand.
By now Kimberly and Lex (one of our guys) were each holding an arm and walking the visitor to the front of the theater and finding out where she needed to go.
Justin mopped the floor clean.
Outside, I joined Kimberly and Carley as they walked the Visitor down the sidewalk to Christ Episcopal where she would have lunch. The walk was slow and labored.
About 1 and 1/2 blocks away with all well under control I headed back to the theater to make sure cleaning and everything else was OK. I later learned that when I left the visitor began loudly cursing every passerby as she cried from the pains of life. Carley and Kimberly walked with her.
The Gospel is not exclusive. Kimberly, Carley, and Justin got it.
With quiet compassion they became the Gospel.
Maybe the visitor was too far gone to see Jesus in them, but I wasn't.
Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
