Some of the listeners were brokenhearted. Many of them fought addiction. They stumbled from time to time. No matter what the pastor intended to communicate what the addicts heard was, "No sinners allowed. I am a sinner. I am no longer welcome here." They came from sordid backgrounds and had found refuge in that little flock. When the new pastor came and thundered that statement dozens of people left that Sunday and never returned. Sadly, some never returned to that place of worship or any other for that matter.
What I find interesting about this true story is the pastor did not include himself in that statement. That pastor was just as guilty of sinning as anyone else in that place that day. Maybe his sins were not addictions. Maybe his sins seemed minor in comparison.
Just as surely as there are faithful pastors who do more good than we will ever know, there are also pastors who do immense damage to people. They are harsh dictators, insensitive, hypocrites, legalistic, without compassion, filled with hate more than love and worse yet trying to justify their actions.
You would not believe the stories I've heard. Funeral directors have told me about pastors would not be available to do funerals on Saturdays or Sundays. Some pastors will not be inconvenienced to counsel with people. I thought part of the call to be an under shepherd meant to be available to minister to people as much as humanly possible. Many times I've been asked to preach funerals because no other pastor would be inconvenienced to preach the funeral of someone they did not know. Many times I have interrupted my plans because of a death or a tragedy.
I am shocked at how often I've heard people talk about their pastor never coming to visit them in a hospital. I am not talking about people being hospitalized for a day or two. I am talking about people who were hospitalized weeks at a time. Or those who reported their pastor did not visit them when they were homebound and unable to attend a worship gathering.
There are many other stories I care not to divulge. Sordid sick stories of sin. The point is pastors sin just as much, maybe more so, than anyone else. Pastors can be hypocrites behind the pulpit. Pastors can repel people away from the church and Christ. I have done those things. I've had people confide in me that other pastors have done the same.
It breaks my heart to hear such stories. It breaks my heart even more to know I have been guilty at times of such woeful behavior. How many have I turned away from Jesus and His church?
One thing I have not done is tell sinners they were not allowed to worship or unwelcome. How can I look so intently to pluck sin from their lives when my own sin is present. I must deal with my sin first. More times than I can count over the years I've had to apologize to people for wrong behavior, insensitive remarks, unkind actions, sermons preached in truth but without love and my stubborn pride.
If no sinners were allowed then I could never worship publicly again or preach again for I sin. I hate the fact that sin still lies in me. I can be short tempered, rude, harsh, hold grudges, be unforgiving and more. I am not perfect. I am a child of God and a recipient of amazing grace.
How can I or any preacher ever say no sinners are allowed when Jesus continually approached and loved sinful people. He extends grace to sinners. He loves them. He patiently perseveres with them. He is kind. Merciful. Compassionate. All you have to do is read about a woman caught in the every act of adultery.
John 8:1-11 (NKJV)
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
You also read about Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in John 4 or His encounter with Saul in Acts 9. All sinners. All transformed by grace.
Don't misinterpret this. Jesus was not soft on sin. He told the woman caught in adultery, "go and sin no more." He didn't judge and condemn. In fact His hardest words were for the religious people. There is. a day when He will judge. A day of reckoning. A day of judgement. This is the age of grace. I want to deal with sinners in grace.
If Jesus loved, approached and befriended sinners who am I to shun them. Where do those struggling with addictions with wrecked lives find help if not in the body of Christ. We should never soft pedal the Bible truth about sin. That does not mean we are not supposed to love and reach out to sinful people. THAT INCLUDES ALL OF US.
WE MAY DRESS UP THE OUTSIDE AND DO A BETTER JOB OF HIDING SIN FROM PASTOR TO PEW SITTER. THE TRUTH IS STILL WE ARE ALL SINNERS. IF NO SINNERS ARE ALLOWED THE CHURCH OF JESUS WOULD SHUT DOWN AND CLOSE THE DOORS.
WE ARE TO HATE THE SIN AND THE DESTRUCTION IT BRINGS ON FAMILIES. WE ARE TO LOVE SINFUL PEOPLE. LOVE THEM TO JESUS. I WILL NOT BE THE ONE THROWING ROCKS TODAY. I'VE BEEN FORGIVEN OF TOO MUCH TO CAST STONES AT ANYONE.
Dealing with sinners is messy. They might take 3 steps forward and two backwards. They might get on fire and then slip in a moment of weakness. If those sinners really meet Jesus and are transformed by Him I stand on this promise for them and us.
Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
There is hope for sinners.
John 8:32-36 (NKJV)
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Let the sinners comes. Let Jesus be preached and proclaimed. Let Him redeem. Let Him transform. Let Him deliver and set people free. Let Him display trophies of His amazing grace.
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