Yesterday we shared a story about a preacher that attended church dressed as a bum and then later return to preach the sunday. Can you imagine how this might have felt to see the bum you through about escorting off the premises actually get up to teach after the worship singing? What if the bum were Jesus? Following our Nomad service yesterday Victoria Hollie shared a similar story. She said that while in Philadelphia a few years ago there was this bum panhandling outside of a theater of a play she and some friends were about to attend. Like usual most of the people didn't give him the time of day. Then at the end of the play, Jesus appeared as a character and the actor was the same guy playing the bum outside just a few hours. Now that really gets you thinking!
Obviously there are some theological and social implications both positive and negative of this type of story. This is why I mentioned at the start of my talk, that I don't know that I would have used trickery to get our Nomad community to walk with God. Honesty has always and should always be the best policy. However, it is a pretty compelling illustration to remind of us an age old truth found in the book of Hebrews. "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." - Hebrews 13:2
You've heard Dan and I both argue through this series that "love" must always be our goal, but it is important to make sure we are walking correctly through situations as mentioned above. We have also agreed the most overused illustration in church today is probably loving homeless people. How many of us actually know homeless people? Also to assume the writer of Hebrews was talking about homeless people might be a bit careless with the text.
The way to understand the text is to know Hebrew culture which was all about the meal and the home. To be invited in a home especially for a meal was to say, we are partners in life and partners with God. What I believe the writer is suggesting is not the bum on the street (although if God leads you, by all means help) but the stranger that comes into our communities. The stranger that steps in with humility and says I want to change and I want help. To turn them away because we are too busy or it doesn't help our church or it is too messy would be in error of what the entire New Testament teaches and in turn could be turning away somebody Jesus put right in our midst for a specific reason.
So as you go about your day, pray and ask God to give you more love. Love for who? Everyone, but especially the stranger. Because that stranger could possibly be that person God put in our lives to continue to disciple us toward great love and grace. That is also what it means to build a culture and not just a church organization.
Further Reading
Hebrews 13
Philippians Chapter 1
Ephesians Chapter 1
In His Steps by Charles Sheldon (c. 1896)
What would Jesus do by Gary Sheldon (c.1993)
Pastor Review - The 1896 book is far and wide the better read. Sheldon's grandson Gary reprised the book, In His Steps during the embarrassing WWJD craze of the 1990's. Where G. Sheldon does get it right though is in the same doctrinal stance of his father and not just the moral and ethical stance of Christianity but the reaching out to others evangelically. But I recommend the 1896 version.
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