How then, shall we live?

All of my teenage and adult life I have struggled with judgemental people. I don't exclude myself from the judgemental category because I know I have been guilty too. My struggle is with particular instances where we seem to pick and choose to whom and what we will be judgemental towards and therefore also exclude others. We decide what currently threatens, scares, or offends us most and we put a big bulls eye on it and fire away without a thought of the human being attached to the target. Again, I have been guilty as charged but I rejoice in the fact God is molding me to be more like Christ as I go along. So what has spurred me to write such sentiments? Homosexuality. Plain and simple.

I have gay and lesbian friends and some even in our family history. I also have friends whose children are homosexual. For the most part they all are wonderful people who live a life I do not agree with. I also have heterosexual firneds and family members wholive a life I do not agrew with. In reality, there are many out there who do not agree with mine. However, these homosexual couples are monogamous, loving, kind, caring, and a few are awesome parents to their children. They all believe in and worship the same God I do, claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. So, if all of that is true, how can they still be homosexual? Don't they know the Bible says it is wrong? Because they are human. Actually they are flawed humans just like I am a flawed human. I do believe they are sinning by living as they do, but I also know that everyone reading this is sinning by living the way they do; including myself. We all pick and choose what we follow and don't follow in God's words to us. We all choose circumstantial justification in so many areas of our life. We all do it repeatedly. But for some reason, homosexuality has such a social stigma attached to it, for now at least, we find it easy to judgementally condemn them to hell. Some of the worst offenders are the people of the church. Some say the homosexuality is the fault of bad parenting or the wrong friends. If they are so worried about their sin, why are they not doing all they can to get them into the church instead of driving them from it and destroying families and friendships in the process?

I know there is a segment of the homosexual population that live a very unhealthy, sexually promiscuous lifestyle. Those are the ones we equate to all homosexuals. But let us not forget that there are even more in the heterosexual population that live a very unhealthy, sexually promiscuous lifestyle. In my city there is one "gay" bar but yet there are no less than 30 "straight" bars. Statistically speaking, homosexual couples with children have rare instances of child abuse as opposed to heterosexual couples. Also according to statistics, monogamous homosexual couples are three times more likely to stay together in a relationship as opposed to monogamous heterosexual couples. Still, we are quick to judge them into a Christless eternity.

The Old Testament and some New Testament writers talk about the forbidden relationships of same sex couples, but how did Jesus address this issue. It is apparent it was happening during his days on earth, so again what did he say? Nothing. He said he did not come to destroy the law but to uphold it. How did he do that? Through his divine grace and mercy. I have to stand on the truth of the Bible and believe that homosexuality is a sin because that's all I have as a foundation (and a solid one at that). But how does he address all of our sin? Through sacrifice, forgiveness, compassion and unconditional love. We hardly know anything about unconditional love these days.

Think about the adulteress woman. She had committed numerous social and sexual sins, regardless of gender orientation, and Jesus simply stood by her side while the community targeted her and questioned Him. Hew knelt and drew in the sand then asked them to examine their own life and leave hers to be forgiven by Him and to stand in judgement of God, not man.

I am not promoting homosexuality or bisexuality or any other "-alities" we dream up. I already said I know it is a sin. How then, shall we live? I have no idea how I am going to explain any of this to my 5-year old but I know I better get ready because she is living in a world where it is going to touch her life. We live by seeing the human element, as Jesus did, of ever person who is behind every sin. I would rejoice that we would all be freed from sin before we get to heaven but I do not see that happening unless Jesus is returning to us right now. Before you judge and condemn anyone, put yourself in their place. Put them in the place of your child, your mom or dad or best friend. How then would you treat them? Would you be so quick to banish them to the far reaches of darkness and never see them again, or would you live out your life with them, speaking the truth in love, knowing the grace and forgiveness that awaits them in Jesus Christ. After all, the same holy words of God that admonish us all to stray from sin also says that Jesus came to save us all and not just the "straight" people. Either we strive to live by the Word of God or we don't. Which are you going to chose today?

Walking in the grace of the shadow of the cross -
Pastor Matt

No Reason. Just Because.

Why do we always have to have a reason to do something. Everyone has an agenda or needs some motivation or be a part of a "cause" or "movement." Why can't we just do something nice for someone for no reason at all? We have become too suspicious as a human race. Maybe out of necessity in some instances, but all too often it is out of a desire to catch someone doing wrong or pin an injustice on them. That makes for a better story rather than talking about how nice they are and the good they might have done.

Growing up in small town America it was common place to be polite, respectful, courteous, and just plain nice to everyone; yes, even strangers. But I realized something was changing about 15 years ago when I was riding on a crowded bus. It was full, people were having to stand because all of the seats were taken, including the one I was sitting in. A young woman stepped on the bus and I just stood up an offered my seat because I thought it was the nice thing to do. She looked at me with a bit of contempt and asked me if I was "kidding" and told me to "just keep it." A few people even laughed quietly as if in agreement with her. I thought I was on another planet. But when I got off the bus, this new planet seemed to grow around me.

15 years later, people don't look you in the eyes as they walk by on a sidewalk. Saying "good morning" or "hello" in a parking lot or mall has brought "shock and awe" to the social level. I about scared a man to death tonight as I said hello to him in a grocery store! One day I paid for a person's gas and you would have thought I had personally slandered their good name. People walk with their head down, eyes to the ground. They talk on their cell phones or listen to their iPod, living their life disconnected from the world around them. Children do not know how to be sociable anymore because they are too busy playing their gameboy while they are at a restaurant with their family.

We are living in a world that is more connected than has ever been known before in the entire history of our human existence, but yet we are becoming more disconnected at the same time. Do yourself, and everyone else, a favor; walk with your head up, your phone in your pocket, your iPod turned off, your smile turn on and say hello to someone today. You might even go so far to wave at someone as they pass by in their car. Offer your seat to someone on the bus or subway. Who knows; maybe we will start a new "movement" around the world bringing people into a renewed awareness of the fact that there is other life on our own planet and we are all pretty much just alike: social creatures.

Blessings!
Pastor Matt

Unforgiveable Sin

MARK 3:28-29
[28] “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; [29] but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" --

I wonder what the general thoughts are from everyday people, such as ourselves, as to what the sin is that never has forgiveness?

Next week I will give the "scholarly" answer as I have been taught.

Walking in the shadow of the cross,
Pastor Matt