Ever seen some big story in the news about a ponzi scheme...or some pastor that succumbed to sin and was disgraced???? You never get to follow through the story to full restoration. Why is that?
Our society celebrates the fall of heroes and stars.....do we care after the headline fades or do we look for the next headliner?
What is it about the people we consider "the really big sinners" that disqualifies them from love from anyone in the church? Why is it an unspoken rule that they be cut off from the very place they worshipped in and where leaders and neighbors should know more about unconditional love than anywhere else. This is not a church slamming session or anything negative of the kind....just a question to wedge a foot in the door with an idea of true mercy and what it might look like. OK, I guess I would like to kick that door down! (Where's Samson to tear the door off the hinges when you need him?)
I was in working out at the rec. center and in walks the pastor for small group leaders. At one point not so long ago...I was a small group leader. I haven't been attending church hardly at all....and my family withdrew from our small group without so much as a call from the leader. He knows part of my story, surely he cares about what is going on. No, I got the Nashville nod...the old look away and pretend I am not here.
So I went up and said Hi anyways (not "bless your heart") just because it would be so unlike me to be the initiator. The last time I saw this man I was depressed to the point of extreme severity....the lowest point of my life...in fact I didn't want to live anymore. Rather than just grill him negatively let's just agree that people rarely follow up into difficult circumstances...or rarely take the road less traveled to pursue someone in need. It makes us uncomfortable and requires us to give of ourselves. It's one thing to talk the talk.....rarely do we see the full walk portrayed out. It wouldn't need to be a perfect walk...heck we are all sinners. Just looking for the mercy from a member of the greatest house of mercy-God's church.
Mercy101....we were all adopted into God's family where we never deserved any of it.
Mercy202--for the really Good Saints--see above...you're no better, still just forgiven where we never deserved it.
Mercy303...you are elevated to the status of the first guy crossing the road in the good Samaritan story (note--this is not a good thing)
Mercy404---in this advanced course we hope to break you of your ingrained church speak and habits and get you to simply pass on grace and mercy to others where it is needed.
Seriously though, Where do we go once the mercy and grace have been granted to us? We spread the ring out further...we speak words into difficult situations where no one wants to. We invest in others when it costs us something. Our story was never meant to be about safety and security....it was always meant to be a much larger story. Restoration is one of those large story themes...check the Bible...yep, it's true.
Just a few.....
Peter denied Christ cursing and spitting....he is the Rock and given the keys to heaven.
Jonah runs away and takes a 3 day pass inside a really bad fish hotel. He comes back and delivers the message and is party to witnessing revival and grace.
Zaccheus is small in stature and hated as a tax collector for the Roman occupants of his country. He changes and gives until it hurts...does a 180 with his whole life, becomes huge in stature.
The prodigal son...wasteful, hurtful and selfish. He comes home to beg to be a slave. He is welcomed back and loved.
Jesus walked on this earth as fully man and fully God. He seems to understand we fall down and lose our way. Yet he also sees something in each life --something Big, something True, something in the Future--something yet in the Present---that the person he's engaging doesn't picture yet. I guess we are all slow on letting go of the past. He takes away cloaks of shame and gives us capes of mercy and grace. He has a name to give us that he's intended for us since the day we were born.
What does full restoration look like?
To be honest---I'm not totally sure..I've never seen it walked out and modeled.
It's probably awkward and imperfect like we are. It's not a Hollywood scene.....
I do have an idea what it might feel and look like. In the movie Antwone Fisher there is a scene that Antwone dreams about and then comes to pass at the very end. In an almost dreamlike scene he is brought into a large banquet hall where there are friends and family waiting to celebrate him and share a feast of dishes made by the people who love him. This is a celebration feast......Hugs, conversation, celebration......
It looks like a life restored.......
Mercy101....we were all adopted into God's family where we never deserved any of it.
Mercy202--for the really Good Saints--see above...you're no better, still just forgiven where we never deserved it.
Mercy303...you are elevated to the status of the first guy crossing the road in the good Samaritan story (note--this is not a good thing)
Mercy404---in this advanced course we hope to break you of your ingrained church speak and habits and get you to simply pass on grace and mercy to others where it is needed.
Seriously though, Where do we go once the mercy and grace have been granted to us? We spread the ring out further...we speak words into difficult situations where no one wants to. We invest in others when it costs us something. Our story was never meant to be about safety and security....it was always meant to be a much larger story. Restoration is one of those large story themes...check the Bible...yep, it's true.
Just a few.....
Peter denied Christ cursing and spitting....he is the Rock and given the keys to heaven.
Jonah runs away and takes a 3 day pass inside a really bad fish hotel. He comes back and delivers the message and is party to witnessing revival and grace.
Zaccheus is small in stature and hated as a tax collector for the Roman occupants of his country. He changes and gives until it hurts...does a 180 with his whole life, becomes huge in stature.
The prodigal son...wasteful, hurtful and selfish. He comes home to beg to be a slave. He is welcomed back and loved.
Jesus walked on this earth as fully man and fully God. He seems to understand we fall down and lose our way. Yet he also sees something in each life --something Big, something True, something in the Future--something yet in the Present---that the person he's engaging doesn't picture yet. I guess we are all slow on letting go of the past. He takes away cloaks of shame and gives us capes of mercy and grace. He has a name to give us that he's intended for us since the day we were born.
What does full restoration look like?
To be honest---I'm not totally sure..I've never seen it walked out and modeled.
It's probably awkward and imperfect like we are. It's not a Hollywood scene.....
I do have an idea what it might feel and look like. In the movie Antwone Fisher there is a scene that Antwone dreams about and then comes to pass at the very end. In an almost dreamlike scene he is brought into a large banquet hall where there are friends and family waiting to celebrate him and share a feast of dishes made by the people who love him. This is a celebration feast......Hugs, conversation, celebration......
It looks like a life restored.......
