March 22nd, 2012

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Accepted

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

 

Have you ever noticed that no matter how hard we try not to, there are certain people we want to avoid?  I know, I know, that is not very “Christian,” but it happens.  Certainly more in the church than I would ever like to see it happen.

Love, acceptance, forgiveness-those three things are absolutely essential to any ministry that will consistently bring people to maturity and wholeness.  If the church is to be the force for God in the world that it should be, it must learn to love people, accept them and forgive them.  Jerry Cook in Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness (p.11)

I read that book back in the 80s and it rocked my world.  Love is the ultimate gift we can give anyone.  A church that can make a commitment to love is a force to be reckoned with.  With that love comes acceptance of people for who they are, not for what we think they ought to be.  Acceptance is not a license for sin though.  Forgiveness is the willingness to stop playing God.   Chuck Swindoll wrote:

Acceptance is the fruit people taste when we show them love.  It means allowing others to be who they are without disapproving of or losing patience with them.  Luke Study Guide (p.18)

Please understand I am not condoning sin.  What I am saying, though, is that some people are so “hell bent” on condemning a person’s actions, they forget about the person who is doing the action.

Take a gander at Luke 7:36-50 here.  Jesus’ reaction to the whole scene totally blew the self-righteous Pharisees out of the water.  They were so “hot under the collar” they lost sight of her for a few minutes and set their barrels on Him.  He was okay with that.  🙂   Jesus looked beyond her exterior to know her heart.  I believe by His reaction that He saw a heart that was searching, and KNEW that He was the One to give her what she was desperately seeking.  He didn’t turn her away.  He didn’t proposition her.  He didn’t degrade her.   His eyes didn’t avoid her, scoping out the room.  He accepted her.  HE ACCEPTED HER!

I reckon I wonder how we can do any less.  What about you?  Do you have trouble accepting people as they are?  “I’m Accepted” is my sermon topic for Sunday.  I will also be using the following video as part of my introduction.  Enjoy.  But don’t let the truth of the video wash on by you. Any thoughts you care to share?