As I write this blog post, I know that I enter into this writing with my own perspective. But, I don’t want my perspective to skew the intention of my pastor. Jon Porter usually takes us on a journey and he gives us a hint at where he wants us to end up when he lands the flight we’re on. We are in the middle of a series that includes scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments so that we can see that God’s plan hasn’t changed.
What’s at the heart of our faith?
The extravagant love of God is found all through the Bible. Even when we don’t deserve it, God forgives and guides us to the path he has for us.
”When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” -Lev 19:33-34
Just as God expected the Israelites to treat the foreigners among them with love, that’s how we are to treat the immigrants among us now. God knows that there will be foreigners among us. His plan from the very beginning was for Israel to teach all other nations about him.
”For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who is ‘not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. -Deuteronomy 10:17-19
God is just and shows us no favoritism. Jesus is too big for the labels we try to put on him. We must love everybody just like we’ve been loved.
Paul speaks to the gentiles the same way, reminding them that they were once lost.
“remember that you, at that time were separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” -Ephesians 2:12-13
We’ve been found by God’s grace! And Peter adds to this in this next scripture as he addresses the gentiles.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10
We are too busy trying to make God into who we want him to be. The United States is a nation founded on Christian principles. The problem is that as in the past, we humans forget that God is God and we are not and we, as usual try to put him into a box. God’s Kingdom is bigger than a border that we might draw. His Kingdom is global. Hospitality is not optional. We should find God’s mercy in the midst of our law. We can’t pick and choose whom we love and whom we welcome.
As a church, we have to love people even if they look or act differently. If everyone who walks in our doors is already a believer, then what are we doing to extend the Kingdom of God? We show love and grace as we show them who God is and why Jesus came to earth and gave his life willingly.
When our patriotism conflicts with our devotion to Jesus and his law, we are again making him into who we want him to be.
Fling open the doors of the church to accept people from all walks of life. We love and welcome all no matter their sexual orientation, skin color, or belief system. Welcome them with the love of Christ and if we do that, lives will be changed as God works in them.
This is my take on my pastor’s sermon. I pray that I have interpreted it with God’s intent.
Where God Leads 