A while back Jeremy wrote:
If the church wants to join God in storming the gates of hell, in defeating the darkness … We must find the mean places, the dark places, the dangerous places, and take the church there. We must go to the greedy, the liars, the cheats, the thieves, and show them generosity, truth, and honesty. We must find the places that even the cops won’t go, and go there with Jesus instead. Where do the most murders occur? Where do the addicts and prostitutes hang out? Let’s meet there.
Why Don’t We Enter the Darkness?
Most of us are afraid.
We’re afraid that we’ll be harmed physically.
We’re afraid we’ll catch a disease.
We’re afraid we’ll get dirty.
We afraid we’ll be robbed.
We’re afraid people will want our money or our stuff.
We’re afraid that somehow “those people” will break through the walls we’ve built around us, tug at our heart strings, and we’ll end up giving them our money, stuff and time.
We’re afraid we’ll be contaminated by their sin.
We’re afraid we’ll stop seeing their sin and start seeing them.
We’re afraid we might start loving them, sin and all, but we think we’re supposed to hate their sin.
We’re afraid we might learn to like them.
We’re afraid we might remember that Jesus loves them, but it is our arms Jesus uses to wrap around them.
Why Do We Think They Will Come to the Light?
My wife and I had moved. We visited a church service at a local church. One of the men confronted me at the front door. “We believe men should wear suits and ties to church to show respect to God.” I wasn’t wearing a suit and tie. I told him I didn’t believe that way, and went in anyway.
At another church, an elder told me, “We don’t want people attending here until they get themselves cleaned up. We don’t want couples coming here who are living together but aren’t married. We only want good Christian people here.”
Why would anyone want to “come” to church if those are the attitudes they find? The people who most need to hear won’t come near. We make certain of that. Why would anyone have even the slightest interest in going any place where they know they won’t be accepted?
What’s The Answer?
Jeremy’s answer is simple. “We must go” to them — to the adulterers, prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors, Gentiles, sick, needy, poor, greedy, selfish, and to all who dwell in darkness.”
It is safer, warmer, less-threatening and more comfortable to keep our distance from those who dwell in darkness. But if we really do follow Jesus, if Jesus really is our Good Shepherd, need we fear evil? Is Jesus with us or not?
Perhaps the question I must really ask myself is “Am I with Him?”
If I’m with Him, I don’t need to be afraid of the darkness. So go with the sinners are. Don’t be afraid. Jesus will go with you.
So don’t be afraid of the dark. When you’re with Jesus, no sin can harm you.
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Thanks for another excellent post, Sam.
You are right. We are afraid of so many things.
I really want to emphasize the fear that we will get drawn into their sin. That’s a big one for me.
But I think that this is where the grace of God comes in. I think He would rather have us go live with sinners and maybe accidentally sin once in a while as a result, then live with the righteous and the pure (should I put those words in quote marks?), and never rescue anybody.
God wants us to take risks in rescuing people, and if/when we make mistakes in the process, His grace covers us even there.
What do you think?
If Jesus really does know all about us and loves us anyway, then who am I to avoid anyone because they’re a sinner? Jesus very clearly said to love our neighbors as ourselves, so I’m thinking that hiding out from our neighbors, saying we’ll offer up a prayer when what they really need is a cup of water, demonizing them because of their “sinful lifestyle” and all the other stuff we do to avoid loving them is the sin we need to be afraid of being drawn into.
Our culture teaches us to love ourselves rather than our neighbors. Sometimes the message is very subtle. Other times it’s right in our faces. “You deserve to treat yourself” (which really means buy what I’m selling, be it ice cream or a cruise).
That’s the sin I am most concerned about get drawn into. It’s not just our “sinful”, self-centered culture that that tries to pull us in. So often our self-centered churches, and Legion be their name, do it also. “We need (lots and lots of) money for our new campus” (where we will be very comfortable). Forget the neighbors. They’re just sinners who don’t like us. (Remarkably, I know the neighbors and they tell me the church doesn’t like them.)
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this
light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen
in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) Here is a great example about bringing light into the darkness http://warrior4christ.com/christian-living/mirror-mirror-in-the-world/
Interesting post on the link! What do people see when the see us? The reflection of Jesus or something else? When they’re standing with a friend and see us approaching, what do they say to their friend? – There’s that know-it-all, there’s that guy who loves to argue politics and religion, or there’s the fellow who loves me with the love of Jesus.
Jeremy, we like what you’re saying. You write about the churches that refused you. How about some personal examples of times you’ve been going to those in the darkest corners.
IMFellowship,
This post is actually by Sam Riviera. If you click on his name at the top of the post, you will see other guest posts he has written for this blog which provide the examples you are looking for.
As for myself, I currently work in a prison, and we are actively involved in helping the poor and homeless in our community.
Thanks, Jeremy. I missed that it was by Sam Riviera – and glad to know how you are serving! Thanks for your ministry!
Oh, you want the darkness as your ally, but you can’t merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn’t see the light until I was already a man; by then, it was nothing to me but blinding! The shadows betray you, because they belong to me. I will show you where I have made my home, whilst preparing to bring justice. Then, I will break you. Your precious armoury, gratefully accepted. We will need it. Ah yes, I was wondering what would break first. Your spirit, or your body.
Or, you can make the unwelcome welcome in your church. At our church, people stand outside the door smoking. It speaks to the smokers walking past that smokers are accepted in our church.
Everyone at our church comes just as they are, with no expectations of behaviour or standards. We are real, we are gritty and down-to-earth, and we are fruitful.
Go figure! 😀
This blog is dead on..Very great..I an not not afraid of the devil..or evil..I am in Christ..I am the light on a hill. I don’t need to wear a suit to church…I am in Christ..In Christ