Being Like Jesus

daytonabikerchurch
Jan 16
3 min read

What makes it hard to welcome people into our home and lives. Sometimes it is the messiness in our lives. The house isn’t picked up, the dishes are in the sink, the floor needs swept or we need to vacuum, or it may be that we had a busy day and don’t feel like “peopling.” Maybe it is something about them. They are messy, they say the wrong things all the time, the neighbors might cringe if they see them. Maybe it’s that we just don’t feel like “dealing with them today.” Or if you go to a business and there is a sign on the door that says, “come back in a little bit, I will be ready to deal with you then.” Not lunch, not a chore, not an errand just “I don’t want to deal with you right now.” I wonder what would happen if we died and went to heaven and suddenly and came to the gates of heaven with anticipation and a sign just said, “come back later, I’ll be ready to deal with you then.”

This past week I came across two passages that struck me immensely when I read them. Both gave me a visual picture in my “mind’s eye.”

Act 2:42-47- “They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together. Everyone was amazed by the many miracles and wonders that the apostles worked. All the Lord's followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely, while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.” (CEV)

John 6:37 – “Everything and everyone that the Father has given me will come to me, and I won't turn any of them away.” (CEV)

Jesus doesn’t go into any distinctions in John chapter 6 about these people. He simply says, “who and what God gives me, I will not turn away.” He does not describe the people He will accept. You don’t see in that passage the color of skin, the job class or the sexual orientation. It doesn’t say that these people needed to be free or slaves and it doesn’t mention whether they were republican, democrat or independent. It doesn’t describe the clothes they had to wear or the shoes they needed. Doesn’t even mention whether they had a Harley chariot, a BMW chariot, an Indian Chariot of a rice burner that can’t go under 60 mph. It doesn’t mention one pastor, deacon or church leader and it never says anything at all about the type of sin they had committed. In the same manner, the passage in Acts written by Luke, doesn’t say anything about those things either. It simply says that Peter preached a sermon and 3000 people came to know Christ and from that day on, they accepted all people as if they were family and they grew in number daily.

What an incredible picture of grace and love. What an incredible picture of compassion and companionship. It is no wonder that the passage in Acts ends with this line, “Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved.” (vs 47)

If you “google” what is the function of a family this pops up, “Families serve essential function in society, including socialization, emotional support, economic stability and regulation of behavior.” This is the nature and function that churches and we need to have in today’s world. We should be a place that every person can get food, shelter from the storms and hope in Christ. Our church should be where we can learn, grow spiritually and be challenged to live right. We cannot allow ourselves to get in the way of God. As a church and body of Christ we must meet every person at the door with the message of salvation in Him.