They also serve....(part 7)

Of course, not all strangers are my enemies. I have met those that I would consider closer friends than some of my own brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a shame to say that but true. A lot of the reason is the same attitude as the woman in Matt 15:22-28, she wants to eat of the Master’s table and recognizes that she is out of the loop, so to speak. And Jesus praises her for her steadfastness and belief.

Does this mean that under any circumstances all are free to come in to God’s church? This is after all not a market for display to see what the world likes and would like to buy. In Deuteronomy 23:18, a standard was set so that not everyone could come into God’s House, at least and not continue in those ways. Someone who was a whore or whoremonger, someone who was a thief. Yes, for sure, Jesus spoke with anyone willing to listen, but they had to want to change. The church sometimes has this backwards, come to church then change. No, the idea is to change and then come to church. When I come to God’s banquet, I am expected to wear the clothes He has provided, through His son. Others are too. Does that mean that those who have not put on Christ cannot visit? Not hardly. For how do they know what my family is like unless they visit? But before I could call myself His, I had to put on His clothes (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). God wants me to have eternal life in Him. (John 3:16) But it does not please God when I sacrifice my reverence for Him to bring more and more people into the church. Observe the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. There were those who rejected His invitation, so He sent His servants to get anyone they could find to come to the feast. And there was one man who was not dressed properly for the feast. And that man was thrown out. If I come in from the street, and choose not to follow God, not to clothe myself with eternal clothes, and not to obey God, I am no more His than I was when I was on the streets. On the other hand, it does me no good to seek to get something out of God’s worship service. I should be able to do that no matter whether I am praying or worshipping Him regardless. God is not there as a crowd pleaser. He is the Creator of the Universe, and my worship time is not so that I can be wowed, but so that I can give back to Him and learn from Him what He wants to write on my heart that day. There is a distinctive danger for me if I start looking for what is deep in a service or what is shallow. Because if I start looking for what is entertaining me then I have lost the intent of worship.