There is a story that came out of the “Jesus Movement” in the 1970’s when a lot of young folks began looking to see if this Jesus of the Bible was real and could change their lives. A young man decided he wanted to go to church and he just picked out one and got there after the service started. He was wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and worn jeans and sandals that had seen better days a long time ago. The church he entered was kind of a “high
end” type of place where every male in the place had a tie on. The young man didn’t seem too concerned about the folks and he got a bulletin from an usher and headed down to the first row in front of where the pastor would be speaking. As the young man passed each row of pews, the people stared, but he continued to the front pew but instead of sitting in the pew, he just sat down on the floor with his legs crossed. The pastor was stumbling through some announcements because nothing like this had ever happened in this proper church. And then from the back rose a man with a cane. He was one of the “old-timers” of the church and was seen as a pretty no-nonsense kind of a guy. The pastor saw the older man making his way up to the front to the unkempt young man on the floor and everyone waited for the confrontation that was going to take place. The older man got to the front and with cane in hand stood right in front of the young man. He paused for just a moment and then...he lowered himself down to the carpet so he could sit next to the young stranger…and both of them just looked up at the pastor together. The pastor hesitated and then said “What I am about to say, you will never remember. What you saw here today, you will never forget.” The Bible reminds us that we are all in this together. We all need a savior…the savior who loved us when we were seen only as sinners. And he loves us enough to go to the cross for you, me, that kid and the old man in the story. There are only two types of people on this earth…those who know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior…and those who don’t. Go out and love like Jesus today and let’s see if we can make heaven crowded. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Romans 5:6-8 NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (7) Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. (8) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ
end” type of place where every male in the place had a tie on. The young man didn’t seem too concerned about the folks and he got a bulletin from an usher and headed down to the first row in front of where the pastor would be speaking. As the young man passed each row of pews, the people stared, but he continued to the front pew but instead of sitting in the pew, he just sat down on the floor with his legs crossed. The pastor was stumbling through some announcements because nothing like this had ever happened in this proper church. And then from the back rose a man with a cane. He was one of the “old-timers” of the church and was seen as a pretty no-nonsense kind of a guy. The pastor saw the older man making his way up to the front to the unkempt young man on the floor and everyone waited for the confrontation that was going to take place. The older man got to the front and with cane in hand stood right in front of the young man. He paused for just a moment and then...he lowered himself down to the carpet so he could sit next to the young stranger…and both of them just looked up at the pastor together. The pastor hesitated and then said “What I am about to say, you will never remember. What you saw here today, you will never forget.” The Bible reminds us that we are all in this together. We all need a savior…the savior who loved us when we were seen only as sinners. And he loves us enough to go to the cross for you, me, that kid and the old man in the story. There are only two types of people on this earth…those who know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior…and those who don’t. Go out and love like Jesus today and let’s see if we can make heaven crowded. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Romans 5:6-8 NLT When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (7) Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. (8) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ