The Church is for All People – Week of August 17, 2026
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
The Church is for All People
“If you don’t have a cat at home, you can’t be my friend.”
“If you don’t share your snack with me, you can’t ride on the swings.”
“If you don’t bring me something on my wish list, you can’t come to my birthday party.”
How silly these statements sound! How foolish it is to choose your friends based on something they do or do not own. How selfish to only include someone based on what they do for you. These statements are obviously self-centered, and any faith-fostering teacher or parent would correct their child. Parents can support their child’s spiritual and emotional growth by teaching the child to consider the needs and feelings of someone in order to be a good friend, rather than to get something in return.
“I won’t include “so and so” in my Bible study because she’s living with her boyfriend.”
“I won’t invite that couple to come to church because they are homosexual.”
“I don’t think we want “such and such” family at VBS because their kids aren’t well-behaved.”
Do these statements sound just as silly? They should. The church is not made up of perfect people. The church is filled with sinners. Unfortunately, we fall into the trap of self-righteously looking down on certain people. Jesus did not avoid sinners. Instead, he sought them out, preached love to them, and told them to turn from their sin.
When we make the decision to keep someone from hearing God’s Word, we are deciding that that person is not worthy of God’s love. Who are we to tell God whom he should or shouldn’t love? Who are we to decide who deserves to go to heaven or hell? Rather, we are to welcome sinners into God’s house, urge repentance, preach God’s forgiveness, and encourage godly living.
Is there a time when you decided not to offer a chance to hear God’s Word to someone whom you thought didn’t deserve it? Perhaps your have a friend whom you haven’t invited to church because their lifestyle goes against God’s Word. Maybe you look down on another member of your church because they parent a bit differently than you do.
Remind yourself why you go to church – because you are a sinner and need Jesus’ forgiveness. If only sinless people could go to church, the building would sit empty. For “here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
When we sit next to fellow sinners in church, we have the joy and confidence to know that we all “are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me when I look down on those whose sin seems greater than mine. Give me the attitude that I am the worst of sinners and need your forgiveness. Help me to share that forgiveness with those who need to hear it most. Amen.
