Father, today was a good day. Today was a full day. But to say the least, I am exhausted! May my mind focus on You and Your word for me. Amen.
Luke 15:1-7 (<<click here to read the passage)
I have to smile. While working on last Wednesday’s post (Excuses), I remembered preaching on the passage from Luke 14:15-24 and went back through my sermon archives to search for it. I ended up sharing that particular sermon from almost 11 years ago, after a bit of tweaking, again today!
As I read through the passage for today’s blog, I realized that it was an additional passage from today’s sermon! I think Someone is trying to get my attention!
Here is the story from my sermon. It is a true story from the life of Pastor Ryan Johnson. (More of Ryan’s story can be found in yesterday’s sermon post, Welcome to the Misfit Kingdom.)
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I had just dropped off my wife and kids in Salina, Kansas at my mother–in-law’s and was heading north out of town when I saw him. His name was Charlie.
Charlie was sitting in the ditch with large army bags. A cold misty rain was drenching him and his bags. He wore his Vietnam jacket proudly and it laid over is 400-pound body like a tarp.
I pulled over and asked if I could help. He said if I would load his bags (and man did he mean bags) on the car and drive them to the gas station that was a hundred yards away he would appreciate it.
I did. He limped along following behind my car.
After a few fruitless hours of trying to talk him into going to a rescue mission, I prayed with him and left.
I continued home and that’s when Jesus started in and I said, “Jesus I can’t take him home…He could kill me…But Jesus he really stinks…Jesus there is no way I am letting him stay the night…Now Lord I prayed with him, I helped him.”
Echoing Matthew 25, I felt Him say to me, “I said when you welcomed me – not if you prayed with me.”
So, I made a U-turn and as I pulled up next to Charlie at the gas station, I said, “Charlie get in!” And Charlie said, “Gitty up!”
For the next hour and a half, I rode with this 400-pound man in my small car. I had to crack the window to be able to breathe through the stench. I heard the story of how a once-proud veteran became a misfit. It was the common dilemma of needing medicine to get a job and a job to get the medicine.
We got to my place. I laid a sheet on the couch and I washed his clothes and belongings.
The next morning, I took him to the police station as a part of the ministerial alliance agreement to get him a free motel room and a hot meal.
Later that day I received a call from the Hospital’s Social worker. She said that Charlie was admitted and would speak to no one but me.
I walked into his room and said, “Charlie what do you need?” He said, “I don’t want anything. I just wanted you to know, they told me that my heart is bad and I’m dying. They want to ship me to Wichita. But I can never hitch a ride out of Wichita, so I want to stay here to die. Last night was the first home I have stayed in in over 20 years. Because of that I felt welcomed. And I know Jesus is asking me to get my real heart right. I just want you to know Preacher, I want you to help me accept the Lord.”

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Here are a few lines from my study Bible*.
God’s love for the individual is so great that he seeks out each one and rejoices when he or she is found. Jesus associated with sinners because he wanted to bring the lost sheep – people considered beyond hope – the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Before you were a believer, God sought you; and he is still seeking those who are yet lost.
How is Jesus speaking to you?

Sept 13th, 2020, Sun, 7:19 pm

*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation