Hi SNC Fam,
Man this last Sunday felt heavy.  I don’t know if you felt it – but this was one of the most challenging sermons I feel I’ve preached in a very long time.  Not just because of the material itself but because of how God challenged me in preparing it.  Let me explain…

    As last week progressed, I was thinking about how I would preach this sermon – the content of what I was sharing with you all – when a thought began to come to mind about some people I know.  I don’t know them well – as a matter of fact, I do not know their name but one thing I’m certain of – they are drug users.  We call them “meth-heads.” I’ve run into them several time because they live on my street and God has directed me to pray for them. I rarely see them and usually when I do I’m heading out so it’s difficult to stop and talk with them…. But I’m practically certain they are drug users…

    God has placed a soft spot in my heart for them – has reminded me of them often and yet I have really not reached out to them. My thought process is –

” well I don’t really want to bother them – or they wouldn’t want to talk with me – seems like a waste of time.  I don’t want to throw my “Pearls before swine so to speak…”

    But if I was really honest – and God led me to this last week – I deep down believe that to talk with them would be a waste of time — because they are a waste of time. After all – they are “meth heads” – there is no way they could receive the gospel and there is no way they could really change and if they even wanted it – would I really be willing to help them????

    And then Jesus says- “if you call your brother a ‘Raca’ or a fool”- it’s like you murdered them.  It’s not that I call them names although that really can be quite debilitating and painful – it’s that I’ve come to label them in my mind.  I’ve come to believe this lie about them. I don’t see these people trapped in drug abuse as God’s creation – beloved by Him so much that He would send His Son to die for them.  I see them as a waste of time…

     Can you imagine how much this nailed me to the wall???  Here I am preaching about this and confronted with the deep dark truth of my own heart. Oh God have mercy on me – a murderer and adulterer – a sinner. Oh God what would You have me do?  Oh God – please change me – let me live by Your Word – believing that You are speaking to me through it.  Oh God through the power of your Spirit – let me not label people – or tear them down in my heart or with my words. Oh Lord that You might lead me in a mission to bring light to this dark world and to build Your kingdom. Oh God have mercy on me a sinner.

     I want to close this post with a song.  the starting stanze to the song says this:

     This is true of my heart for us all.  It’s hard to admit that our hearts can be dark places and yet we have found the truth – Jesus who loves us in spite of our brokenness..  May we see the world through His eyes.  And may you be blessed this week.  Enjoy the song!

Blessings

Pastor Ryan