Have you seen church signs saying, “Everyone Welcome Here!” Do they really mean that?
A teacher friend recently posted a picture of himself standing by a whiteboard welcoming his new class. Written on the white board was, “It’s okay to not know everything,” “It's okay to ask questions,” and a few more “It’s okay” statements. Then, at the bottom of the white board, it said, “Everyone is welcome.” Is that really true?
Are racists welcome? Is a student carrying a gun welcome?
What about our churches? Do we really mean everyone is welcome? If a person carrying a sign saying “Kill all Christians” in one hand and a 9-mm pistol in the other, came to church, would we really say, “Come on in just as you are. You’re welcome at our church.”? I am guessing that most people’s cell phones would be out dialing 9-1-1 and wondering how soon the sheriff’s department would arrive.
Did Jesus welcome everyone?
Jesus told one of his own, Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mt 16:23).
The Pharisees heard that Jesus cast demons out of a man. Their explanation for how Jesus did this was by claiming Jesus used “Beelzebul,” the prince of demons, to heal the man.
What does Jesus tell them? “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Mt 12:34)
Would you say Jesus welcomed the Pharisees by saying these truths?
An initial look would say Jesus was not warm, friendly and welcoming in his words to the Pharisees.
Jesus came to save sinners. He came to demonstrate he was the promised Messiah spoken of by prophets of the Old Testament. He came to help us see that we are sinners and to see our need to repent from our sin. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
The Pharisees were blind to their sinful ways, and Jesus, out of deep love for them, called them out, wanting them to see the truth and to repent.
Jesus cared so much about people’s sin that he was willing to speak hard truth to help them see God’s truth.
As a church, we must demonstrate love and welcome people so they see that Jesus is the only way to be saved. Welcoming does not mean acceptance of blatant unrepentant sin. At times we get the two mixed up. Our churches must welcome sinners to repent and accept the redemption found in Jesus Christ.