Saved by His Grace...: Shooting Our Teammates

With football season in full swing, we’ve seen our share of great games and amazing plays. We’ve also seen some hilarious football follies and on the field eruptions. As fans, we love to see the amazing mistakes, like when teammates tackle each other as the ball carrier blazes past them!

We’ve all seen the play where the quarterback throws the ball straight to the defender, and subsequently tries to tackle him, getting run over like a penny on a train track!

Or the “caught on camera” sideline eruption where a player gets into a teammate’s face and chaos ensues.

It’s even better when the coach gets in the mix, and weaker team subsequently dominates their opponent simply because they can’t get along!

We relish the chaos - except when it’s our team, and then it’s embarrassing.

I can’t help but think this is exactly what happens in the church, only we’re not embarrassed about it.

We boast in it…

As Christians, we love to bring correction to each other. We just do. And we are quite good at it too. Correcting others makes us feel better about ourselves, as though we have ascended from Christian Cub-Scout to Christian Boy-Scout.

But it’s wrong.

And it’s why the unchurched wants nothing to do with us.

I think we would all agree with the very familiar verse in Paul’s letter to Rome:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“All” means everyone. You. Me. Your Pastor. Your previous Pastor. Your oh-so-admired mentor. The author of the awesome faith-based book you’re reading,

Everyone!

I found these quotes in a quick Google search of “Joel Osteen” (I’m leaving them anonymous on purpose, as to not call anyone out). As you read these, put yourself in the shoes of someone who is contemplating the possibly going to church.

“The Osteens are dangerous precisely because they aren’t dangerous”

“Joel Osteen's Your Best Life Now Means Hell Hereafter”

“Joel Osteen is a false teacher who speaks great-swelling words of emptiness”

Or how about some of the comments about former Senior Pastor of The Mars Hill Church in Seattle WA, Mark Driscoll:

“While Mark Driscoll has rightfully been accused of shameful behavior, the corrupt fruit of his ministry identifies him as a false teacher”

“There is no doubt that Driscoll’s ministry promotes sinful behavior in the church. He has turned the grace of God into licentiousness.”

Amazingly you have to scroll through pages and pages to find articles highlighting the thousands, if not millions, of people whose lives have been radically changed and led to know the Lord Jesus Christ as a result of these men’s ministries.

The crazy thing is that it’s not the media who is ridiculing Osteen and Driscoll;

it’s the church.

Would you go to a church that was saying these things about other Christians?

Unchurched Guest: “Let me get this straight, as a guest I am welcome at your church. You don’t expect me to be perfect and my past mistakes, current failures, and future failures, are paid for by this amazing dude Jesus Christ, who died for me?”

Church Pastor: “Yes. Amazing isn’t it?”

Unchurched Guest: “But once I give my heart to the Lord and become part of the church, I better not make mistakes otherwise I am subject to being blasted by those who are supposed to love me.”

Church Pastor: ...

Now I am not suggesting that these men are sinless or innocent of any wrong doing ever. In fact if you read more about them, neither Driscoll or Osteen have ever made a claim to be perfect, and they have numerous times acknowledged their mistakes and made public apologies.

I’m also not suggesting that false teachers do not exist. Paul, John, and Peter all warn us about this in the New Testament. However, I have yet to find anywhere where we are instructed to destroy those people.

I however, do find where Jesus Himself tells us:

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5

It’s no wonder that the Pharisees crucified Jesus Christ. They got so wrapped up in what they believed that they stopped living it and used it as a weapon.

We’re no different.

I believe that if Jesus Christ were here today, His acts of love towards those we bash, and the destruction of our rules or church laws would anger us so much that we’d probably crucify him again.

If we say the church is a hospital for sinners, a safe place, a place of grace and love, we can’t limit that only to those who are not part of the church. We must have grace and forgiveness in abundance for those who are also part of the church. That includes Ministers, Deacons, Pastors, Mark Driscoll, Joel Osteen, and yes, even you!

Can we stop tackling each other and having the sideline eruptions, and start loving each other? The world is watching the “follies” of our actions as a church; and they’re laughing at us. Calling us hypocrites because we suck so bad at loving each other.

And we deserve it!

We need to wrap our arms around these men and love them, just like Jesus Christ wrapped His arms around me and accepted me. It’s very possible that one day it’ll be you or me standing in their place.