Imperfect People
Our lesson tonight used Matthew 6 as the scripture basis. In this passage, Jesus talks about three things - 1) Acts of Righteousness 2) Prayer and 3) Fasting. Jim read the scripture then he divided the youth in two groups, the chuns (Christians) and the hypos (Hypocrites). He asked them to act out these three things using the points of view of their assigned group.
It was interesting to see the youth act out in their role, but what was more interesting was the conversation that ensued afterwards. The statement that really caught me was when someone said something to the effect that the church is always going to be filled with imperfect people. In my head I was thinking, "Thank God!"
Jesus came for the sick, sinner, forlorn, in short the imperfect person. Thank God that I don't have to live up to perfection...Jesus took care of that. I found this ... I thought it was appropriate.
Moses stuttered.
David's armour didn't fit.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair with a woman and murdered her husband.
Solomon was too rich.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Timothy had ulcers and bad health
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus - well he was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Jesus was too poor.
Naomi was a widow.
John Mark - rejected by Paul
Paul was a murderer.
So was Moses.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip & bigot
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
Martha was a worrywart.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk.
And did I mention that Moses had a short fuse and mad temper?
So did Peter, Paul and, well, & lots of folks...
Paul said it perfectly when talking to the Philippians: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:7-14
It was interesting to see the youth act out in their role, but what was more interesting was the conversation that ensued afterwards. The statement that really caught me was when someone said something to the effect that the church is always going to be filled with imperfect people. In my head I was thinking, "Thank God!"
Jesus came for the sick, sinner, forlorn, in short the imperfect person. Thank God that I don't have to live up to perfection...Jesus took care of that. I found this ... I thought it was appropriate.
Moses stuttered.
David's armour didn't fit.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair with a woman and murdered her husband.
Solomon was too rich.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Timothy had ulcers and bad health
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus - well he was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Jesus was too poor.
Naomi was a widow.
John Mark - rejected by Paul
Paul was a murderer.
So was Moses.
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip & bigot
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
Martha was a worrywart.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk.
And did I mention that Moses had a short fuse and mad temper?
So did Peter, Paul and, well, & lots of folks...
Paul said it perfectly when talking to the Philippians: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:7-14
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