Homeless

Grant Montgomery – Grant’s Rants on Christianity and the Homeless

A pastor decided to live as a homeless person and at the end of a week of doing so, he went to the 10,000-member church where he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning’s service.

Once the church started filling up, he then walked around his soon-to-be church for 30 minutes, during which time only 3 people out of the thousands gathering acknowledged him with a greeting or said hello.

Meanwhile, he greeted various people, only to be met with stares and dirty looks, people seeming to look down upon and judging him.

He proceeded to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit at the back.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the various church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders announced they were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation….

“We would like to introduce to you Pastor Willie”…The congregation looked around expectantly, while clapping with joy and anticipation.

The homeless man sitting in the back stood up…..and started walking down the aisle…..the clapping stopped, with ALL eyes focused on him. He walked up to the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for an extended moment.

Then the pastor recited this parable from the Gospels:

Then the [Lord] will say to those on his right, ‘Come you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited Me in. I needed clothes and you clothed Me. I was sick and you looked after Me. I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’

The [Lord] will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for Me.’ (Matt 25:34-40)

After he recited this, the pastor looked out across the congregation and told them of all what he had experienced that morning. Many heads were bowed in shame.

He then said, “Today I look out on a gathering of people … not a church of Jesus Christ.”

He then dismissed service until the following week, asking everyone to reflect on his illustrated sermon.

Being a Christian is not just something you claim to be. Being a Christian is meant to be a set of beliefs you live by and share with others in action and deed.

Too many only want to serve God one hour per week. That doesn’t cut it.

 

[The above story is loosely based on a true event]

 

Grant Montgomery – Grant’s Rants on Christianity and the Homeless