The Gospel Is Rated E(Everybody)

 Matthew 21:32

"For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." 

Matthew 21:43

"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit" 

I was reading the other day and these two scriptures stood out to me. 

I heard:

 "Don't gatekeep the gospel" 

To gatekeep means to try to control who gets a particular kind of resource, power, or opportunity and who doesn't. 

The scriptures above show that those who claimed and thought that they are righteous and more upstanding than others are still indeed capable of missing God. 

You can think you are deserving or already arrived and be absolutely nowhere in the journey of the narrow path. 

When we begin to think of ourselves like this we create an obstacle for the Holy Spirit to finish the work within us, therefore resulting in us not being able to produce fruit.

1 Corinthians 10:12 

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" 

Then, there are others who we deemed as less than. Those whose past disqualifies them by our standards. 

Those whose only offer is their love for God and to know Him. 

These are the ones that the scripture says will take the kingdom and produce the fruits. 

They are considered less and not qualified but God qualifies them. 

They are the persons that come from being rejected, misunderstood, neglected, slandered, molested, raped, and hurt. 

They're the ones that people gave up on and already counted out. 

They're looked down on and scorned, but their passion and zeal to still know God make their resume pushes itself on the top of those we deemed as qualified. 

The same resumes that say they were drug addicts, alcoholics, liars, cheaters, abusers, murderers, and sinners. 

These resumes showed their experiences and concluded that they aren't enough. 

Their skills showed that they had nothing to offer. 

Yes! 

Those whose names were already tainted and destroyed. 

Those resumes!

These are the ones Jesus is speaking about. The pile that includes those sinning tax collectors and prostitutes. 

The pile that had nothing to lose when they stepped out on faith to serve Him.

They had no issue giving up the little they had for Him. Trading their rags for the cross. 

Too many times we get caught up in what kind of image the church should display. We want it to be this perfect canvas with pristine images/people that have made no mistakes or errors. We forget that it is for the lost. It is for those that are filthy, sick, and confused.  That it is for those who have messed up and are seeking refuge and salvation.

Rehabilitation.

The church is for the broken, who won't even be mended right after the first time. 

These are who will inherit the kingdom of God, the meek. 

The persons that we least expect. 

The people that come with clothes too tight. The persons who stand in the pews with holes in their shoes and a sketchy past. 

We must not sit in the seat of the scornful, nor stand in the way of the sinners. 

We must not think that we have already arrived because we might be at a totally different address than we should be. 

Nor, should we gatekeep and control the gospel. Deciding who should be shared the grace and who shouldn't. 

The gospel is for everyone and for all ages!

I encourage you today as you read this to realize you don't have to have it all to submit your CV/resume. 

It doesn't have to have the glossy finish, the decorations, or the things that can impress man, but just to submit it unto God. 

Submit your life regardless of it being messed up, submit regardless if you're underqualified. 

This is all God wants from you.

Submit in spite of!

~TheRay