Church Is For Messy People
I have heard it said, and I think it is profoundly true, that when we walk into church, no matter how buttoned up or put together our lives seem to be, we are admitting that we need help.
Let that sink in for a second.
The very act of getting up and walking into church or joining online is a confession of our inadequacies. Or, in other words, it is a proclamation that we are not complete and need someone or something else to help us. That confession instantly puts us all on common ground. The next time you are with a group of believers or in church, take a minute and look around, then remember we are all literally in the same boat. Yes, our stuff, struggles, and brokenness may not be the same, but we are all in need of the same help. And, through our presence, we are all admitting that. The good news, the church is for messy people.
Why?
Because the gospel is the only thing that restores and renews messy people, Jesus is the only one who can make us whole and complete.
Do you know what else is true in our confession that we need help? The inevitability of conflict and disagreement.
Why?
Because broken people, even with the best of intentions, still operate out of their brokenness, and that causes conflict, hurt, and disagreements. Again, if the church is for messy people, that means messy people will be there. And, we are all in the same boat, so we are messy. We shouldn’t be disheartened or surprised when that mess creeps out, and conflict develops. However, as Christians, we are a people who are being formed into the image of Jesus more and more each day, so we have a whole new way of dealing with conflict and disagreement. This Sunday, we are going to look at a passage where two very Godly men have a serious conflict. What we are going to see is that there is nothing quite like conflict to expose what we value the most. And, we are going to get a front-row seat to see how they solve their conflict.
The church is for messy people. That is a wonderful and humbling truth. It is also a reality that brings mess to the surface. However, through Jesus, we do not have to be defined by that mess any longer.