We live in a culture where there are “insiders” and “outsiders”.  Most of us have probably felt like we were on the “outside” at times… I know I have.  Who’s on the inside and the outside depends on many things - skin color, income, education, material possessions, etc.  When we look at the life of Jesus throughout the gospels he was constantly inviting outsiders into a new life.  These were people that most people in his culture wouldn’t even look at, but he purposefully engaged them.  Jesus invited Matthew the tax collector to be part of his team.  He forgave the town prostitute in Luke 7 while he was at a religious leader’s house for dinner.  While most Jews would go 25 miles out of the way to avoid Samaria, Jesus intentionally led his team right through the area to engage these outsiders and ministered to a Samaritan women at the well who was even an outsider in her culture.  Again and again we see these examples, but many times we don’t learn from them.  We stay comfortable with those who are like us, those who we already know, those who we feel safe with.  Being a Christ-follower is not about our comfort or what we know or even what feels safe.  Being a Christ-follower is full of adventure, discomfort, sacrifice and risk.

I’m excited to lead a church that is about reaching outsiders.  That’s one of the mandates of the New Testament church.  Yesterday we had a party for all the new people after our 2nd and 3rd services.  Well over 100 new people attended.  I had several great conversations with new people that shared how many times they felt like outsiders, but they felt so welcomed yesterday as we fed them, talked with them and loved on them.  Some of them had been around church and knew Christ, while for others it was totally new.  As you looked around the room you saw people of every skin color and every age from all kinds of backgrounds with all kinds of cool accents.  If that makes you uncomfortable, you need to check yourself… because that’s what heaven will look like.  The gospel is not exclusive - it’s inclusive!  So, who are you engaging today?