Places Where Jesus Is Not Welcome

“….Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, ‘If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.’ And He said to them, ‘Go.’ So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region." – Matthew 8:30-34

Jesus intervened in the life of a man tormented by demons.  Instead of rejoicing with the man and acknowledging the significant thing that Jesus had done – the local people asked Jesus to leave the area. They didn’t want Jesus around.  He was making them uncomfortable – messing with their way of living.  When Jesus shows up – He is not always welcome.

Some years ago – well, I guess a lot of years ago, I was invited to a get together with some men from the church we were attending.  It was Superbowl time – a time that our culture reveres as much, it seems to me, as Christmas and Easter. So – the game was about to start – everyone settled in to watch it.  I struck up a conversation with a couple of the guys about Jesus and some faith issue.  I don’t remember what the topic was but I do remember the response. “Look we came here to watch football – not to talk about Jesus.” The message was clear.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:45

Men have a penchant for compartmentalizing their lives.  It is like the person who puts food on their plate and does not allow any of the individual food items to touch each other – the beans, the meat, the potatoes are all kept separate. Even though they are all going into the same stomach. I am certain that “foodies” would argue that they just want to enjoy the taste of each – nothing nefarious going on. But don’t even think about putting the beans on the potatoes!  You will be in big trouble buddy!

So the guys were in their football compartment – Jesus was relegated to His space – and in their minds the compartments should never touch – I mean why should they? What does Jesus have to do with football?

Our faith does not have a switch that you can flip off and on like a light switch.  We only let our “light” shine at the appropriate moments in the appropriate places.  There are some places where Jesus is not welcome.  In fact, if He shows up, it will make people feel uncomfortable and we don’t like that feeling – so Jesus will just have to leave.

I was talking with someone last week about the cost of following Jesus and the rejection that sometimes follows by people we know – sometimes even rejection by members of our family.  I told them – “It is not you they are rejecting, it is the Spirit of God that you brought with you.”

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” – John 3:19-20

I am not suggesting that watching the Superbowl is evil. What I am suggesting is that there is nothing on this earth that is superior to our faith and when we start thinking that there are circumstances when we don’t have time for Jesus – we have a faith problem. And when you experience rejection –  when you feel like the odd person out – and it is not because you have been insensitively bashing someone with the Bible – remember that the world – on the whole – did not embrace Jesus’ presence. Don’t be surprised or dismayed by what you see or experience. It is the very reason that God sent the Son – to rescue people just like them and He uses people just like you to bring His light into the room.  

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone