Saints And Sinners!

October 29, 2020

Saints And Sinners!

I have known some saints.  I enjoy the saints; they encourage me, inspire me, and teach me!  I am deeply indebted to the saints I know and have known.

A saint taught me to preach, a saint taught me to pray, a saint taught me to read the Bible as more than a book. 

A saint showed me the importance of sitting on a porch swing with a friend, a saint showed me the value of a humble heart, a saint showed me the benefit of making time to spend with Jesus.

A saint coached me to not wear my feelings on my sleeve, a saint coached me to lead with boldness, a saint coached me to value silence in my spiritual life.

I am deeply indebted to the saints that I know and have known.  I would not be the person or the person of faith that I am today without them.  Even now my heart overflows with gratitude as I remember each one.

It took me a while to recognize the saints in our midst.  There was a time when I believed that to be a saint the person had to die.  It was while I was doing a Bible study on the book of Philippians that I paid a little closer attention to the introductions to several letters written by the Apostle Paul. 

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi is addressed to “the saints.”  In Philippians 1:1 Paul writes; “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi…”  Paul was talking about people who were still living in the city of Philippi.  Obviously, a person does not have to be dead to be a saint!

As I looked more closely at Paul’s letters, I learned that a saint was someone who is faithful (Ephesians 1:1), who calls on the name of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 1:2), and who knows they are God’s beloved (Romans 1:7). 

A saint is someone who has given their heart, mind, and soul to Jesus and is surrendered to Jesus as Savior and Lord.  That could be you and me.  That could be the person sitting next to you or the person who lives next door.  The saints are among us!

I need the saints.  But, I know a lot more sinners than I know saints.  Jesus has burdened my heart to know and love sinners.  I go out of my way to meet people I do not know from a church. 

Jesus did the same. In Matthew 9:10 we hear; “And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.”  Jesus spent considerable time with people who were not a part of the religious establishment.  And, we know that Jesus came under heavy criticism for spending his time with those folks.

There is something refreshing about the sinners I know.  Their questions are often deep and their hearts are often sincere.  I am deeply indebted to the sinners that I know and have known.  Sometimes they require a little more patience.  But mostly, they just require a little more listening and loving. 

On Sunday, November 1 we celebrate “All Saints Day.”  I will give thanks for the saints and the difference they have made in my life.  I will also give thanks for the sinners for the same reason.  It’s a matter of love.

In Matthew 9:13 Jesus says; “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have come to call not the righteous (the saints!) but sinners.”  Jesus desires mercy and grace and love as we build relationships with the saints and the sinners around us.

When I meet people where they are with a little mercy, a little patience, and a Christ-like heart, I find Jesus in the midst of those moments.  When Jesus is near, I delight in His amazing love for each one of us…the saints and the sinners.

Take delight in the Lord!

Doug