February 18: Fellowshipping With Sinners
♫ Music:
Thursday, February 18
Scripture: Matthew 9:10-12, Matthew 21:31
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.”
FELLOWSHIPPING WITH SINNERS
W. Eugene Smith’s most famous photograph, Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath, depicts a mother cradling her twisted and malformed daughter in a traditional Japanese tub. Tomoko suffered from Minamata disease, a kind of mercury poisoning that ravages both body and mind. When I first encountered this image I could barely stand to take it in. I felt like a voyeur gawking at something so intensely intimate that it seemed inappropriate to continue looking. Yet this image lodged itself deep inside my soul. Christ’s words, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” resonated with me. Tomoko’s mother takes on a Christ-likeness as she gently cradles her daughter’s deformed body. The compassion emitted from this haunting pieta shouts of One who has given everything for the helpless, the broken, outsiders, the marginalized, and those who don’t seem to fit in anywhere.
Periodically I hear Christians referring to the church as a hospital. Interesting enough, all of the churches I’ve ever attended over the years have felt and looked more like country clubs than hostels for those who are gravely ill. In his book Messy Grace, Biola alumnus Caleb Kaltenbach writes, “We are called to love and reach the same kind of people Jesus did, and that’s messy.” The powerful stories of Christ’s interactions with the disenfranchised found in the gospels indicate that he was not ashamed to be seen with the most inappropriate characters and that he would go anywhere to interact with them. That they were transformed along the way only added to the intrigue. I often wonder with whom Christ would spend his time if he were physically living among us today. I imagine it might be the kind of people we pray we’ll never have to deal with in any sort of serious way.
What words can be used to describe the love of God for the human race? This powerful poem was reportedly found scrawled on the wall of an insane asylum:
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Why do we Christians have such trouble remembering the great grace Christ bestowed and continues to bestow upon us? Like the Pharisees we find ourselves continually judging, criticizing and stereotyping others, often without realizing it. We’re quick to size people up and dismiss them as “not one of us.” Yet we’re unable to see with the eyes of Christ or know for sure what hunger and longing resides deep within those whom we silently judge. Christ said, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.”
Several years ago a friend relayed an account he considered to be a miraculous experience. He had become acquainted with an elderly neighbor who had a reputation for her often-obstreperous behavior. Although she had grown up in the church, she’d abandoned any commitment to organized religion years before. One night she fell asleep smoking in bed and ended up in a convalescent home.
Realizing his neighbor had only a short time to live, my friend began to visit her on a daily basis. Each time he entered her room he found her in a fetal position with her head turned toward the wall. She did not respond to him in any way as he repeatedly shared the gospel with her. On the day before she died, he called on her one last time. He faithfully asked her the question, “Do you know that Jesus loves you and that he wants you to be with him forever in heaven?” As he sat by her bedside, she turned over, opened her eyes and with a strong, clear voice replied, “Yes, he told me so this morning.”
Oh how Christ loves you and me and every human being he has created. Jesus is a true friend to all of us sinners!
PRAYER
Jesus, great Friend of Sinners,
Forgive me for the times when I do not represent you as I should. I cut down people in your name although the sword was never mine to swing. Open my eyes to the end of my pointing finger. Help me remember that I am the least of these. Let the memory of your mercy daily bring me to my knees. You love every lost cause. You reach for the outcast. They’re the reason that you came. Lord, help me remember that I was that lost cause and I was the outcast. I’m thankful that you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at your feet. Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break my heart for what breaks yours. Amen.
(Adapted from Casting Crowns “Jesus, Friend of Sinners” lyrics)
Barry Krammes, CCCA Staff
Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath
W. Eugene Smith
Photograph
About the Artist and Art
Tomoko Uemura in Her Bath
W. Eugene Smith
Photograph
About the Artist and the Art
W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978) was an American photojournalist, known for his professional and ethical standards and dedication to humanitarian causes. Smith is credited with turning the photo essay into a sophisticated visual art form. For many years Smith was involved with Life magazine. In 1945, while covering the invasion of Okinawa, he was critically wounded. During the next two years he underwent 32 operations. This traumatic experience left a profound mark on the photographer. Smith’s great photo-essay, Minamata (1975), deals with the residents of a Japanese fishing village who suffered poisoning and gross disfigurement from the mercury wastes of the area’s chemical company. While working on this project he was severely beaten by hired ruffians, employed by Chisso, the polluting corporation. Smith took thousands of photos for Minamata, but one day realized he needed a signature image to draw attention to the plight of those afflicted by the disease. Together, Mrs. Uemura and Smith staged this classic picture. Tomoko Uemura died in 1977 at the age of 21.
About the Music #1
“Come Ye Sinners”
Lyrics
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow’r.
Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
I will rise and go to Jesus,
He’ll embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms!
About the Musicians
Keith and Kristyn Getty (b. 1974 & 1980) occupy a unique place in the world of music today as preeminent modern hymn writers. In re-inventing the traditional hymn form, they have created a distinguished catalogue of songs teaching Christian doctrine and crossing genres, connecting the world of traditional and classical composition with contemporary and globally-accessible melodies. These modern hymns are rooted in the traditions of Celtic and English hymnody handed down to the Northern Ireland-born couple and their long-time writing partner, Stuart Townend.
www.gettymusic.com
About the Music #2
“Come as You Are”
Lyrics
Come out of sadness,
From wherever you've been.
Come broken hearted,
Let rescue begin.
Come find your mercy,
Oh sinner come kneel.
Earth has no sorrow,
That heaven can't heal.
So lay down your burdens,
Lay down your shame.
All who are broken,
Lift up your face.
Oh wanderer come home,
You're not too far.
So lay down your hurt,
Lay down your heart,
Come as you are.
There's hope for the hopeless,
And all those who've strayed.
Come sit at the table,
Come taste the grace.
There's rest for the weary,
Rest that endures.
Earth has no sorrow,
That heaven can't cure.
Fall in his arms,
Come as you are.
There's joy for the morning,
Oh sinner be still.
Earth has no sorrow,
That heaven can't heal.
Earth has no sorrow,
That heaven can't heal.
About the Musician
David Wallace Crowder (b. 1971) is an American folktronica musician known by his stage name Crowder. He was the lead vocalist in the the David Crowder Band, a six-piece Christian rock and modern worship band from Waco, Texas, actively producing music from 1996 – 2012. Crowder released his debut solo studio album in 2014, which included this song, “Come as You Are,” winning a Grammy nomination in 2015 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.