Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah, which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight; and he killed him. Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. . . Abigail bore Amasa; and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. . . . Now Sheshan had no sons, but only daughters. Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha. Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant as wife; and she bore him Attai . . . The families of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from them came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth Beth Joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. The families of scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.”
(1 Chronicles 2:3-4, 7, 34-35, 53-55)

“ He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’” He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.””
(Luke 4:23-27)

God has a chosen people. The Jews. The Hebrews. The descendants of Abraham. This is a TRUTH. This is NEVER going to change. But the truth is also that God cares about EVERYONE. Within the genealogy of Jesus are several figures who are NOT Jews. Some are peripheral. Some are central. Abnormally, there are several WOMEN mentioned in the genealogy – and ancient genealogies always followed the male lineage. There were those who were murderers, adulterers, foreigners, those who committed incest, and at least one possible prostitute in the line of Jesus. God used broken people. God restored them. God brought them into His family. He did not, does not, and never will expect perfection and perfect compliance with His every command before He reaches out to love us, guide us, and call to us. He transforms us and works us toward perfection in Him. He doesn’t require it first. He meets us where we are and then brings us to where He is. This is His Grace and His Mercy. The standard of righteousness doesn’t change. He creates the circumstances where we can step into His.

Jesus incensed the people (Jews) He was speaking to because He focused on the Gentiles in His story. The Jews of His day – much like some in the Church today – thought they had a monopoly on God. That God was ONLY for them and no one else. They assumed God despised all that they did. That God rejected all the people they did. But that had NEVER been God’s heart. God desires that ALL come to Him. That ALL get restored and reborn into His family. Yes, the Jew first because they are HIS people. But then the Gentile, who have been given the right to be adopted into His people. Everyone can receive from God. Everyone can align with Him. Everyone can be saved. God doesn’t gatekeep. God looks at our hearts and calls each and every one of us to true repentance. We can ALL receive of God’s ministry, Jesus’ sacrifice, and come to worship and have a relationship with Yahweh God Almighty. No exceptions. It is possible for ALL of us. The choice is OURS because God will except ANY and EVERY honest heart.

Summary

Salvation – the journey to God, not the single moment where we decide to follow Him – is so precious and wonderful as news because it is available for everyone. We can ALL worship God. We can ALL be adopted into His family. We can ALL repent and be renewed. We can ALL serve Him as Lord and Saviour. NONE OF US DESERVE IT. Not ONE. Our behaviour doesn’t get us in. Good works doesn’t get us in. Being a good person doesn’t get us in. We don’t measure up to what we need to earn it. We never could. We never will. Our performance doesn’t cut it. God’s mercy and grace is extended to ALL of us. So none of us are better than others. None of us can look down on someone else. None of us should stop praying for the salvation of those around us and a change in their attitudes. Some people will decide to reject God, they will harden their hearts, and they will refuse to choose Him. But God will still have a heart to see them saved. We should have the same heart. Always praying for those who are lost. Always willing to accept them into the fold. No judgment. Because God provided salvation for us all. We are all His.