I have a heart to see a city wide Gospel awakening. This vision is shared among the team at Anchor Church Sydney. But the reality is, that our city will never recognise their need for the Gospel unless they see it in us.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of two lost sons to a bunch of grumbling religious people. The youngest son in the parable takes his inheritance and “squandered his [Fathers] property in reckless living”. The son comes home ashamed, with nothing left, and yet his father embraces him, rejoicing that his lost child has come home. The older son, who had stayed by his fathers’ side working the fields, heard the welcome home party for his brother and was furious. Why not, right? He’s never disobeyed his dad, he’s served him for many years, and yet, he’s never been thrown a party.
Who is the sinner in this story? The sin of both brothers are the same! They both try to manipulate their father in order to get his stuff and neither are interested in his joy.
So, what’s the point? Parables ALWAYS have a point. Jesus is demonstrating to his audience, the Pharisees and the scribes, that they need the grace of the Father just as much as the tax collectors and sinners.
We are mistaken when we think that religious people need Jesus less than the irreligious. Both need Jesus. The difference is that one perceives their need more acutely than the other.
When we read the parable in Luke 15, we often see ourselves as the younger brother – I ran from God, I repented and came I back. The reality is though, we’re actually more like older brother. We attend church; we believe the bible and are far more prone to his sin than that of the younger brother. Our attitude leads to the same self-righteous pride of the Pharisees and it makes the gospel of Jesus look unattractive.
Why is it that Jesus seemed to attract the younger brothers, sinners and tax collectors (Luke 15:1) and the church is so good at attracting the self-righteous older brothers?
Want to see city wide awakening? A city wide awakening to the gospel begins in our hearts and our church.
Do you realise your daily need for Jesus? Is the gospel most needed in our hearts, minds and lives, or ‘out there’ in the lives of other people?
I need the gospel just as much as the atheist, Muslim, prostitute and drug dealer…
Until that is a reality for me, for you and for our Churches, we’ll never see the gospel take deep root in our cities.