Be Welcomed In

“Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:10-11

A little bunny had slowly hopped up near the entrance to the offices of the church where I work. I snapped a picture of it and sent it to a friend with the caption “Even bunnies come to church in Kansas.” My friend responded a bit later with, “That’s a good church, every bunny is welcome.” That made me smile and chuckle just a little - then I got to thinking. 

For a church to be good, to be great - everybody should be welcome. Jesus regularly welcomed people into his circle that the religious leaders of the day complained about as being improper. Now don’t get me wrong, making everyone welcome in church, doesn’t mean avoiding the tough issue of sin. What it means is giving everyone the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus, to feel Christ’s love for them through the family Jesus left behind to take care of business.

We need to remember that we are sinners too and that the only difference between those of us who call ourselves followers of Christ and those folks who it might be easy to shut out - is that we have experienced the amazing, life changing, life giving grace of Jesus. When we accepted Jesus and handed over the Lordship of our lives to Him we were welcomed into His family, His kingdom and He expects us to do the same for others. We have to remember that we were welcomed with a warm embrace even though we were not perfect. In this week’s passage Peter encourages his readers to do some stuff, so they will continue to grow, continue to be changed from the inside out. His encouragement reminds us that we are on a journey to perfection that we will only achieve when we are welcomed into the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. Part of that that journey includes welcoming others to join us. But what kind of things must we do to gain the rich welcome that Peter says is waiting for us?

Fortunately, Peter makes it clear for us in verses 3-8 leading up to this week’s passage. First, Peter tells us that Jesus’ divine power gives us everything we need to live a grace filled, abundant life and that that same divine power helps us to escape the selfish temptations of this world. Then Peter tells us we must build upon the faith that bought us to Jesus in the first place. Upon faith we add goodness and then we add knowledge and with each thing we add we become more like Jesus. To knowledge we add self-control and perseverance - things that helps us resist temptation and allows us to treat others with the same kind of patience that Jesus treats us with. Then as the framework of our life becomes stronger we add more to it like godliness, brotherly kindness and the greatest and strongest part of our lives then should be love, Christ like love.  

Jesus was in that habit of welcoming in those, no one else would ever think of welcoming, let alone treat with any respect or love - what about you? Are you in the habit of welcoming in the lost, the tax collectors and sinners in your life?

This week, I want to challenge you to add to your faith all of the things Peter tells us we should, so that we will be richly welcomed into the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ who died to save us from ourselves. As you do, welcome in those in your life who need the amazing, life changing, live giving grace of Jesus. Will you be welcomed in? Will you welcome others?

A Prayer
Father – thank you for the divine power you give us to grow in faith so that we can stand firmly as daily we become more like Your Son. Help us to always be mindful of how He welcomed us into His love when we were still an unlovable mess. Show us who in our lives we need to welcome into our divine family, so they too can find faith and be made whole. Thanks you for welcoming us into Your family, into Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior we pray, Amen.