July 25, 2023
No Trespassing?
Our son Ryne told me the other day that he had an idea for a “Tuesday’s Truth.” He told me that he was riding down the road and saw a yard that had a lot of small cement statues and other stuff in it. Right in the middle of all the items there was a big cross. Here is the interesting part – attached to the cross was a “NO TRESPASSING” sign.
What an inappropriate and inaccurate sign to be on a cross. Everyone is always welcome at the cross. Instead of a “No Trespassing” sign on a cross Jesus made it possible for a, “All Are Welcome” sign to be there. You could add a “Come As You Are” sign on there also. The blood of Jesus made the cross a place where anyone can come and find grace and mercy.
The world and the Devil are the only ones who try to keep people from the cleansing power of the cross. They try to tell people that they are not welcome at the cross because their sin is too bad and they are not good enough to come to the cross. The Bible says in Romans 10:13 that, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Jesus himself said in John 3:16 that, 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Those two “Whosoever’s” in these verses tell me that is not a “NO TRESPASSING” sign on the cross. It really means that the cross is a place where anyone and everyone can bring ALL their TRESSPASSES and SINS and they can be forgiven. With His sacrifice on the cross Jesus turned this place of horror into a place of beauty – because grace, mercy, and forgiveness can be found there.
So let’s do all that we can to point people TO the cross and not try to keep them from the cross by our lives and witness. When a person comes to church for the first time and they are not dressed like other people, or are a different color, they can see the “NO TRESPASS” signs on the faces of the church members.
Let us instead be intentional in making sure that we are saying – with our mouth, our body language, and our heart – YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. That is what Jesus would do.
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs