Hey y'all! I saw this story on Facebook and wanted to share. Let me know what you think.
Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.
Some websites are calling this story a lie. They are saying that it is purely fabricated.
Ok?
Does that change our opinion of the story? Does it still make me think about how I would have treated the homeless man amongst a congregation? Yes.
If you think that this hasn't happened countless times in all denominations of religion all over the world...you're delusional. It's real life people. Real or fake, who cares? Take it and learn from it. Apply it to your life.
p.s. I am not condoning lying or creating stories to manipulate Christian believers, but I want to focus on the main message of the story. I did not post the picture that was attached to the article because it has been confirmed that it was not the preacher. (Why do people post pictures of people that are not of the people they are talking about?! Come on folks.)
p.s.s. I want to cite something so I don't feel like I'm copy and pasting someone else's work, but all I found was Facebook posts and other blogs. Sorry!
Be back soon.
B
WOW!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes Thank our Lord - this week I too have come to find not only is faifth needed to enter the kingdom but doing the WILL of our Lord in helping the poor - widows, single parents, foster kids, homeless, the list goes on and on.
If we back out to see the whole picture I can understand why this is nesscessary for Jesus to proclaim us worthy in front of the Father:
ex. only having faith in Jesus makes our lives about US - being grateful and singing to him etc. is still about OUR HAPPINESS AND COMFORT
ex 2. If we use the faith of Jesus it = the security of His love for us and wanting to BE LIKE HIM!!!!!!!! Like our saying - imitation is the best form of flattery, and Jesus is no different. We will never come close to Him as He is perfect, but He needs us to try.
If we do not attempt to help the poor with all our being, we are not putting TRUST in Jesus and God to care for us.
Trust is everything.
Thank you for this post!!!
Your sister in Christ,
Alessandra