Is This God’s City?

Yesterday started off rough: my truck wouldn’t start, even though a brand new starter was put on it, and I did all I could to fix my eyes on Christ. I asked Him “What is it you’d have me do, Lord?” That is when the phone rang. The Church is no stranger (pun intended) to benevolence, and the man said “I’m standing right outside of your church, I’m stranded, and could use some help.” I invited him in, and we talked a bit (I helped him with what he needed, let’s leave it at that, I don’t want to boast, as God set it all up). What I do want to say on the matter is this: the man glowed about how everyone, from the police officers he met, to the folks he interacted with, treated him kindly. With tears in his eyes, he explained he never received such kindness and compassion before. He asked me “Is this God’s City?”

I share this with you, not so that you think I’m a great guy or that our town is doing something right, but to ask: wherever you are, are you looking for God’s City, and in doing so, acting as if you’ve already arrived there? There are wanderers, strangers, angels unaware as the author of Hebrews calls them, looking for hope, help, and a future. Not all of them are honorable, and most may never truly appreciate what is done for them, but all of them should be considered as the Least of These. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done, or if they deserve help, we should treat everyone we come across as if it is Christ Himself who is asking. In that way, while we’re on our way home to God’s True City, we may show others a glimpse of it, and share the hope we have in Christ Jesus along the way.

Matthew 5:38-48

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 25:31-

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

James 1:22-27

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.