This is very challenging from my friend and brother in Christ
Kevin K. Okwara....
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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 that morning. He walked around the church for 30 minutes while
it was filling with people for service in which only 3 people out of the about
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 in the back. He
greeted people only 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?”
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