All are welcome in God’s house
We are all wonders
27 surgeries before the age of 10
In 2012, R. J. Palacio published a book called, “Wonder.”
It’s a story about a kid named Auggie Pullman.
When he was born the nurses quickly rushed Auggie out of the room. His mom didn’t even get to hold him at first. Before he was born his parents were told that he had a cleft pallet & some other minor anomalies. What they didn’t know was that Auggie would require 27 surges before the age of 10 and that despite the miraculous work of doctors to help Auggie look “normal,” he would still look different.
Auggie was blessed with an amazing mom & dad. His mom homeschooled Auggie for several years. As he was getting ready to enter the fifth grade, Auggie’s mom & dad decided it was time for him to go to a nearby school for his education.
But this would also be incredibly difficult.
As a parent, there’s a natural sense of anxiety, worry & concern when you send your kid for the first day of school.
For Auggie’s parents, that feeling was magnified times a million! Every parent worries about their kid being accepted. Finding friends. Finding their place to belong. Hoping that they won’t be rejected. Praying they don’t get bullied. Mostly, we just want our kids to find their way & have a good experience. To find their people, feel safe, and feel like they belong.
It’s difficult enough for the average kid. For a kid like Auggie, it would be even more challenging.
Auggie & his mom went to visit the school before the first day. The Principal, Mr. Tushman, had invited 3 kids to give Auggie a tour.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHDLVUO-9VU[/embedyt]Before Auggie ever set foot on campus, he already felt different. He already felt unwelcome. He already felt rejected, alone & uninvited.
Have you ever felt that way?
Have you ever felt unwelcome or uninvited?
It may be the worst feeling.
When you feel unwelcome, you feel rejected. When you feel uninvited, you feel unwanted. And those feelings are powerful.
What’s worse is that so many people feel this way especially when it comes to church. I believe it is an incredibly BRAVE thing for most people to try a new church. To walk into an unfamiliar place hoping they will find a friend. Even if you know someone, there’s a natural anxiety that comes with visiting a new church.
[Tweet “It is an incredibly BRAVE thing for most people to try a new church.”]What will it be like? Will people welcome me? Will people treat me differently? Will they make me stand & talk to strangers in the middle of worship? Will they single me out? Will they sing songs I know? Will I be able to get in & out without feeling too uncomfortable?
The church should be the most welcoming place on the planet. Why? Because we believe in a God who wants to welcome you into His family.
[Tweet “We believe in a God who wants to welcome you into His family.”]At least, that’s what Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers once said.
What if church were like a house?
Peter writes…
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.
Jesus is the LIVING CORNERSTONE of God’s temple, or literally…. God’s house!
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.
I’ll confess, I don’t know much about building. But my grandfather was a brick layer in Memphis, TN. He knew how to put brick upon brick to build a house. He knew how to put stones together. He had the tools. He had the knowledge. He knew how to take what looks like a pile of stones to you & me & put them together in such a way that they make something beautiful!
That’s what God does.
He sees us. Most people might see a random collection of people. Most people might see a group of people that honestly don’t fit together. That probably don’t have much reason to be in the same room together. But God looks at us & what he sees are living stones! What He sees are the materials he needs to build a house of praise. His Son, Jesus, is the cornerstone that the whole house is built on.
Who is welcome in God’s house?
When it’s put together, when these stones become a house… well, here’s what Peter says happens next…
What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
So we’re not just living stones, we’re holy priests. And you know what priests do? They usher people into the presence of God.
[Tweet “Priests usher people into the presence of God. You are the priests of God.”]And this has been God’s plan all along. Hundreds of years before Jesus moved from Heaven to Earth, God had given this good news to one of His prophets. A man by the name of Isaiah. And Peter quotes Isaiah here…
As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
Peter tells us that with God, things are different. That ANYONE who places their trust in Jesus is WELCOME.
All Are Welcome
ALL are welcome in the temple, the HOUSE, that God is building.
[Tweet “ALL are welcome in the HOUSE that God is building.”]You don’t have to have it all together.
You don’t have to be perfect.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just have to put all your trust in Jesus.
You see, not only are you welcome, you are important.
Not only are you a person, you are a living stone.
Not only are you a living stone, you are a holy priest.
And not only are you welcome here, you are to welcome others here to find that same belonging you have found in this house. Because this is God’s house. And all are welcome here.
You might feel different. You might think, like Auggie thought, that people won’t accept you. You might even think, like Peter thought, that when you have failed & abandoned Jesus you have no hope of having a future in God’s house.
But the truth is, we are all wonders & we are all welcome in God’s house.
[Tweet “We are all wonders & we are all welcome in God’s house.”]
