God's invitation

 

     The Church building is simply a structure of brick and mortar. Take away all the people, it is of no value except a memorial. Then again, a church can be full of people, but lacking the presence of God in the people.

 

     How can we be certain that God’s presence is in the midst of His people? It all boils down to one question. Who is welcome in the Church building? Our passage today will give us God’s answer, but it is our response to His will that determines if God’s power will be allowed to work in us and through us.

 

     Isaiah 56:1-8 (CEB):

 

     The LORD says: Act justly and do what is righteous, because my salvation is coming soon, and my righteousness will be revealed. Happy is the one who does this, the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not making it impure, and avoids doing any evil.

 

     Don’t let the immigrant who has joined the LORD say, “The LORD will exclude me from the people.” And don’t let the eunuch say, “I’m just a dry tree.”

 

     The LORD says: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, choose what I desire, and remain loyal to my covenant. In my temple and courts, I will give them a monument and a name better than sons and daughters. I will give to them an enduring name that won’t be removed. The immigrants who have joined me, serving me and loving my name, becoming my servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without making it impure, and those who hold fast to my covenant: I will bring them to my holy mountain, and bring them joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their entirely burned offerings and sacrifices on my altar. My house will be known as a house of prayer for all peoples, says the LORD God, who gathers Israel’s outcasts. I will gather still others to those I have already gathered.

 

 

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

 

     This passage may seem curious to us. But we must remember the prophet Isaiah is writing to the Israelites who are in exile, on the verge of returning home. Their sin led them into captivity, and God’s grace allowed them to return home. However, this left a lot of questions.

 

     Verses 1 and 2 outline how the exiles are to respond to God’s grace. They were living in expectation of God’s deliverance, and expectation is at the heart of faith. Faith is having confidence in God and trusting Him to keep His promises. As evidence of faith, the lives of God’s people are to reflect that expectation in what they do. And these practices are highlighted by Isaiah, not because doing these things earns them salvation, but because they accept God’s salvation.

 

     Since they are living in expectation of God’s salvation, the people will practice justice and righteousness. Justice is keeping what is lawful and righteousness is the behavior in keeping the law. Verse 2 says, “Happy is the one who holds it fast, keeps the Sabbath,  not making it impure, and avoids doing any evil.” The Ten Commandments are veiled in these words, with keeping the Sabbath deeply conducted with the worship of God and Him only. Then “avoids doing any evil” is a summary of the other commandments about loving their neighbor. Love God and love others are the practices these exiles are to carry out as evidence of their faith in God. Even as exiles where the world around them might present a challenge to living out their faith.

 

     Verses 3 through 6 focus on two specific groups of people who are connected to the Israelites, either as Israelite outcasts or those who have become connected through their faith in God. Before the exile, the Israelites were an exclusive people who relied on bloodlines. During the exile, the groups who were normally on the outside had found a connection with God’s people through faith. Now that the exile was coming to an end, they were worried that they would find themselves excluded.

 

     Who were the two groups? First, the immigrants. These were the Babylonians themselves or other peoples who were their captors. During this period, God worked many miracles such as the fourth man in the fiery furnace, shutting the mouth of lions, and writing on a wall. This would have convinced some that the God of Israel was God. Second, are the eunuchs. In the traditional ways of Israel, they would be prohibited from entering the Temple by the law. They were considered impure, even if this was not a lifestyle they had chosen for themselves.

 

     But God gives both these groups, these outcasts, the same charge as the rest of His people. It was simply live by faith, evidenced by the same practices as God’s people. No extra hoops, because God’s invitation to His coming salvation for all peoples. Verses 7 and 8 share that God is inviting everyone to this coming moment.

 

     What does this have to do with us and our question who is welcome in the Church building? First, the day of salvation that God was pointing to through the prophet Isaiah is fulfilled. It was fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His blood was shed for the forgiveness of all sin for all. God has thrown heaven’s gates open wide, inviting everyone to come to salvation through faith in Jesus.

 

     Because the first thing is true, that means everyone is invited to God’s house. Here in Isaiah, God highlights two specific groups of outcasts, but make no mistake these are not the only groups. With salvation through faith in Jesus, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female.” (Galatians 3:28)

 

     John 4 records a scene where Jesus is interacting with a Samaritan woman at a well. He is extending salvation to this Samaritan woman, but she objects with “Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you and your people say that it is necessary to worship in Jerusalem.” (John 4:20) Jesus counters her argument with, “The time is coming—and is here!—when true worshippers will worship in spirit and truth. The Father looks for those who worship him this way. God is spirit, and it is necessary to worship God in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24) Essentially, Jesus tells this woman to have faith evidenced by loving God and loving others. Love God by worshipping Him, love others by avoiding doing evil to them.

 

     Who is welcome in the Church building? Everyone who wants to seek God and see others seek Him. God has invited everyone to be saved, to be saved everyone needs to hear the message of Jesus. How can they hear if they cannot come in? At Ravenna Church of the Nazarene, regardless of your situation, lifestyle, or past, you are welcome because God says you are. God wants you to be saved, and we want to make sure you can hear the message of what Jesus has done for you. Our prayer is that you will come to faith in Him.