Motivated By Mercy
It’s oft times difficult to understand the attitudes and behaviors of people who walk a different road than we do. And walking a mile in someone else’s shoes is a very difficult axiom to actually practice. This story helps…
#JesusStories: In Matt. 18 Jesus tells a parable of a king who confronted a man from his realm who owed him 300 million dollars (in todays value). The man fell to his knees and begged for more time to pay the debt. The king felt for the mans situation and rather than placing him in debtors prison, let him go free. Upon leaving the kings court the man found someone who owed him a few thousand dollars and demanded immediate repayment. That debtor fell to his knees and begged for more time, but that request was not accepted and he was thrown into debtors prison. This is the human condition; we all need great mercy and yet we struggle to offer small mercy to others. This is especially true when those around us needing our mercy are too different from us. Back to Jesus parable, I would suggest that any man owing millions is likely an upperclass businessman, while any man owing small amounts is probably a wage earner. They were from different worlds. Before we distance ourselves from this story, a moment of honesty is needed here. How often have you seen someone holding a sign on a corner and whispered to yourself, “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just got a job?” Or when hearing of someone shoplifting, did you feel a slight disgust? It is hard at those moments to understand the conditions that motivate desperate and resourceless people. Even Solomon prayed that he never be so poor that he would be tempted to steal. (Prov. 30:9). We need some divine help if we are going to hold this issue rightly.
The Eastern Church has something to teach us on this front; one of their oldest congregational prayers is the Kyrie Eleison which means “Lord have Mercy.” Something quite profound occurs when we learn to lean into the deep mercy of Christ on a consistent basis. Though some Reformation-Era theologies have obscured this truth, it can be recovered through practicing the ‘Merciful Christ’ prayer. As Jesus parable suggests, his mercy for us is 300M immeasurable; the more we live in the assumption of immense mercy, the more we become practiced in offering it to others. My father-in-law used to practice mercy with this saying, “be kind to people; everyone is fighting a battle.” In Christ’s immeasurable mercy we find our strength, and with that same mercy we strengthen others.
#DinnerChurchQuotes: “The first command of God in the garden is ‘eat freely’; the last command in Revelation is ‘drink freely’; everything in between is a table where we eat with God and each other.” -Leonard Sweet
Blessings & Boldness,
Verlon
Dr. Verlon and Melodee Fosner have led a multi-site Assemblies of God Dinner Church in Seattle, Washington since 1999 (www.CommunityDinners.com). In this decade when more churches in the U.S. are declining than thriving, and when ninety-six churches a week are closing, Verlon and Melodee sensed that a different way of doing church was needed for their 97-year old Seattle congregation. It soon became obvious that they were not the only ones in need of a different path. They joined the FX team in 2016 and founded the Dinner Church Collective. And then in 2019 founded the Dinner Church School of Leadership. There is a lot to be gained when church leaders begin to see open doors in the American landscape that they had previously overlooked. Therein lies the journey for those who will forge a new future for the American Church.
Categories: Uncategorized
09.24.20
By: Josh Gering
These are such challenging thoughts. I have found that we all love receiving mercy more than giving it. We also seem to judge ourselves regarding our intentions but judge others regarding their actions. I want mercy, not judgement but when it comes to someone who has wronged me, I want them to face judgement and not have to give them mercy. This is where the gospel is so rich and why I love sharing at dinner church about the mercy of Jesus. He has every right to judge as the just judge but instead offers mercy freely and without limit, which I need so much. The challenge then for me is to truly, with God’s help, try to walk in someone else’s shoes and realize that the gospel is not a respecter of persons, it applies to all and therefore gives immeasurable value to all. The Jesus Dinner Table is big, wide, and deep. All can come and receive Jesus’ mercy.
09.28.20
By: Rachel Reinink
In his book “From Tablet To Table”, Leonard Sweet said, ” When Jesus said at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me,” the this he meant was the table…whatever you come across in life, bring it to the table.” For the past seven years I have been inviting people to our table once a week. Never in my life have I seen such diversity. There have been fights and reconciliation, surprises and mundane moments, grief and joy, wrestling and elation. No matter who sits at the table, restoration has always occurred. It’s been said that Jesus ate his way through the gospels, and I can say with honesty, I get why. The table offers nourishment, in every sense of the word.
09.28.20
By: Marion Sortore
When I consider mercy and grace I am always reminded of Philip Yancey’s book: “What’s So Good About Grace”. In that book he has a conversation with a prostitute – and asks if she would go to church – her answer was something like: ‘Why would I do that, I already feel bad enough about myself!’ Dinner church provides the safe link to grace and mercy! We all sit at the same table – eat the same food – and yes, (I love this) – “everyone is fighting a battle.” When I remember that we are all in this together, I can feel my shoulders relax, and know that God adores each person – and I can lean into that love and live out of it.
09.28.20
By: michael cox
The first dinner church my wife and I led was incredible. I shared the story of Jesus as the good shepherd. A gentleman talked with me afterward and said he had never heard the story. He had never heard of Jesus described as compassionate. I am always amazed that people don’t know the stories of Jesus. We don’t live the teachings of Christ and miss the opportunity to demonstrate his love to the world. The mercy and grace of God has been minimized by the church, replaced with the consumerism of prosperity and self help. Like the parable of the debtor, I am guilty of trading the forgivness i have received from God for harsh judgment toward others.
I was driving home last week wondering what loving our neighbors will look like going forward in this time of uncertantity and divisiveness. Within the span of thirty minutes, two people from our dinner church called. One gentleman wanted to thank me. The dinners had helped encourage him through a time of unemloyment and homelessness. He now has an apartment and a job! He credits God and the prayers he received at the dinner as central to his improved situation. Another friend called to invite me over for coffee and to see if I had any extra polo shirts! I love to meditate on the Jesus prayer. “Jesus Christ, son of the living God. Have mercy on me a sinner.”
09.29.20
By: Shawn Rutan
I always try to remind myself of how much I am forgiven. When I remember the pit of despair I was in and road of destruction I was on. It is much easier for me to put myself if the shoes of others. Or at least imagine how I could have arrived at a place similar to their story if the Lord had not intervened. This perspective really aids in opening up my heart to show mercy to those who, at first glance, have probably have taken advantage of the mercy of countless others including God’s mercy. We too have taken advantage of God’s mercy. For we once where enemies of God. (Romans 5:10). My prayer is that God helps us remember his mercy so we can extend it toward those who know they need it in our cities, towns, friend circles, and families. After all, isn’t the mercy we show others from God?
09.29.20
By: Brian Spillman
I believe one of the reasons I’ve fallen in love with Dinner Church is right here. Through every conversation we start to see how much we have in common with a stranger. Maybe it’s fandom, hobbies or even home state, but mostly it’s the unyielding need of grace for our near mutual mistakes. I have received so much grace and mercy from Jesus, probably more than I’ll ever know. So, when I meet a stranger who believes they are undeserving of that same grace I sit with them and talk, maybe for weeks, months, years, until they finally realize and accept the grace so freely given.
09.30.20
By: JoAnn Bastien
It never occured to me before that the first person (owing 300M) in the story was probably upper class. 300M is quite the loan! I don’t struggle with offering mercy to the working class person. I struggle to offer mercy to the rich man. I am being challenged by Christ in this season to remember that He died for the wealthy AND the poor. I do not get to decide who receives mercy. He is the only one worthy of that decision.
09.30.20
By: Roger Bird
This post brings up so many thoughts and emotions, both encouraging and humbling. We’re all on a journey to get to where we want to be, aren’t we? I talk a good game about accepting the “other” among us but as I read this week’s entry and the reference to someone holding a sign on a corner, the words “wouldn’t it just be easier to get a job?” rung in my ears. This is due to the fact that I have a guy, not far from my house, who’s holding that sign, probably as I write. I’ve engaged him a bit to ease my conscience but, in my inner heart, I have thought those exact words, “Dude, why don’t you just go get a job?” It’s so easy to slip back into a mentality of “us” and “them” or “those people”.
The story of Jesus at the home of Simon the Pharisees house (a dinner meeting, by the way) in Luke 7 when the “sinful” woman comes and washes Jesus’s feet with her tears and dries them with her hair has been a really powerful one to me over the last several years. Specifically, His words to Simon as the religious man silently judges Jesus for letting her touch Him. Looking at the woman but speaking to His host Jesus says, “Simon, do you SEE this woman?” It’s obviously not that he can’t physically see her, but it’s to reveal that to Simon she’s not a person, she’s a sinner, an adulteress, a prostitute. “Do you see this woman?” Jesus’s words to him are meant to call him back to her humanity, to her personhood. His words should be a wake up call to us, too.
When we see one another as people, as human beings made in the precious image of our Creator, forgiveness and compassion, mercy and love flow much more freely. So now lately, I find that, as I am dealing with the “others” around me, I am internally asking myself this question, “Do you SEE this person?” Do I see their humanity? Their personhood? Do I see Jesus in them? Can I love them and be merciful to them, as they are? As I have been shown love and mercy? I’ll be honest, it’s a work in progress.
10.6.20
By: Kimberly DuBreuil
I appreciate Verlon’s comment about his father-in-law showing mercy. My dad always told me to give people at least three chances. After you had been wronged the third time it was time to show mercy, but not at the sake of doing justice and right living. I can’t tell you how many times as a pastor I’ve asked the leadership to read Matthew 18 together. Especially the part that leads us to have conversations with the person that wronged us, then bring in another person, then bring it to the whole church. I try not to judge people, but see the person as a person. Only God is the judge, but as pastors we also have to care for those around us and if there is someone who chooses to destroy the group with their words and actions, there can come a time as a leader that we must ask them to change their heart or leave. We can’t allow unhealthy behavior to exist. I think about this in regard to facemask wearing. Everyone has a choice, but we must work for the good of the whole. We have to reach out to the one, and give them an opportunity to make things right but if they refuse then changes need to be made.