Isaiah 1:18-19 -- Come now, let us think about this together, says the Lord. Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land.
Sounds a little odd doesn’t it, “the messy church”? What does that mean? How can the church be “messy”?
Easy. The church is us, we are the church. And we are messy. We bring our messiness into the church. At least, we are supposed to. It is only then that we can be cleaned up. So, the church is “messy”.
But what do I mean by messy? How are we messy?
Messy means “full of mess”.
· If you wake up in the wrong bed, with someone other than yourself or your spouse, that’s messy.
· If you wake up in bed with the too many people, or a person of your same gender, that’s messy.
· If you find yourself wishing you could wake up in the wrong bed, that’s messy.
· If you speak words that are better left unspoken, that’s messy.
· If you make statements that are “less than 100% truthful”, that’s messy.
· If there are things in your possession that do not belong to you, that’s messy.
· If you drink too much of the wrong stuff, that’s messy.
· If you “partake of the wrong type of pharmaceuticals”, that’s messy
· If you inhale too many chopped up agricultural products (whether legal or illegal), that’s messy.
· If you treat others differently than yourself because of the color of their skin, where they came from, or how they came to be here, that’s messy.
· If your neighbor has something that you want so bad you can taste it, that’s messy.
· If your web browser goes to sites that you wouldn’t want your spouse (or Mom) knowing about, that’s messy.
· If you exercise your strength, power, or authority over others just because you can, that’s messy.
· If you make decisions (business or personal) in a fashion that distinctly benefits your own self-interest, that’s messy.
· If you spend money you do not have on things you do not need, that’s messy.
· If you use credit to live above your means, that’s messy.
· If you constantly tell other people to do one thing, while you yourself do the exact opposite, that’s messy.
· If you like telling what you know, whether or not it is true, that’s messy
What we’re talking about here is sin. Sexual sin and lust, cursing and vain speech, lying, stealing, drunkenness, drug abuse, racism and bigotry, covetousness, pornography, abusiveness, greed and unethical behavior, gluttony, lack of self-control, hypocrisy, slander and gossip; to follow down the above list.
And how do you know if your life is one of sin. That’s easy. If there are things in your life, such as any on the above list, although not limited to it, which keeps you away from God – that’s messy. That’s sin. If you wake up on Sunday morning feeling like you cannot go to church, whatever it is that makes you feel that way is sin.
Listen to the words of God through the prophet Isaiah (1:18-19). Come now, let us think about this together, says the Lord. Even though your sins are bright red, they will be as white as snow. Even though they are dark red, they will be like wool. If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land.
Sin attempts to keep you from the church, from God. But when you feel the least like going to church, that is when you need to be there most. Look at what else God says through Isaiah (32:17), The work of being right and good will give peace. From the right and good work will come quiet trust forever.
But be careful. It is not simply a matter of “being right and doing good”. You don’t clean up first then come to God. You come to God in order to clean up. God spoke through the Apostle Paul in Romans 4:5, But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him.
However, that does not mean you don’t have to clean up. You do. God accepts sinners in their sin only when they come to Him in faith. He cannot condone sin. And He cannot abide where sin is. In Psalms 101:3 He says, I will set no sinful thing in front of my eyes. I hate the work of those who are not faithful. It will not get hold of me.
The whole of the matter is summed up in these five verses from Psalm 15:1-5, O Lord, who may live in Your tent? Who may live on Your holy hill? He who walks without blame and does what is right and good, and speaks the truth in his heart. He does not hurt others with his tongue, or do wrong to his neighbor, or bring shame to his friend. He looks down upon a sinful person, but honors those who fear the Lord. He keeps his promises even if it may hurt him. He gives money to be used without being paid for its use. And he does not take money to hurt those who are not guilty. He who does these things will never be shaken.
What God wants from us, as a response to His cleansing work in us, is found in Philippians 1:11, And I pray that you will be filled with the fruits of right living. These come from Jesus Christ, with honor and thanks to God. So even though we don’t have to get cleaned up before we come to God, once we do there is an expectation that we will clean up in response to His Holiness. And that expectation is appropriate because He does not make us come to Him. We have the choice. According to Deuteronomy 30:19, I call heaven and earth to speak against you today. I have put in front of you life and death, the good and the curse. So choose life so you and your children after you may live.
Don’t put off coming to church when you are messy. Come to church because you are messy. Paul’s prayers in the following verses are our prayer for you.
Philippians 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, And this is my prayer: I pray that your love will grow more and more. I pray that you will have better understanding and be wise in all things. I pray that you will know what is the very best. I pray that you will be true and without blame until the day Christ comes again. And I pray that you will be filled with the fruits of right living. These come from Jesus Christ, with honor and thanks to God … May our God and Father make your hearts strong and without blame. May your hearts be without sin in God's sight when our Lord Jesus comes again with all those who belong to Him … May the God of peace set you apart for Himself. May every part of you be set apart for God. May your spirit and your soul and your body be kept complete. May you be without blame when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.