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A Church of Second Chances

Zechariah 1:3    "Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you.' says the LORD Almighty.

The Bible is full of stories of people getting second chances.

For instance, look in your Old Testament and you will find second chance stories on nearly every page. There is Jacob who got off on the wrong foot in life... cheating his brother, running for his life - God meets him out in the middle of nowhere and makes promises to him concerning his future. There is Moses, raised as the son of the daughter of the King -  he kills an Egyptian, then hides out in the desert for 40 years - God meets him at the burning bush and gives him a second chance. In fact, Moses' story opens up an entire series of incidents in which the people of Israel are given renewed chances from God - every failure opens the way for another display of God's grace. Later on King David commits adultery and then murder - when he repents, God gives him a second chance. Every book of messages from the prophets is based on the failure of the people and the offer of a new chance from God.

Or we can look in the New Testament. I know you have the idea by now, so let's just review a few New Testament chances. Peter, as well as all the disciples, Paul and the prodigal son all the way down to some of the churches in the Revelation - each with a story of a second chance.

Of course, we don't need to go to the Bible to hear about second chances because it is our story too. There are wonderful stories of a few who made early decision for God and then held steady in that decision - and that is a great testament to God's keeping grace. But for every story like that, there are 10 about starting for God, messing up, then by his mercy finding their way back home. Our second chance stories are just as real as those of Jacob, Moses and Peter.

And, it's all about grace. God gets the credit for all of it. There is a sense in which, like the prodigal, we come to our "senses" and return to him, but in every case, it is God who is at work - speaking to hearts, giving hope, inviting us to come back. Before we can ever "wake up", God has to work in our lives bringing that awakening to us. When we are broken and lost because of own stubbornness and sin, God still works in our lives, looking for opportunities to draw us into a renewed relationship. This, my friends, is grace. It isn't that we somehow become better people, in fact, it is generally the reverse - but, as Paul says, "greater sin-greater grace." This "God's grace - second chances" business has an impact on how we go about being a church.

For one thing, it means we are to be working where God is working. Right now, in our community, in fact, within minutes of our front door there are people who desperately want something to happen in their lives. The reason for their spiritual hunger is that God is tenderly calling them. The sad thing is that many feel it is too late - they have messed up their lives to the point that they don't think there is a way back. They think God is angry with them and that they are his enemy. I think he is calling our church to tell them the wonderful truth about God's grace...having a story of our own second chance, we are to extend that grace to others. That means that we are to be a gracious people - accepting people right where they are, recognizing that they are a work in progress - that they need to see God's grace in how we receive them. We do so with a humble spirit, knowing that we have much in common with those who are being called by God. Without going into details here, it also meas we should understand the difference between accepting people, giving God opportunity to work in their lives through us and accommodating sin. A part of extending grace is refusing to blink at sin - to do otherwise is to give a false sense of security.

It means some of us will need to have a few sessions with the spiritual Chiropractor - the Holy Spirit. That is, we may need some spiritual adjustments. We must let the Lord adjust our point of view concerning people who are different than us - in culture, background, race. Or maybe adjust such small things as who we sit by in church or go out to lunch with following the service or have friendly phone conversations with. If we believe God is working in lives, offering people second changes, and that he is working in our church, calling us to extend his grace to them then we have to be willing to let him give us a "spiritual adjustment" or two!

What I have just shared is more theory than application. Honestly, I am not at the next steps yet myself. That is, I am not sure where all this leads us. Still, I am left with the belief that the Master wants to use our church to provide hurting people with messed up lives second chances. With that in mind, I ask you to join me in seeking out just how that mission can be accomplished at our church.