Once at a social gathering of people with same-sex attraction, I saw a man wearing a shirt that said, “JESUS, SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS!”
I wanted to talk with him about it. But I didn’t want to come on too strong, lest he think I had ulterior motives. I just smiled and said, “That’s a great T-shirt!”
Looking back, I wish I’d been a little more courageous and asked, “Does that mean you’ve been able to separate Jesus from the un-Christ-like attitudes and behaviors of some people who say they are his followers, but don’t show His lovingkindness?”
It is a fact that as far back as when Jesus walked the earth physically, He had a problem with His followers “getting Him.” They failed to understand His love and compassion for souls, especially those considered to be outcasts. Jesus was well aware that His disciples sometimes had a problem “getting Him.”
Examples of Jesus’ Followers Failing to “Get Him.”
Matthew 15:21-23 (NKJV):
Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
Matthew 15:28 (NKJV): “Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.'”
Thank God Jesus was standing right there physically to speak with her personally. Yes, He did use it as a teaching moment to test her faith in the few verses that followed. But ultimately, He congratulated her for being assertive with her bold faith in Him to heal her daughter!
The saddest thing about this event, however, is that Jesus’ followers said these unkind words RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER. If she weren’t as strong a woman as she was, can you imagine how that might have made her feel? She comes to Jesus desperate for the healing of her daughter and she hears His disciples complaining about her bothering them and demanding that Jesus essentially tell her, “Get lost!” Her boldness paid off, though! She simply ignored the lack of mercy and grace in His disciples and got just what she needed from the Lord!
Another Example of Jesus’ Followers Fouling Up and Jesus’ Having to Call Them On It:
Matthew 26:6-10 (NKJV): And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.”
Two verses in the preceding passage begin with a “but.” In verse 8, Jesus’ followers had a negative “But.” So do many of His followers today! They say they solemnly believe the promise in John 3:16 where it says, WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish but have have eternal life. But then, because they are self-appointed gatekeepers of the Kingdom of Heaven, they carry signs negating the promise of John 3:16. They use the Apostle Paul’s list of sins that kept God-hating people out of the Kingdom (Romans 1:30, NKJV). You can go to the page that discusses this passage in Romans 1 by clicking HERE.
Thank God for the next positive “but” in verse 10: “But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman…’”
Once again, thank God Jesus was there physically to intervene. He rebuked His followers, asking why they troubled her.
Another Example
Mark 6:34-37 (NKJV) And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.” But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”
(The New American Standard Bible correctly translates Jesus’ words in the imperative mood of the original Greek New Testament: “You give them something to eat!”)
What makes the situation different today is that, unlike the scenarios we just witnessed from God’s Word, Jesus is not physically present to directly intervene when His followers say or do stupid things to exclude or hurt people who are willing to come to Him. And yet, He is present by His Spirit. Many people with same-sex attraction know this to be true. They’ve chosen to ignore Jesus’ ignorant followers and instead, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit who leads and guides into all Truth (John 16:13, NKJV).
Conclusion
It’s too late to go back and ask the man wearing the T-shirt bearing the words, JESUS, SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS:
“Does that mean you’ve been able to separate Jesus from the unChrist-like attitudes and behaviors of some people who say they are his followers, but don’t show His lovingkindness?”
But it’s not too late to ask the hurting people with same-sex attraction today. Are you wiling to separate Jesus from the unChrist-like attitudes and behaviors of His ignorant – even if well-meaning – followers?
Multitudes of people with same-sex attraction have left the church because of the exclusionary attitudes and behaviors of Jesus’ followers. But would we do that if we had bad experiences in some restaurants? Would we stop going to restaurants all together? A church where God’s people come together to worship the Lord, encourage, and uplift each other is much like a restaurant. It’s a place to get spiritually fed. Just as you wouldn’t stop going to restaurants because of a bad experience, you shouldn’t stop going to church. There are plenty of loving, caring, Jesus Christ-centered spiritual “restaurants” out there! Don’t let the ignorant extinguish your fire. Don’t let the ignorant extinguish your life!
We all need to be like the woman of Canaan (Matthew 15:21-23, NKJV). She was determined, and nobody was going to stand between her and the LORD. She did not allow the ignorance of Jesus’ followers to deter her from receiving the blessing of Jesus’ invitation:
John 6:37 (NKJV) The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
Jesus saved her from His followers! He can save you from his ignorant followers also. Come back to Jesus and please find an open and accepting church where you will be uplifted and supported in Jesus’ name.