God Loves Gays - updated!
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I did one of the most controversial sermons I've ever done here at Mercy Church KC, or anywhere for that matter - called "GOD LOVES GAYS" on Sunday, May 6, 2007. But even more exciting than that was on GOOD Friday, April 6, 2007 me and 14 others from our church carried huge pink signs that read, "God Loves Gays" down on the streets of the Plaza (located in Kansas City). The response was unbelievable! Very positive! One gay man gave all 15 of us a BIG hug and he said, "This is the best Easter message I have ever heard." Most all of us started crying! It was very cool!
I recently have been studying both sides of this issue of Homosexuality. I am interviewing homosexuals... Christian God-loving Homosexuals. Now I realize there may be some of you reading this (like the weirdo in Topeka, Kansas - Fred Phelps) who are hateful, hypocritical Christians who think homosexuals are going to burn in hell. I am sad for your ignorance and lack of biblical knowledge! Because you of all people should realize that all of us are sinners – even you!
On with my story...
I am a Heterosexual male and have been all my life, so I can not relate to the "struggle" (if you will) of being a Homosexual, or having Homosexual desires. I've just never had them. But I have had several friends who have had these struggles, feelings, and desires. And my first experience was with a good friend of mine in Bible College back in 1992.
My friend and I were in an evangelical denominational bible college at the time (which will remain nameless). And it was at that time my friend started coming to grips with his sexuality. He and I sang in a Gospel quartet during this time. At one of the meetings this Gospel Quartet had there was a prayer time where you can mention areas you need prayer, or support or whatever... so my friend mentioned struggling with feelings of homosexuality and wanted prayer, love and support. He got the exact opposite! I am totally embarrassed, frustrated, and saddened at the response he received... are you ready to hear it (it should hack you off)? They kicked him out!
Here is what just chaps my hide... why is it that people can mention any struggle they might have... lying, gluttony, lust for heterosexual sex outside the bounds of marriage, gossip; (normally people do not admit this one... because they justify it away like it's nothing but "sharing") gossip is a sin that is so poisonous it can break life long relationships with just a few mere words. The list goes on and on of things EVERY HUMAN on planet EARTH struggles with... why would we "especially those who call themselves Christians" who struggle with something, condemn homosexuals? I think there are several reasons and Jesus talks about it in the gospel account of Matthew.
Matthew 7:3-5 "And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye."
I think Jesus nails it here; they are hypocrites! We judge others because we are hypocrites! If I can point out something in someone else that makes me feel better about myself, my own struggle (at least in the eyes of others) then I feel better about ME. I know it’s sick really! I had someone mention to me that I should watch the movie SAVED with Mandi Moore, though not my movie of choice I rented it and watched it. Wow, it's not going to win any award, BUT it had a powerful message I thought. Basically the movie was all about these really weird “Christians” at a Christian school all “acting” like perfect little Jesus-loving-people. You then see them judge a homosexual, judge a girl who gets pregnant out of wedlock, and judges a Jewish girl who doesn’t fit into the “Christian Club”. Then the movie actually gets interesting; you later find out that each of those who were judging and pointing their little condemning “Christian” fingers at everyone were having affairs, lying, and hating… so it ended with WE ARE ALL SINNERS and we can not JUDGE anyone else! We should LOVE!
Q: Aren't we ALL God's creation? YES
Q: Aren’t we all created in God’s image? YES
Q: Does God love EVERYONE? YES, He loves everyone! Period!
Q: What did Jesus say about homosexuality? Nothing! I wish He would have said something, but He didn't. Jesus was silent on this issue. I often wonder why? I have a small suspicion.
Q: Did Jesus die on the cross for only Heterosexual Republicans? NO! Jesus died for EVERYONE!
John 3:16 "for God so loved the WORLD that HE GAVE..."
World - kosmos - in the Greek means "all humanity, or all mankind".
Back to my friend who was kicked out because of his struggle with Homosexuality... He of course was completely rejected, hurt, offended, confused and more by this very un-Christian response to his struggle with homosexuality (I am quoting his words... he called it his "struggle"). We as Christians SHOULD LOVE EVERYONE regardless of what their sexual orientation may be... whether we understand it or not, whether we struggle with it or not, whether we were raised to believe it's a sin or not, or even whether we believe it is a sin or not. In my opinion none of that matters... what matters is WE SHOULD LOVE and ACCEPT ALL PEOPLE, no matter what!
1 John 4:7-9 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”
The entire law has been summed up with and in the law of LOVE!
