sheepgoats

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” Matthew 13:24-30

 Jesus teaches us that there will be weeds that grow among the wheat. In the church there are believers and unbelievers. Comparably, Paul says, Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, (Romans 9:6). And Jesus warns, Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… (Matthew 7:21).

But it isn't our job to separate the weeds from the wheat. He says let it grow together until the time of harvest. The Bible also says there are sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46) and similarly Jesus tells His disciples that He will separate them.

Christ will separate the sheep from the goats. That’s His business; not ours.

But of course, He does warn us that this will happen. He doesn't keep us in the dark about the tendency some goats have to wander into the sheep pin. So what does the church do with this knowledge? Why, sew sheep-costumes, of course!

As it appears to me, what we have done, in the name of love, is stood at the door of the church and handed sheep-costumes to the goats.

Some might not want to put it on, but we insist. The goats feel uncomfortable in their sheep costume but we do everything we can to make it fit - we soothe their concerns that it isn’t for them with a slick lubricant called Grace, assuring them we all feel that way.

At some point we might meet an adult that looks like a goat, but after some light interrogation they tell us someone once gave them a sheep costume when they were 6, but they haven't worn it in years. Rather than discuss true conversion (sheepsayregeneration goatssaywhat), we quickly pick up that old costume and insist they put it back on – once a sheep always a sheep!

But for some reason the uncomfortable ‘sheepgoats’ don't want to worship with us. We ask why. “I don't know. I don't like that music I guess.” So bam, we change it! Problem solved.

“Are you comfortable now?”

“I mean, I guess it's better. The music certainly isn't as bad as it was in the 90s, but I don't know…. I just can't pay attention to the sermon. All that scripture, it's so boring; it's all about God, but I don't see what that has to do with me. And why mention that “sin” that's making me so uncomfortable if you say I'm covered by grace? And does God really say I shouldn't do life this way?”

“Got it! We won't mention sin. He probably doesn't really mean it that way. And we’ll keep the Bible about you. We can do this! Won't you please keep the costume on and come back?”

And hooray, they’re back. (Ministry win!) For a little while. But we can tell they’re a flight risk, so we do everything we can to stay relevant to them.

Eventually some ‘sheepgoats’ will finally take the costume off and feel so good to be “freed” that they'll tell everyone about it. Which then makes the real sheep wonder if that whole “eternal security” business is legit. The truth is, they know they've heard it, but can't remember where.

No time to look it up though, I need to pre-read my LifeWay Sunday school lesson. (Love thy neighbor, again?)

And thus we go on, joining together in irreverent worship with the goats that we listened to just to make sure we were doing it the right way.

This is the right way, right? Better check the numbers.

Remember Christ's words to Peter, “Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep.”

Let the weeds grow with the wheat. Essentially, ignore it for now. Jesus will sort it out. At the proper time, Jesus will separate the sheep and the goats. You? You feed His sheep. Sheep food.

We should not be at the church door with sheep-costumes, but with a notice:

In this place, you will be filled with the Word of God.

Come with an appetite!

 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” - John 10:25–30

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ - Matthew 7:21-23

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. - Psalm 119:97

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. - Deuteronomy 8:3