Persona non grata

Today was one of my saddest days as a Christian.

At the end of the usual Sunday service, my senior pastor stood at the podium to share with us why he's bringing the church into an eight-week course on the supernatural. He said that to him, he would have failed his duty as a pastor if he didn't bring each member of his congregation into his or her full potential in Christ.

During his speech, he related how a young lady told him that God had laid on her a burden to reach out to the prostitutes in Geylang. She had obeyed Him and six prostitutes had given their lives to Jesus. But when the young lady approached some churches in Geylang to ask if they would accept the prostitutes into their congregation, all said no.

At this point when my senior pastor was talking about these churches' refusal, he was very worked up and close to tears. I was there in front along with quite a few other church members (we had gone up to pray for the church leadership in support of them).

When I listened to this account, I also couldn't control my tears. Churches, yes, churches actually turned people who had resolved to die to their own selves and to follow Christ.

I couldn't help thinking that much more than us, Jesus must have been so much more griefed by the actions of those churches.

How can Jesus' followers refuse to accept a sinful person who wants to follow Christ?

Jesus' encounter with a sinful lady:

Luke 7:36-50
36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.

41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

48Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."