Welcome to the Club – September 1, 2020

I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.
Isaiah 56:8

Welcome to the Club

Some clubs are easier to get into than others. In many cases, you fill out the form, pay the annual fee, and you’re in! Not so with the Hurlingham Club in London, touted as one of the most exclusive clubs in the world–especially if you like polo, golf, and being treated like royalty. The bad news? Currently, there’s a 30-year waiting list before one could even be considered for membership. That’s pretty exclusive!

Exclusivity. You’d think if there was ever a club or group that could claim elite status and keep commoners and riff-raff at bay, it would be the family of God. Instead, he throws the doors open and exclaims, I will gather still others.

700 years before the time of Christ, Isaiah spoke of God not keeping the riff-raff away but inviting them into his personal household. The promises God made to Abraham and his descendants would spill over to people of all nations, of every tribe and language. God doesn’t want to keep anyone out; he wants all people to be brought in.

Jesus made that clear too. “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen,” he said. “I must bring them also” (John 10:16). That same Good Shepherd who sought to bring more and more sheep into his fold didn’t just seek them out, he paid their entrance fee in full. The apostle John spoke of that all-inclusive sacrifice—”He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).

Guess what? You and I will never belong to the Hurlingham Club. In fact, there are probably a thousand clubs that are too exclusive for us, too rich for our blood, and too out of our reach. The good news? Jesus has removed your sins. He has paid your way in full. He wants you to have all the perks and blessings of his family. Welcome to the club!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for seeking me out and saving me. As a forgiven member of your family, use me in your task of seeking out and saving others. Amen.