Let them in anyway. Read 1 Corinthians 3:6-9. Don’t hold it against me, but I’m not a big country music fan. When I worked third shift back in the 1980s, I was forced to listen to the country music group Alabama for nine hours straight for months. I even suggested that maybe we listen to the Judds or some other country music artists, knowing for sure that the manager would not play rock music. No luck. These days I have grown to like the personalities of some country music singers. I don’t listen to their music, but several have been judges on 'The Voice' or 'American Idol'. Luke Bryan, Reba McIntyre, and Blake Shelton are three people that stand out. Recently I was switching channels, and Blake Shelton was singing. Because I like Blake as a person, I stopped and listened. I was so moved by the song that I needed to share it. This week we are talking about telling people about God’s love, inviting people to church, and getting to know Jesus. We do this shamelessly, which means we don’t have to be ashamed of the gospel or how God is a part of our lives. We also do this without being shameful. We don’t want to shame others into a relationship by telling them they are going to go to hell or whatever other kind of manipulation that people have used in shaming people for not going to church or not being Christian. We share the love of God through our actions and words, hoping that people will respond positively to the gospel message. “Let Him In Anyway” is a song where the writer has been trying to show God’s love to a friend with some positive results. But before the friend makes a full commitment, the friend dies. Now the writer is grieving over the death of a friend, with the added grief that perhaps the friend never made a commitment to Jesus. Here are the lyrics of the first half of the song.

“Ain't it a scary thing when somebody's time here ends?

Layin' flowers on their grave wonderin' where their soul went

I tried, and I tried, he was startin' to listen

I brought him to church, he was feelin' conviction

But You took him away 'fore I could convince him

So I'm here on my knees sayin' Hey, God

I know You know what I'm 'bout to pray, God

I just had to suck it up and say goodbye to my best friend

And I don't ever wanna never see him again

And I know the only way to get in is through You and he

Wasn't quite the Christian he was supposed to be

And Lord, it ain't my place

But could You let him in anyway?”

As a pastor, I have spent my life telling stories about God’s love with the hope that my friends and people I may never know would give their hearts to Jesus. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he explains how each of us has a part in another person’s faith. A person who comes to faith may have several people in his or her life who made a difference. We never know what is in the other person’s heart. We are called to make disciples, all of us together, investing time, showing love, and being Jesus to one another and to others in our world. At some point, we must understand that God’s grace is greater than our sin. Even when we think our effort is insufficient and we are failing miserably at sharing God’s story with someone else, we are to turn it over to God’s Holy Spirit, who is at work even when we don’t see what God is doing. “Let Him In Anyway” is an honest, raw prayer to God, asking God to have mercy on the soul of a friend who didn’t quite get to the place of faith we think someone needs to be. Lord, have mercy. God, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Lord, we believe that the only way to heaven is through you. Today we ask you to accept those who aren’t the kind of Christian they are supposed to be. It is not our place to ask you this favor, but could you let them into your kingdom anyway, even if they have fallen a bit short in their lives and in their faith? We appeal to your grace and mercy. Amen