A preacher transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the church that he was to be introduced as the head preacher that morning. He walked around his soon-to-be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service. Only three people said "Hello" to him, most looked the other way. He asked people for change to buy food because he was hungry. Not one gave him anything.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was told by the ushers that he would need to get up and go sit in the back of the church. (See James 2:2-4.) He said "Hello" to people as they walked in but was greeted with cold stares and dirty looks from people looking down on him and judging him.
He sat in the back of the church and listened to the church announcements for the week. He listened as new visitors were welcomed into the church that morning, but no one acknowledged that he was new. He watched people around him continue to look his way with stares that said, "You are not welcome here."
Then the elders of the church went to the podium to make the announcement. They said they were excited to introduce the new preacher of the church to the congregation: "We would like to introduce you to our new preacher." The congregation stood up and looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle.
That's when all the clapping stopped and the church was silent. With all eyes on him, he walked up to the podium and reached for the microphone. He stood there for a moment and then recited so elegantly a verse from the Bible...
“Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"
After he recited this, he introduced himself as their new preacher and told the congregation what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and bow their heads in shame. "Today I see a gathering of people here, but I do not see a church of Jesus. The world has enough people that look the other way. What the world needs is disciples of Jesus that can follow this teachings and live as he did. When will YOU decide to become disciples?"
He then dismissed service until the following Sunday.
His sermon had been given.
If this describes YOUR character and behaviour toward a homeless person in your church, or someone wearing shorts in your church, I suggest you REPENT, remove the log buried in your eye, and earnestly seek Christ Jesus to be Lord of your entire life so that you may imitate Him fully and completely WITHOUT hypocrisy and unbelief.