Who Deserves to Hear about Christ?

This is something that's been on my mind for the last while, and only gotten worse lately. first all the unbridled hatred that is flooding Social Media about the NFL players kneeling for the flag and anthem, but especially my home state of Tennessee did the first execution in many years with the death of Billy Ray Irick this past thursday. 

first about Mr. Irick, he deserved what he got. He was found guilty beyond a doubt and was given the just verdict and was put on death row. 

I even thought when he was put to death thursday, one of my first thoughts was it's about time. 

And found out that there were people outside the prison where he was held and put to death celebrating his death as he died, playing the song by AC/DC Hells Bells around the time of his death. 

My question, did anyone consider honoring God's command to reach the man for Christ? Or did we all just consider hell and eternal separation from God just as just a punishment as the death penalty in life? 

The thing is, Billy Ray Irick did deserve that. But also, so does Dusty Vaughn. 

The Apostle John wrote in 1st John's 4th Chapter: 

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

How can we as Believers say that we love God, but celebrate a man's life being taken even if a deserved punishment? Why is it that we find joy in people we don't consider "good people" suffering and struggling and even dying? Did Yeshua say "Love your neighbor as yourself" and even said that if you visit and comfort criminals in prison that you're doing thus to Him? 

Think of how Christ handled the criminal that was crucified beside Him. 

When the other criminal made fun of Yeshua, this man in his final hours used his strength to defend him. "Have you no fear of God?" he chastised the other death row criminal, "For you are under the same condemnation, and we have been condemned justly. But this man has done nothing wrong." He then looked to our savior, and asked him to remember him when He entered into His Kingdom.

Yeshua didn't say he got what he deserved. He didn't agree that he was justly condemned. 

No, Yeshua said "Today, you will be with Me in Paradise." 

In His last moment, Yeshua showed us how we are to respond to criminals, especially those who realize they have done wrong and are repentant. Mercy. Grace. Forgiveness. As we, ourselves, have received.  

I look at Billy Ray Irick and him facing his death, and I realize that I am no better than him. I am Barabbas. 

I broke all of God's Law. 

I worshipped false gods and I made idols. 

I've taken my God's name in vain and used His name in dishonorable ways. 

I've dishonored my Sabbath. 

I've dishonored and mistreated my parents. 

I'm a murderer, while I haven't killed anyone physically, my hatred in my heart has killed many people in my heart. 

I've committed adultery in my heart and mind. 

I've been a thief. 

I've been a liar. 

I've lusted. 

I've coveted. 

I'm a criminal in the eyes of my God. I'm a rebel. I'm a Monster! 

I deserve death. I was standing on the stage of the world, blood on my hands, with no defense, in chains, covered in guilt and shame. 

The world and its king declared to God, This man is a Sinner! 

You know your law, God. You know what he deserves! He deserves to die. He deserves hell. He deserves punishment and death! He is GUILTY!

GUILTY!

And God looked upon me. And He said, let him go. 

But God, he's a guilty man. 

"I know. Let him go. Punish My Son." 

But God, he deserves to die. 

"I know, but let him go. Kill My Son." 

But, God, he's done so much wrong. He is a sinner. 

"I know, but my son is pure. Let Him pay the price for his crimes with His life blood."

But God, he's a monster!

"I know, but put his sins on my son, And I will call Dusty my son." 

But God, he's chained to his sins! 

"I know, and I break his chains. my Son has paid his price."

But God, he deserves to go to Hell and the Lake of Fire!!! 

"I know, kill My Son for his crimes, and I will welcome him in My home, and I will embrace him in My arms. 

"I am his God now, and he is My son.

"He is Mine."  

We love to look over men like Billy Ray Irick, we love to look over the NFL players that we see kneel before the flag and believe they are disrespectful of us. We love to look over gang members, criminals, thugs, murderers and prisoners. We love to hate abusers, rapists and killers. 

How many deaths were on Saul's hands as he went to Damascus with plans to add even more? Didn't Peter himself deny and disrespect Yeshua in His most difficult moment? Didn't King David have an affair with his general's wife, then conspired and murdered him to cover up her pregnancy? Wasn't Jacob a thief who stole his father's blessing from his brother? 

Why do we allow our enemy to win so many times... by allowing hatred to enter into our mind and heart, By allowing us to think people are beyond hope, By allowing us to believe someone doesn't deserve God, they don't deserve to hear about Yeshua/Jesus?

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Yeshua Messiah. God presented the Messiah as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Yeshua." - Romans 3: 23-26

Before you let your anger go at people who kneel in the NFL, before you smile in satisfaction when a criminal is put in a cop car and taken to jail, before you say it's about time when someone is put to death, remember who you are and where you came from and who you belong to. 

You are nothing but a guilty sinner who couldn't pay your own price and instead of being condemned to eternal death, you received God's grace and mercy, not of anything you did, but what He did through His son. 

And because of that, a gift from God you cannot repay, you should allow that grace and that mercy to overflow through you on to those around you, especially those who this world tells us don't deserve to hear the Good News of the Gospel. 

They don't deserve mercy from anyone especially God. 

But neither do you.