Jesus: Friend of Sinners

When we think of Jesus, because he is the Son of God, we tend to think that he hung out with the morally good people. Now I am sure He did at times, but the Bible shares with us one group of people who enjoyed being around Him.....sinners!!!  Whaaaaat?

Look at a couple of passages:


 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
Luke 15:1-2

"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."
Matthew 11:19

In fact, as you read the Gospels it was the "religious" people, the people who "thought" they were morally good who Jesus would confront. It's what led to His crucifixion.

Now let me add a few thoughts here:
1. Jesus wants us to be good moral people
2. If we are fortunate enough to be good moral people, Jesus doesn't want us thinking we are any better than someone else.
3. It's only because of God's help that we aren't commiting the same acts that others do that repulse us.
4. You see the problem with "religious" people is they are in danger of forgetting that they are sinners also.

There is a truth that has always blown my mind:
Somehow Jesus was able to hang out sinners, not participate in their sin, and yet be accepted and liked by them. That is so amazing to me I think I will write it again in bold type:
Somehow Jesus was able to hang out sinners, not participate in their sin, and yet be accepted and liked by them.


All of this talk is leading to the thought that we should follow Jesus' example.
I personally think Jesus was able to make the connection with people because there was something about Him that they were attracted to. I believe it was love. I believe we should be people who practice love to people, even the people we don't agree with. I'm sure Jesus didn't agree with the lifestyle the "sinners" were practicing, I'm sure He didn't condone it, yet, He loved them.

Here's a good test of how well we love: Are other people glad to be with us? Somwhow Jesus attracted the people the "religious" people looked down on, and yet those "sinners" liked being with Jesus.
                                    

Rather than looking down on them, Jesus loved them, and in the process brought to them the truth they were looking for. Think of the woman only described as a sinner in Luke 6:36-50, the woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11),  Zacchaeus, the tax collector (19:1-10), The woman at the well (John 4:7-42), Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 9:9-13). The list goes on to even you and I ......we were drawn to Him by His love. Let's go do the same for others.

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him. 10Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.13"But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:9-13

 Troy