Jesus, Friend of Sinners

When I first heard this song it annoyed me.  But the more I listen to it, the more I love it.

I was reading through Luke and ran across the following passage, and Jesus, Friend of Sinners came to mind.

^{Luke 6:27} “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹ To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic^[a]either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. ³¹ And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

³² “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. ³⁵ But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. ³⁶ Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Is this how we act?  Most of the time, I'd say no...we've strayed so far away from Jesus' teachings.

We have come to believe righteous anger is acceptable.  If someone isn't doing something just like we would, or heaven forbid they have a different view than us on something, We cut down people in Jesus' name...but that sword was never ours to swing.

How many times have we been the stumbling block for someone on their search for Christ?  How many times has our witness been tainted by ugly words or actions?  Without us even knowing?  What if this life isn't really about us, but about them--the ones who don't yet know Christ's love?  And instead of feeling holier-than-thou, we remember that once we declare Christ as Lord, our life becomes His and we are now to use this life to bring the Good News to others, instead of being an obstacle, hurdle, or roadblock on their way to Him?

The world is on their way to you, but their tripping over me.

I pray this isn't true of us Lord.

We are all sinners.  Each and every one of us.  Whether you have never known Christ or have called Him Lord your whole life, you will never cease sinning this side of Heaven.  Why then are we always judging others sin?  Are we forgetting that before we came to Christ we needed the love, grace and mercy that we sometimes withhold from others?

Jesus came for sinners, the undesirable, outcasts

^{Matthew 9:12} On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

^{Mark 2:17} On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  

^{Luke 5:31} Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

If we saw people as Christ sees them, our hearts would be led by mercy.  We'd love these brothers and sisters that are in such need, because we'd realize that we were once in need and Jesus stepped in. We can love because we were first loved by Him.  If we aren't loving, extending grace and mercy then one has to ask, do I really know the Love of Christ?  Is it evident in how I treat people?  Everyone? Especially those who are different from me, in need, challenging to be around, undesirable to society? 

Hmmm...if Jesus is my example and he's a friend of sinners, shouldn't I also be?