03/30/2019
Are you living an exemplary life of faith, and do you take pride in this? Do you look down on those who are less perfect, and lord over them in piety? Let me ask you one question... at what point has Jesus made you feel like less? As He walks with you, a sinner, He doesn’t talk down to you, or gloat about His perfection, He speaks to you with His arm around your shoulder, or while sitting at your table; so who are we to elevate ourselves?
“...because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:12 ESV
Do you count yourself as one of the sick, one of the sinners, or do you feel you are a righteous man who is better than others? Well my friend, if you are too good to associate with sinners, and talk to them about God, and the gospel of Jesus, then how is it then that you are a reflection of our Lord Jesus at all? You are still one of the sick, and perhaps a Pharisees instead.
“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”
Matthew 9:10-12 ESV
Jesus taught in the synagogue, but He was equally comfortable teaching bold sinners, and little children. So how is it that He could stoop to do this? How could He possibly consider rampant sinners to be worthy of His attention? Well, the exact same way that God love’s each of us, and sent His Son to redeem us. Listen to this scripture as he loves on the children and blesses them...
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.”
Mark 10:15-16 ESV
When I was in school there were always those that were considered teacher’s pets. These students catered to the teacher’s every need, and were never getting in trouble, but they had nothing to do with roughnecked little boys like me. They were not my friends, even though they spoke nicely to me when the teacher came near. School typically came easy to these kids, and they made certain that others knew it. They kept a tight knit club, and had nothing to do with their “lesser” classmates. I on the other hand loved to play ball and do the things that often put me in the principal’s office, like talking too much, or laughing in class. Although school came relatively easy, my homework was often incomplete because I had been playing with the other boys till dark, or I was caught in a game of mumblypeg on the playground with the guys as we practiced sticking our pocketknives in the ground near each other’s feet. The difference between me and the teacher’s pets was stark. Although my grades were good, and I easily learned the lessons, I was a leader who kept many boys from bad trouble, and helped when their grades were low. By being comfortable with the students that the teacher’s pets would not associate with I made friends, had dates, and was successful at reaching those that the education system had a tough time with. I dined with the sinners, and the tax collectors of grade school, and it allowed me to teach them what others were unable to. Not all my classmates were receptive; there were other leaders in school who didn’t stand with one foot in the classroom and the other in the principal’s office, and they took many down a wayward path, and all this while the teacher’s pets kept to themselves... reaching only their little circle that needed nothing.
Our life in church, and of faith, is much like my grade school. We have the pastor’s pets whose greatest victory is getting someone who is saved to switch churches; we have the sinners who have never been to church and have no intention of going, and we have those who go out into places where the pastor’s pets would not dream of going in order to win souls that are lost. Do you dine with sinners? Can you speak to the tax collectors and win souls, or have you sequestered yourself within the Church moving souls from room to room?
“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
Daniel 12:3 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for giving us a heart for the downtrodden, and the sinners that we might reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and teach them of you. Thank you for all the tables surrounded by needy souls on which we can serve the bread of Christ, and the wine of salvation. Help us Holy Father to look beyond our own borders to the desolate places where no righteous footprints mark the ground, or to the shores where waves have rushed in and erased those prints that were once there. Give us courage Lord that we might carry your banner to the camp of the enemy, and stand firm on your Word of peace and salvation. Teach us the language of those who need to hear your Word Merciful Father, so that we can deliver the message of Jesus, and win the hearts and minds of those for whose soul we long so desperately to rescue from the dark. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who sent His Son to redeem us, and through whom you now send us further yet. Praised be your name, the Father of grace and forgiveness that places His arm around the sinner, and whispers the merciful name of Jesus into their waiting ears. All glory is yours Mighty Lord, and every soul won will shout your name on high! Send us Father, and watch over us in our travels as we venture bravely into the dens of the dark one... your emissary of love and redemption.
“To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 ESV
Rich Forbes