August 15, 2012 Who's the Sinner?

Who’s the Sinner? Matthew 9:10-13 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 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.” A HUGE challenge in the church and Christian circles has always been to reach out to the “sinner”. In the church’s first years, some of the Jewish people who converted to Christianity felt it was inappropriate for the Gospel to go to the Gentiles, the non-Jews of the world. After all, God certainly didn’t intend for salvation for the sinner Gentiles, too! As churches have developed in communities throughout history and the world, there often seems to be this mentality of “us” and “them”. “Don’t go where the ‘sinners’ are. They’ll contaminate you.” Jesus’ actions clearly show you that it is necessary to enter into the “sinners” homes to teach them Heaven’s truths. The fact that Jesus came from Heaven’s holiness to earth’s sin is a wondrous picture of divine grace pouring out to you, me and the whole sinful world. He has come to us that we might be saved. What is your response? Jesus, perfect and holy, has come to save you the sinner. Will you pray for the unsaved? Will you support missions to the unsaved? Will you go to the unsaved? The “sinners” need Jesus. Will you give them Heaven’s truths? It’s True! Life begets life. Go and offer life to those who are dieing.