THE SINNER’S GUEST
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teaching. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such despicable people-even eating with them. (Luke 15: 1-2)
‘Twas the custom of the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jesus’ time not to associate themselves with tax collectors and other notorious sinners, their reason- they didn’t want to become unclean.
Jesus broke this terrible barrier and got himself associated with all the people the society had condemned, he even got invitations for dinner from these so called sinners. He got invitations because they admired him, he always listened to them and he accepted them. Asides these, he didn’t care about their sinful ways, he cared about their souls.
It don’t matter who ya think ya are, Jesus wanna have a relations with ya. The stench of Lazarus’ grave didn’t matter to Jesus; he raised him from the dead - “Roll the stone aside”, Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s (Lazarus) brother said, “Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days”. Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:39-40). The ‘badness’ of your life don’t matter, Jesus wants to dine with you, he wants to have a relationship with you, he loves you and cares for you.
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