Lifestyle of Welcoming Sinners

Text: Luke 15:1

• If we are to establish or grow churches, if we are to make an impact on our communities, if we are to change eternity, it will be one
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  at a time, one
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  at a time.
• It is
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  that are near and dear to the heart of God.

Luke 15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

• Jesus was

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  to the sinners and tax collectors.

• The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” In this sentence, that was meant to be derogatory, that was meant as an accusation, that was meant as an insult. We find packaged with a bow the attractiveness of Jesus and how simply he changed the world. Jesus

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  sinners and he
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  with them.

Why were sinners attracted to Jesus? Why did they come to listen to his teaching? Why did they follow him even when they were ridiculed, judged, and chastised by religious people?

• Jesus

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  lost people and they knew it!

• Jesus did not allow racial barriers, social norms, socioeconomics, sinful lifestyles, religious ideas, past history, or uncleanness to

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  his pursuit of relationship.

What does it mean that Jesus received sinners and he ate with them?

1. Jesus was not

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   of people’s sin.

2. Jesus knew the sins of people, and He was not afraid to be

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   by them.

3. He did not care about popular opinion or

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   .
   • Jesus did not come to make good people gooder or religious folk more religious. He came to seek and to save the
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     .”

You cannot short circuit, short cut, or shortchange the Master’s plan of spending

on people. Jesus was accused of receiving sinners and eating with them. Could we be accused of the same thing?

Bottom line: If we live a lifestyle of welcoming sinners, we can

the world!