September 13, 2016 (Tuesday)
In Matthew 11:19, Jesus is branded by the Pharisees as a “friend of sinners,” which they considered an insult, since their religion forbade any contact with so-called “sinners.” I don’t think Jesus considered their “accusation” an insult; I think he thought of it as a compliment. It has certainly become a source of comfort to us today. When we sing, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus,” we do so with full knowledge that we are sinners saved by grace.
As the friend of sinners, Jesus loves us. His compassion is clearly seen in many instances in the gospels. When urged to leave the crowds and rest, Jesus refused because the people “were as sheep without a shepherd,” and he looked upon them with compassion. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). Someone has well said, “When God loves, he loves a world; when God gives, He gives a Son.” Yes, Jesus loves me, this I know.
As the friend of sinners, Jesus seeks us. He said, “I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.” He illustrated his seeking the lost with a story about one lost sheep. The shepherd of 100 sheep left the 99 to seek the one. He also told us about a rebellious son who sought a job with his father, whom he had rejected, but found that the father had been looking for him ever since he left home. The father loved his son, and restored him to a position of honor within the family. Jesus seeks us. When giving our Christian testimony, we sometimes say we “found the Lord,” but the reality is that He found us.
As the friend of sinners, Jesus saves us. Immediately when we think of salvation, we think of the forgiveness of all our sins, illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son. Salvation is a many-faceted diamond, because it is about Justification, Regeneration, Sanctification, and future Glorification. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection makes all these possible. He saves us.
Jesus is the friend of sinners. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:3-4 NIV).