Why is it important to welcome sinners, as seen in Luke 15:1? \Gathering Around Jesus: Luke 15:1\ “Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to hear Jesus.” (Luke 15:1) • Luke opens the chapter by showing that those furthest from holiness sensed they could approach the Holy One. • Jesus does not lower His standards; He draws people up to God’s. • The scene prepares us for three parables that all celebrate a joyful search for the lost (vv. 3-32). \Why Welcoming Sinners Matters\ • It mirrors God’s own initiative—He “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). • It sets the stage for repentance; “God’s kindness leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). • Heaven rejoices more over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine righteous who feel no need (Luke 15:7). • It displays the gospel’s power: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). • It counters pride; refusing fellowship with sinners aligns us with the grumbling Pharisees, not with Christ (Luke 15:2). • It fulfills the Great Commission—welcoming is the first step toward making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). \Scriptural Foundations Beyond Luke 15\ • Jesus’ own words: “It is not the healthy who need a physician… I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). • God’s patient heart: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9). • Universal offer of grace: “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). • Practical admonition: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you” (Romans 15:7). \Practical Outworking: Welcoming Like Jesus\ • Cultivate open spaces—homes, church gatherings, small groups—where unbelievers feel safe to listen and ask. • Speak truth with grace: Jesus neither condoned sin nor withheld love (John 8:11). • Celebrate every step toward God; throw “lost-and-found” parties rather than keeping score of failures. • Guard against Pharisaic attitudes—grumbling repels the very people God is pursuing. • Model repentance yourself; authentic humility invites others to follow. \A Living Parable of Grace\ Welcoming sinners is more than hospitality; it is reenacting the gospel story every day. When we open our lives to the lost, we echo the Shepherd lifting a sheep onto His shoulders, the Woman rejoicing over a recovered coin, and the Father running to embrace a wayward son. By doing so, we honor Christ’s mission and reveal the heart of God to a world still gathering to hear Jesus. |
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