Are You A Friend Of Sinners?

Are You A Friend Of Sinners?

Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

I don’t know about you but I am glad that Jesus has compassion on sinners. ......................Compassion - {G} (splagchnizomai - splangkh-nid'-zom-ahee) - to feel sympathy towards someone, to pity. - Compassion is more than being sympathetic; it also involves a desire to help.

Jesus was ridiculed by the religious folk for being a “friend of sinners” - Mark 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, they that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Many religious people today have a serious lack of compassion. Some of the people that Jesus sat and ate with would be shunned in most modern day churches.

Casting Crowns sings a song that says:

"Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away"

"We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing"

"Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see"

"The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me"

"Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded"

"A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided"

"You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast"

"For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came"

"Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast"

"But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet"

Many of us may possess:

A lack of concern

An improper outlook

A judgmental mindset

Prejudice against certain groups

How do you react when we encounter a Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness or some involved in some other cult? Are you angry, rude and hateful towards them? Or do you show them the love of Jesus? What emotions do you experience when you encounter someone who is a Muslim? As a result of the attacks we have faced in our country we are almost programmed to hate these people. If I am honest there have been times when I have been around Muslims and I have been filled with anger just by being in their presence. But no matter how hard we try we cannot justify hatred toward any group of people!

This doesn’t just happen with other religious groups. It happens with people we encounter on a daily basis. What is your reaction when you are in the presence of someone who has obviously been drinking? How do you treat those who are struggling with drug addiction?What about homosexuals? If you know someone who is living in this horrible lifestyle do you ridicule them, judge them & treat them harshly. Or do you tell them that Jesus came to save them from their sins and can deliver them from that lifestyle!

So, How do you respond when you face these scenarios? (Drugs, Alcohol, Cults, Homosexuality, etc...)

1.Are you judgmental?

2.Are you rude?

3.Do you just ignore them and go on your merry way?

4.Or do you see them as lost souls in need of a Savior?

It is high time that we lose our self-righteousness ways and grasp the fact that the people we are judging are lost and on their way to an eternity in Hell. Not one person here today deserves the salvation that we have received. Just like Jesus, we need to see people as lost souls who need a savior! I want to look at this portion of scripture and see just how to do that:

Background - Mark 6:30 ¶And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Jesus was taking the disciples away from the crowds for a while so that they could rest. As they departed the people …..Ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him (v33b) - These were people who had not been commanded to follow Christ.They were not commissioned disciples, In fact Jesus & the Disciples were attempting to get away from them for a time of rest. This was a group of seekers who (for whatever reason) followed after Jesus. Jesus did not tell these people to go away, He didn’t set a future appointment with them, He did not become frustrated because they were hindering their time of rest ....Jesus stopped and took the time to teach them! Why? Because He had compassion on them!