VISITATION #5: JESUS IS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS
INTRO TO TOPIC:
“What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4).
• The whole story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is about God seeking to have an intimate, personal friendship with sinful human beings.
• “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” (Ex. 33:11).
• “Abraham believed God…And was called the friend of God.” (James 2:23).
• Luke reveals Jesus as “a friend of…sinners.” (Luke 7:34).
• Friend – philos = friend, to be friendly to one, wish him well.
THE BIG IDEA: Jesus is the friend of sinners. As our compassionate friend, he removes our fears, forgives our sins, and makes us whole.
STORIES OF JESUS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS:
1. JESUS REMOVES OUR FEARS:
“1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.” (Luke 5:1-11).
• When Peter saw Jesus perform the miracle, He recognized Him as Lord.
• Peter saw his own sinfulness, and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man!”
• How did Jesus respond? “Do not be afraid.” Even though He knew all about Pete’s sins!
• “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15).
• “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18).
• When you believe in Jesus, you become one of God’s children. No more fear!
• When we become friends of Jesus, our lives have new purpose. Jesus told Peter, “From now on you will catch men.” In other words, you will help other people to come to know Jesus as Lord, Saviour, and Friend.
• Look at all of the disciples Jesus chose: Peter, James, John, Thomas, Philip and Judas…
2. JESUS FORGIVES OUR SINS:
A. JESUS CLEANSES THE LEPER – A PICTURE OF SIN:
“12 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded." 15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.” (Luke 5:12-15).
• Leprosy in the Bible is a picture of sin. Sin is like a disease that affects our whole being.
• “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God -- all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.” (Romans 5:11).
• Because Jesus died on the Cross and paid the price for our sins, we can be washed clean.
• “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
B. JESUS FORGIVES THE PARALYTIC MAN’S SINS.
“17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. 19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. 20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ’Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ’Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." 25 Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!” (Luke 5:17-26).
• Jesus told this man that his sins were forgiven – and they were!
• Religious people don’t want to praise God for transformation, they want to ‘reason’.
• Only Jesus can forgive our sins! We can’t use good works to balance out our bad ones.
• The greater miracle the man received was not his healing, but his salvation.
• The people were amazed and glorified God because of the man’s transformed life.
3. JESUS MAKES US WHOLE:
“27 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." 28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. 29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" 31 Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:27-32).
• Notice when Levi (Matthew) met Jesus, the friend of sinners, the first thing he wanted to do was introduce all of his other friends to Jesus. What a great example for us to follow!
• Jesus is a doctor who comes to make us whole – spirit, soul and body.
• “The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners.” (Morton Kelsey).
ILLUSTRATION:
My friend Amanda is at Taboo Porn Show in Vancouver this weekend handing out Bibles that say, “Jesus loves porn stars.” Radical? Absolutely. Jesus got in trouble too because He went where the sinners were. His nick-name “friend of sinners” was given to him by his enemies.
• We need to be just like Jesus was in this world – a friend of sinners.
• But not just when people come to church – we need to be the church in the world!
HOW DO WE BECOME FRIENDS WITH JESUS?
• Jesus said, “I have come to call sinners to repentance.”
• When we turn from our sins, we begin a friendship with Jesus.
• ALTAR CALL FOR SALVATION
ALTAR CALL FOR REDEDICATION:
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24).
• Even though Jesus will never leave us, sometimes we wander away from God.
• Have you left your first love? Return to Jesus today and renew that friendship!
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
