“Churches who over-accommodate the culture by normalizing sinful behaviors are being influenced by evil rather than having a loving influence.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 16, 2023
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Luke 7:34
Jesus quotes what the self-righteous were saying about how He…befriended sinners. Our Lord and Savior embraced His role and responsibility to love sinners by befriending them. Just before this verse, Jesus calls out the critics for accusing John the Baptist of having a demon because he dressed eccentrically (in camel hair) and ate exotic food (grasshoppers) while prophetically calling his listeners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. With similar motives, these self-appointed critics are stunned that Jesus befriends sinners, so they seek to slander Him as a drunkard and glutton. So, to be clear, Jesus was a friend of sinners, but not in the manner the self-righteous sought to soil His reputation. Jesus befriended those away from God by loving them where they lived.
Jesus did not befriend sinners to encourage them in their sins, to be influenced by their sins, or to seek their admiration to lead a religious or political power play. The One without sin did not sin by encouraging a sinner to continue their destructive lifestyle. When our gentle Savior greeted the woman caught in adultery, His words lifted her up with dignity, forgiveness, and the directive to go and sin no more. Embracing another hurting human being is not to embrace and encourage their foolish choices. True friends help others create boundaries of healthy behavior.
Jesus was also the influencer, not the one being influenced. The Son of God was first influenced by His heavenly Father to influence friends to believe He was their Savior and to follow Him in righteous living motivated by love. True love for sinners does not accommodate the culture by normalizing sinful behaviors influenced by evil, rather than fostering a loving influence.
Jesus was not befriending sinners so He could gain their followship to take over religious and political institutions. Our Lord and Savior laid down His life for sinners to give them the gift of grace, love, forgiveness, abundant and eternal life. His kingdom was not of this world; rather, His Lordship was a transformation of hearts, minds, bodies, and souls to seek first the Kingdom of God! Followers of Jesus exchange self-grandeur for God’s glory…by being His servants.
Beautifully, Jesus befriended sinners in a manner that we who love Him can follow. He led with love…compassionate love, and tough love. Our Savior’s affections built bridges to the human heart so that souls could be saved, pain could be healed, and relationships could be restored. Faith, hope, and love became the new religious language that was bound up in self-righteous legalism. Faith in Jesus was a gift of grace to those desperate for affirmation, hope, and grace. Churches should be applauded for creating environments to have a conversation on how to love those who are being drawn into destructive behaviors. Love builds relational bridges with care.
Not only did Jesus offer affection to human hearts, but He also befriended others by helping with their practical needs. Our suffering Savior offered comfort and healing to broken bodies by making whole the sick and suffering, restoring life to dying servants, and healing the elderly with chronic ailments. And most famously, with the glory of His Father as the backdrop, brought His friend Lazarus back from the dead to life again. Jesus gave food to the hungry and hope for the oppressed. Our master teacher also offered practical instruction on how to live life. He called Matthew the tax collector to leave his focus on money to be instructed in serving others by following a worthy master, Jesus, who is the provider of all good things. Very practically, our all-knowing God instructs us in marriage, money, parenting, relationships, work, and play. Start by reading, understanding, and internalizing the most famous sermon ever given. Living with the Lord Jesus and for Jesus is the best way to live. Jesus befriends you to befriend sinners.
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the courage and wisdom to be a friend who encourages love for God and a heart sensitive to sin’s death through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Application
Who do I need to befriend and, by God’s grace, seek to influence for the Lord?
Related Reading
Mark 1:29-31, 2:1-12; Luke 7:1-10; Ephesians 2:1-5
Worship Resource
Casting Crowns: Jesus, Friend of Sinners
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