Not only did our Lord get accused of being a blasphemous heretic, He was also accused of being a common sinner, a drunk, friend of prostitutes, glutton, rebel, reprobrate, and a criminal. The religious establishment considered Him to be a low life party animal. In my neck of the woods, Jesus would have been referred to as "white-trash". Not because He actually was any of these things, or because He did anything immoral, but as we will see, because of those He associated with, and how He ministered to them.
He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
-Mark 2:13-17
The "tax collectors" that the author of Mark is referring to are not like the IRS we think of today. They were hired Jews who collected taxes and debt for the Roman Empire. They were more like money launderers, mob bosses etc. They had a reputation for being unfair, abusive, and corrupt. More importantly, the Jewish people regarded them as traitors to their own race. Yet, there was Jesus, eating dinner with them, not to mention othere "riff raff".
Jesus pointed out, that these were the people that He came for. How could He not be around them? Why do Christians forget that the very people we often disassociate ourselves from, are the ones we have neen called to reach? The sinner nor his sin is not our enemy. Who are the "tax collectors and sinners" of our day? Are they drug dealers? Are they strippers or those in the sex industry? Maybe their the gangsters, drunks, addicts, etc. Like Christ, we should seek out the scum of the earth who are the farthest from God, and "eat with them".
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
-John 8:1-11
And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
-Mark 2:1-12
What a lot of people don't realize is how Jesus actually broke and even usurped the law in these passages. These two passages show us how Jesus responded to these sinners that He was accused of being a friend of. He reached out to them, pardoned their guilt, and gave them hope. Our response should be the same. Reach, pardon, and give.
WWJD... Are we really prepared to live up to that? For His theology Jesus was called a heretic. For His ministry He was called a sinner and a criminal, a drunkard and a glutton. Are you sure you want to have a reputation like Jesus had? It will require you to Reach into the filth of peoples lives, Pardon them for their waywardness, and Give them the hope that is found in Christ. That's what Jesus did, and it cost Him. Are you ready for it to cost you?
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