Friend of Sinners

the role of the church and of each of us is to be the friend of sinners. It’s not to “get people saved”—only God can save.

If Jesus found Zacchaeus up in a tree, he can find you wherever you are today. In a broken marriage or a broken home, he will find you. In sickness, he will find you. In a failed business, he will find you. In addiction, he will find you. In success or failure, in fame or anonymity, in strength or weakness, he will stop under your fig tree and call you by name. That is who he is. That is what he does

Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.”

We often try to correct people before we connect with people. Not Jesus.

Relationship comes first; change comes later.

But for Jesus, the title Friend of Sinners was a sign of success, not a source of shame.

What people call you says a lot about how they perceive you. And sometimes their perception can be very revealing.

Some of us need to spend less time muttering that someone else was shown grace and more time appreciating the fact we were shown grace.

In success or failure, in fame or anonymity, in strength or weakness, he will stop under your fig tree and call you by name. That is who he is. That is what he does.

if Jesus wants you, he’s going to get you