Jesus: Friend of Sinners

Text: Luke 7:31-48

Luke 7:31–48 (LSB) “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 “They are like children, sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, who say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ 33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 “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!’ 35 “Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Friend of Sinners Illustrated: (Was used in Chapter 7: Crash the Party Mark Batterson’s Book All In)

36 Now one of the Pharisees was asking Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner. And when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 And standing behind Him at His feet, crying, she began to wet His feet with her tears. And she kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

39 Now when the Pharisee, who had invited Him, saw this, he said to himself, saying, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 “When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he graciously forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

Mark Hall of Casting Crowns preached this text in his song with Casting Crowns:

Jesus Friend of sinners

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

Chorus

(Oh) Jesus Friend of sinners Open our eyes to the world At the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus Friend of sinners Break our hearts for what breaks Yours

Bridge

You love ev'ry 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

Testimonies

No test = No testimony

A test is simply an opportunity to get a testimony.

(Mark Batterson, All In)

Perhaps you have a testimony about being a lost cause, an outcast, a leper.

But … then Jesus, Friend of Sinners, rescued you.

Other testimonies?