Why Jesus Wanted to Spend Time with Sinners

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Jesus came to offer Himself as a sacrifice to show people how much God loves them. Jesus wants to spend time with sinners to help them be more like Him. #Jesus #Blessings #BibleStudy #Sinners #CountingmyBlessings #WWGGG

There’s a story about a pastor who came to town and decided to give his new congregation a living parable.

As the story goes…

He dressed up as a homeless man and walked around the church for 30 minutes while people were arriving for the service. Hardly anyone looked at him and fewer spoke to him . . . until he went to sit in the front of the sanctuary and the ushers approached him and asked him to please sit in the back.

Whether the story is true or not, it makes a point doesn’t it?

There are people who feel like they need to “clean up” before they will be welcomed by Jesus because people who call themselves His followers have made them feel like they need to “clean up” before they will be welcomed by them.

That’s the message of Jesus’ call to Matthew in Luke 5.

People hated the tax collector. Pharisees called him “scum.”

Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Luke 5:29–30

But Jesus said…

“I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Luke 5:31

He came to call sinners because we are ALL SINNERS!

We all need to repent. We need Jesus to “clean up” our acts.

And like Matthew (Levi) we have His invitation…

“Follow me and be my disciple.”

Luke 5:27

An invitation to repent and receive forgiveness, to spend time with Him and experience His love.

Jesus came to offer Himself as a sacrifice to show people how much God loves them. Jesus wants to spend time with sinners to help them be more like Him. #Jesus #Blessings #BibleStudy #Sinners #CountingmyBlessings #WWGGG

A Prayer to Thank Jesus for
Wanting to Spend Time with Sinners

Jesus, thank you for showing us the Father’s love for sinners. A love so great that He sent You to spend time with us, suffer and die for us. You won the victory over sin, death, and the power of satan through Your death and resurrection, so I can be clean.

It makes my heart sad when I think of all You experienced because of my sin. I am so very sorry. Please forgive me. Please give me all I need to “clean up” my life and live in ways that bring You glory. Not for me, but for You, Lord Jesus.

I don’t want people to see that I am good or “righteous.” I want them to see You in me. I want them to want to know You because they know me.

Jesus, thank you for wanting to spend time with me on my good days and on my less than good days. Your grace and mercy give me everything I need. I pray that You will guide me and help me spend my time in ways that show You how very much I love You. Help me love the way You love. Amen.

Jesus came to offer Himself as a sacrifice to show people how much God loves them. Jesus wants to spend time with sinners to help them be more like Him. #Jesus #Blessings #BibleStudy #Sinners #CountingmyBlessings #WWGGG

For those of us who have followed Jesus and been part of a church family for a long time . . . it can be easy to expect everyone to think and act a certain way. It can be easy to judge the people who are still being “cleaned up” by Jesus.

But that’s really all of us.

In church or out, we are all sinners who need to spend time with Jesus.

You and I are sinners called to follow Jesus . . . to love others and let them know that He wants them to follow Him, too.

On today’s note write:

I am a sinner with whom Jesus wants to spend time.

May the Lord bless you today as you spend time with Jesus and celebrate the truth of His love.

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10 Comments

  1. So thankful that Jesus wants to spend His time with sinners like me, Deb. Such a great reminder that we all are in need of a clean up from His holy hands.
    Blessings!

    1. Me too, Martha! So thankful He is willing to work on this clean-up project! Have a great day!

  2. What a lovely reminder—I am amazed that He is always with us, and came to call sinners such as myself!

    1. I walk in awe and amazement with you, Emily! God bless you!

  3. Thank you so much, Deb for your daily devotionals. They bless me everyday and I am very thankful for you! Thank you Jesus for wanting to spend time with me, a sinner. If you are taking prayer requests, Deb, still my biggest prayer request, is that my husband would see Jesus wholly and fully and live to serve Him while also leading our family to live a life of service for Him. Thank you!

    1. Thank you so much for your encouragement, Krista! I love being able to do this! I am pausing to pray for your husband right now! God bless you!

  4. Wonderful post, Deb!
    It makes me smile to know He did all this for me and each of us! And when we let Him shine thru our words, actions and lives….the world can see HIM! Oh how I want the world to see and know Him.
    Thank you and may He bless you!

    1. I agree, Monday! I pray for that every day! “That the world may know”!!! God bless you!

  5. Angela Cahill says:

    Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus came to call the sinner, just like me. I’m humbled that He wants to spend time with me, just as I am. It’s by Him shedding His precious blood that we are saved.
    Blessings to you Deb for sharing this good news!

    Angela – Ireland

    1. It is a great blessing to be able to spend time with Jesus . . . knowing that He loves and cares for us so much that He wants us to enjoy His way of truth and peace. God bless you!