Many people refer to Jesus as a man of sorrows, but for the most part His sorrow and grief were caused by the religious leaders who should have recognized who He was and known Him better than anyone else. Instead, they despised and rejected Him, criticizing everything He ever said or did. They constantly fought Him on every truth He spoke. However, the ordinary people loved it when Jesus hung out with them because He gave them a true sense of being accepted and not rejected. He enjoyed attending their social gatherings, their parties and weddings. They knew He loved them, and they loved being with Him. There had never been a rabbi who loved to go to parties and banquets and weddings. Maybe you just moaned and said, \u201cNO! Jesus was serious and solemn! He was too holy to be fun!\u201d I disagree! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider Luke 7:34 in the Mirror Bible, \u201cThe Son of Man [Jesus] \u2026eats and drinks and you say he is a glutton and a drunkard! I mean, look at his friends, they are the scum of society\u2014prostitutes and publicans [tax collectors].\u201d That same verse in The Message simply reads this way, \u201cThe Son of Man came feasting and you called Him a boozer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why would Jesus hang out with sinners? In Luke 5:33-34, He was asked that question one day, \u201cJohn the prophet is known for leading his disciples to fast often and pray. As the religious leaders of the land, we do the same. Why do you and your disciples spend most of your time feasting at banquets?\u201d Another time they asked His disciples in Matthew 9:11, \u201cWhy would your Master dine with such lowlifes?\u201d Jesus responded in verses 12-13, \u201cHealthy people don\u2019t need a doctor\u2014sick people do\u2026I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus was full of\u00a0joy and fun but that doesn\u2019t mean\u00a0He compromised His\u00a0heavenly message. He was true to the reason He came, to His principles, and to\u00a0His sincere love for the people.\u00a0A good pastor friend said this years ago and I was changed by it: \u201cIf you knew all of my sins, you wouldn\u2019t want me to be your pastor.\u201d\u00a0The whole congregation gasped! Then he said,\u00a0\u201cAnd if I knew all of your sins,\u00a0I probably wouldn\u2019t want you in my church,\u00a0would I?!\u201d Everyone laughed! I could put it this way, \u201cIf you knew everything about me,\u00a0you might refuse to read this article!\u201d But as the Apostle Paul said in\u00a01 Timothy 1:15, \u201c…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners\u2014of whom I am the worst.\u201d\u00a0I can totally relate to Paul! So I don\u2019t want to judge people, because I know what Jesus saved me from, yet\u00a0He still loved me and forgave me, and even today, He still forgives me!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me end with Romans 5:8-9 in the Mirror Bible, \u201cHerein is the extremity of God\u2019s love gift: mankind was rotten to the core when Christ died their death. If God could love us that much when we were ungodly and guilty, how much more are we free to realize his love now that we are declared innocent by his blood?\u201d This quote by Francois du Toit sums it up, \u201cGod does not love us more now that we are reconciled to him; [but] we are now free to realize how much He loved us all along.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe you used to follow Jesus but fell back into sin and now feel that Jesus would never forgive you or accept you again\u2014that\u2019s not true! Just tell Him you\u2019re sorry and turn back to Him! Or maybe you feel that you are too bad to be forgiven, too unworthy, too unacceptable, that Jesus would not even look your way\u2014you are exactly His favorite kind of person. He would be sitting right next to you having a wonderful time, laughing and joking and loving you right into eternity. So, what are you waiting for? Here\u2019s a simple prayer, \u201cJesus, I\u2019m a mess and I have made a mess with my life, and I don\u2019t see how You can ever love me. But I\u2019m asking You to forgive me and I ask You to write my name in Your Book of Life!\u201d If you prayed that prayer, I am proud of you!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-Emil Liko 10\/23\/26<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many people refer to Jesus as a man of sorrows, but for the most part His sorrow and grief were caused by the religious leaders who should have recognized who He was and known Him better than anyone else. Instead, they despised and rejected Him, criticizing everything He ever said or did. They constantly fought Him … Continue reading Jesus Loved to Party with Sinners<\/span>