Jesus Style

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:5-8

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us and by this He demonstrates His love for us. Stop and really let that sink in. Let it sink in all the way to your heart. Because of His love we have hope and a future - if we have chosen to believe that Jesus is who He says He is and have let Him heal our souls by His wounds. I am not perfect, I make mistakes, and I have hurt people sometimes intentionally and sometime not. I have behaved selfishly at times, even still when I am at my worse. I need the love and grace Jesus offers, I need the hope those things give. What about you?

What about the people around you? Jesus taught those around him that they needed to love God and love others. Jesus told the religious leaders of his day that the “tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom before them because the sinners had heeded John’s words to repent and be baptized and they - the leaders that is - did not” (See Matthew 21:31b-32). Jesus, liked to hang out with the tax collectors and other sinners he encountered, because they knew they needed what He was offering - love, mercy and grace - friendship and family, a future so bright they would have to where shades - sorry I couldn’t help it. But, the law keepers, the teachers, the high muckity-mucks were so blind that they didn’t see they needed what Jesus was offering too.

I am sure it was much easier for the sinners to come Jesus way back then, when they could see Him, feel Him, be really embraced by Him. Today though, I am sorry to say there are some who call themselves Christians who seem to have forgotten we are called to be Jesus to the world around us. We are to love the tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners of today, we are suppose to love them right into the embrace of the Risen Savior - so that His Spirit can pour His love into their hearts. So that they can be changed from the inside out because of Jesus’ love and grace.

Scriptures suggest that some of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day figured it out - Paul the writer of Romans is a great example of that and while Scriptures don’t say so specifically I get the feelings that those leaders who didn’t get that love and grace were more important than rule keeping may not be in heaven. 

Where are you in this? Do you speak truth without love and grace? Are you pushing people away from Jesus with your words and actions? Maybe you are at the other extreme all love and grace with no truth? Are you pushing people away from Jesus with your words and actions because they don’t think they need Him?

This week I want to challenge you to remember that we are all sinners, Jesus died for all of us while we were still sinners - we didn’t have to clean up our messy lives before letting him in. Then, after you have remembered the work He has done in your life - let your words and actions draw the sinners in your life to the same Jesus who saved you. To the same Jesus who fills your life with hope and the promise of a bright eternal future. That is love and grace - Jesus style. 

A Prayer
Father – Thank you that we didn’t have to clean up our lives before letting You in. Thanks that Your Son’s death and resurrection make all who believe in Him new people who can leave the mess of the past behind with the help of His Spirit. Help us to remember every day that we are supposed to be drawing people to You, not pushing them away with our judgment and self righteousness. May our lives so shine with Your love and grace - that the “tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners” all around us will be drawn to the cross, like a moth to a flame. In the name of Jesus our example and Savior we pray, Amen.