"Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth."

Luke 18:9-14
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

'I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'"

Matthew 9:10 -12

"Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.…"

At the time, the church was selective of who they received and embraced. They gathered together and affirmed each other as they shared the same traditions and conformed to the same beliefs. They did good works and gave alms and tithes, but really didn't embrace people who not part of their group. Sinners, Samaritans, and Tax Collectors were all on the outside.

 

 

Yet, throughout His time on earth, Jesus continually confronted this. He was known as “friend of sinners.” He told Parables like that of the Samaritan man who helped someone who the priests and the religious leaders passed by.

Jesus revealed Himself as God to the woman at the well who was outside their Jewish religion. He sat down, waited for her, and asked her to be His servant.      He recruited tax collectors who were looked down upon by society to be His servants. He went outside the walls of the church and the traditional process to make fisherman His disciples.

Jesus didn't invite sinners to church to be conformed more to the religious order. In fact, He confronted those who were following the traditions as the blind leading the blind into a ditch. Jesus put Himself on the outside to embrace those left out.

Who are those who are not embraced and received by the church today? Who is living on the outskirts? What would it look like to see them as the friend of Jesus? Would it change the way we interrelate to them? Would it change even perhaps the way we serve (not them) but serve God along side of them?

Perhaps maybe instead of inviting someone on the outskirts to come learn about our religion, it may look more like learning about the ways they find God. Maybe it would involve being the church next to others who we wouldn't expect would be at the table – pursing God together.

Lord, I am overwhelmed by your grace, inclusion and love for all of us. We all fall short standing on our own, yet You clothe us in Your righteousness.  Let us find you among Your friends. Help us to see those who are on the outskirts in a different light than not being good enough as they are. Give us heart's that embrace others right where they are at and pursue Christ along side them.