Jesus Is With Sinners
Today is a day set aside to seek what God wants to do in our hearts as we prepare to worship together at church. Let’s start today’s time with God by asking for His leading and presence.
Father, speak to us today through your Holy Spirit. Where we are too busy to hear You, may you slow us down. Where there is confusion and chaos, may You bring peace and clarity. Where there is pride and resistance to what You want to do in our lives, soften our hearts so that we can see what You want to do today and this week. Spirit, lead us, guide us, and speak to us now. Amen.
As we walk into the Christmas season, we will be looking at all the ways Jesus came to be with humanity. This week, we will focus on the fact that Jesus came to be with sinners. This was a stunning revelation that our world struggles to understand. For the religious leaders of Israel, God was near the worthy, the righteous, and those who lived up to the standard the Pharisees had created, and God had to reject those who didn’t live up to their standard. While our culture uses a different language and a different set of rules to measure “righteousness”, the same principle applies. Those who are accepted by the culture are those who uphold the cultural standards, and everyone who falls outside of them is “canceled” or, in other words, a “sinner”. A transgressor of the current moral code. But what Jesus demonstrates in coming to be with sinners is that, in reality, no one lives up to the standard of righteousness as God has set it, the secular and religious alike. But God in His love and mercy draws near to us sinners, not to condemn us, but to show us a way back to life in His presence.
As you spend time this morning thinking about this idea, take 4-5 minutes to answer these questions.
Does God’s choice to rescue sinners make logical sense to you? Why or why not?
Does thinking of yourself as a “sinner” bother you?
Does thinking about a particular sin that you are struggling with bother you?
Now, spend some time taking these questions and concerns to God. You can just start talking to Him, or you can use the following prompts to help you get started.
God, when I think about myself as a sinner, it brings me great fear because…
God, I am not sure I understand why I feel wrongdoing… Why is it important to you?…
God, show me where I am sinning…
Now, take this posture of desiring to hear from God with you into your time of worship and teaching at church today and anticipate all that God wants to show you!
Father, speak to us today through your Holy Spirit. Where we are too busy to hear You, may you slow us down. Where there is confusion and chaos, may You bring peace and clarity. Where there is pride and resistance to what You want to do in our lives, soften our hearts so that we can see what You want to do today and this week. Spirit, lead us, guide us, and speak to us now. Amen.
As we walk into the Christmas season, we will be looking at all the ways Jesus came to be with humanity. This week, we will focus on the fact that Jesus came to be with sinners. This was a stunning revelation that our world struggles to understand. For the religious leaders of Israel, God was near the worthy, the righteous, and those who lived up to the standard the Pharisees had created, and God had to reject those who didn’t live up to their standard. While our culture uses a different language and a different set of rules to measure “righteousness”, the same principle applies. Those who are accepted by the culture are those who uphold the cultural standards, and everyone who falls outside of them is “canceled” or, in other words, a “sinner”. A transgressor of the current moral code. But what Jesus demonstrates in coming to be with sinners is that, in reality, no one lives up to the standard of righteousness as God has set it, the secular and religious alike. But God in His love and mercy draws near to us sinners, not to condemn us, but to show us a way back to life in His presence.
As you spend time this morning thinking about this idea, take 4-5 minutes to answer these questions.
Does God’s choice to rescue sinners make logical sense to you? Why or why not?
Does thinking of yourself as a “sinner” bother you?
Does thinking about a particular sin that you are struggling with bother you?
Now, spend some time taking these questions and concerns to God. You can just start talking to Him, or you can use the following prompts to help you get started.
God, when I think about myself as a sinner, it brings me great fear because…
God, I am not sure I understand why I feel wrongdoing… Why is it important to you?…
God, show me where I am sinning…
Now, take this posture of desiring to hear from God with you into your time of worship and teaching at church today and anticipate all that God wants to show you!
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