Who Came To Jesus

Who Came To Jesus?
In the book of Luke chapter 15 verses 1-7 there is a description of who came to Jesus. Notice that all publicans and sinners came to Jesus. Picture this if you will in the town square a crowd had gathered. This crowd was made up of the dregs of society, the poor the sick the lame those who society had cast aside. All the ones no one wanted to see be seen with or wanted to have anything to do with. Look who was watching what was happening in the square. The religious crowd those self righteous Pharisees and scribes. As they stood on their lofty perch of indignation they said to one another, “Would you look at that! This man is eating with all those sick people. I wouldn’t be caught dead with the likes of those sinners. Who does he think he is?”
Why did this crowd gather around Jesus? Well first Jesus came to heal the sick not the healthy. These folks came to hear Jesus for when he spoke people listened. In all our approaches to Christ we must always hear him then listen to what he is saying.
Why were the scribes and Pharisees angry? In their mind no one should lower themselves to associate with the low life that just crawled out of the gutter. All those drunks and prostitutes drug addicts the lowest of the low; after all none of these had passed the social test for acceptance into the religious world of the Pharisee. One thing about this scene no one could find fault with what Jesus was saying or doing. This was supposed to be the Messiah the one to save us all from the Romans. But would you look he wants all this trash to come into our worship service. Since they could not condemn him for what he preached they condemned him for eating. He did not fit into what they thought a religious person should be doing. With their noses turned up so high it was a good thing it wasn’t raining.
Look what Jesus told them. How many of you if you had a lost sheep would not go looking for it. You would go into the wilderness search at all cost to find this lost one. When you find it would you not be happy and want to show your friends what was lost is not found. Sure you would! God feels the same way. In fact all heaven will rejoice when a lost one repents and gets saved more than they do over ninety nine righteous people who need no repentance.
So today I would like to pose a question. In which crowd are you standing in? Are like the Pharisee or Publican? No matter where you are Jesus loves you just the same.