Thoughts From the Bible

Read Luke 15:1- 7 The Pharisees and the scribes stayed after Jesus because of the threat they felt from Him. They challenged Him in His welcoming sinners. In verse 4 Jesus says, " What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?"  He finishes by telling the people this in verse 7, "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. "   Jesus is trying to teach the Pharisees and scribes how important everyone is. Jesus did not accept the sinners' sins, but He knew He could not separate f rom them because of their sin. He would challenge their sin while continuing to show love to those who were the ones who needed it. This was Jesus accepting the sinner but not accepting the sin.   Proverbs 15: 17- Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a ...

  Read Mark 2: 13- 17-  The scribes and Pharisees were looking for any reason whatsoever to cast  aspersions  toward Jesus and what He was doing among the people .   Jesus went to where the needs were and, in this passage, Jesus is meeting with people who do not necessarily believe in God .   Jesus kne w what they were thinking. Verses 16 and 17 say,  “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does He eat with  t ax  collectors  and sinners?” And when Jesus hea rt it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”’   We have a strong tendency to associate with only those who believe as we do and live similarly to how we live. We do not venture outside of our comfort zones very often. Jesus would have us  not shy away from those who do not belie...

Read Matthew 5: 43- 48- We live in an ever-increasing polarized society. There are very few in the middle. Because of the dynamics of people largely living on opposite ends of the spectrum, it has given rise to varying degrees of hatred amo ng people. It seems we have too many people living by the old saying, “If you are not for me, you are against me.” Jesus changed the narrative on how we are to approac h other people, especially those against us. Verses 44 and 45 say, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you maybe sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sen ds rain on the just and on the unjust.” Jesus has given us the responsibility to be the peacemakers.  He expects to be the ones who take the extra effort to make sure relationships are positive in order for our testimony of the love of God stands true. Does that mean we accept everything someone does who we do not feel...