22 September | EVERYONE
"Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them.’” Luke 15: 1,2
What a misunderstood mission Jesus had! He lived among sinners because he had come into this world to seek and save those who were lost. He was criticized for it. But when you are aware of your mission, the headwinds, instead of discouraging you, are an additional motivation that drives you to achieve what you set out to do. Criticism and threats do not intimidate you.
Jesus knew where He came from, why He was in this world, and where He was going. That is why in Luke 15 we have three parables—the sheep, the coin, and the son. Each illustrates a type of sinner. The sheep instinctively knows it is lost. It runs back and forth emitting bleats of despair and fear, but it does not know the way back to the warmth of its shepherd. It symbolizes all sinners who wander lost in life, aware of their situation but not knowing how to find their way out. The mission of the church is to show them the way.
The lost coin is an object and therefore does not reason. It is on the floor, dusty, trodden on by the residents of the house, rusty and forgotten, but it is oblivious to it all. It symbolizes sinners who are unaware of their sinful situation. If you talk to them about salvation, they mockingly ask, "Salvation from what?"
Finally, the prodigal son is aware of his state. He sees himself alone, poor, sad, and hungry. He knows the way back to the father, but he needs to decide. This young man symbolizes sinners who know that they are lost, who have known the Word of God, which is the way back to the Father, but for some reason they cannot decide. The mission of the church is to help them say yes and open their hearts to Jesus. At the end of the day, that is Christ's mission. Therefore, He ultimately died crucified between two sinners to give them one last chance to repent. “‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ John 6:37. As you come to Him, believe that He accepts you, because He has promised" (Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 65).
Take Action
Do not belittle the "sinners" either (you and I are two of them). Having a heart won by Jesus, do not be afraid to live among them so that one day they can see the precious Light that you have already seen. Sing "The Lost Sheep" (if possible, with your family).