Who? You! Aren't you? It is true that Jesus earned the nickname "Friend of sinners," but how about you? I am yet to come across a believer with this nickname! Isn't it strange that we strive to imitate Jesus in everything but this? Have we got more sinners for friends than believers? What do we think we are doing, going round and round the church, visiting sick members of the prayer group and singing midnight carols, waking up sloppy Christians and busy believers? Do we really have time for all this when the heathendom is rolling down to hell, gaining momentum every minute? Let us wake up to become like Jesus, a Friend of sinners!
Jesus was more with sinners than with good ones. Thus He broke down the middle wall of partition. Yes, the middle wall of partition between sinners and goodies!
When Paul spoke of the middle wall of partition it was between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews would never love the Gentiles. They hated their practices and customs, and so built a wall, a partition between them. It broke God's heart because He found
no way to get the gospel across to the Gentiles. Finally He broke down the wall. Peter was the first to tip-toe across the debris to peep into the Gentile world. What did he see? Nothing! No difference! "also" "as well as we" "as on us" "gift" "as to us" (Acts 10:45,47; 11:15,17).
When the Jews were walking high-headed, God showed them that the Gentiles were as precious to Him as they.
Where does this bring us to? Look ahead and see how we have rebuilt the middle wall of partition! If we want to rent a house we go in search of a "Christian locality." We don't want a attend to Hindu wedding and "contaminate" us. We don't want our children to play with their kids lest they learn bad words. When a Hindu offers sweets we say, "No thank you. I don't eat anything offered to idols." We stretch our legs and pretend to be asleep in an overcrowded compartment. No wonder God is sitting with his head on His hands wondering how to get the Gospel across.
Jesus Christ came into the world to save SINNERS. Let us say it again. Jesus Christ came into the world to save SINNERS. That was why He came. That was His business trip. How funny it would have been if He spent most of His time with the righteous! He would have defeated His own purposes. That's what we have now done. We have defeated our own purposes! Our business is flat broke because all the business people are busy getting together and have forgotten the customer. Let us break up and go about our business— to the sinners!
If you are sent to take some data on students where would you spend most of your time? In schools and colleges, of course! What will you think of a doctor who does not want to be with the sick? He will be the most unsuccessful practitioner. "But the scribes and the pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying: Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? And Jesus answered and said to them, Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." In other words He said, "I came for the sinners and
I will be with sinners and I don't care what you say." Then how are we so foolish not to be with sinners? Is not sinners our main target that we should live with them and be with them? If Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, are we not in the world to save sinners too? Then why are we so far away from them? What do we hope to accomplish by once a week outreach?
I am not speaking about 'Preaching the Gospel' but 'Becoming a Friend.' Can you smile at a man who is puffing smoke on your face in the bus or do you grimace at him? Can you put your arm around the shoulders of one who is chewing pan and spitting, spraying on you? Can you have a happy chat with the next door adulterer and drunk? How much we condemn them by scurrying away to a distance, by being too quick to expose their foolishness or blindness of their superstitions. "A man who has friends must
himself be friendly."
May God teach us the techniques of 'making friends.' We have a long way to go to make friends of sinners. When I learnt this lesson I just thrashed off some of my set ideas and started practising friendliness. My daughter's school ayah (woman helper) looked up with a broad smile the moment I put my hands on her shoulder. A passing word of appreciation for the kolum on the cowdung floor gave me a family of new friends. I learnt to sit with lepers, laugh with beggars, hold hands with harlots and play carom with convicts. I have not preached the gospel to some of these but I know I am half way through.
I sent a piece of our big pumpkin to our Hindu neighbours, gave Christmas cards to children playing around our house, asked for drumstick leaves from our neighbour and was surprised to see the results. We formed a carol party exclusively for Hindu homes. Now when I come out of the house I am conscious of smiling faces and greeting voices. When I visit the harlots' quarters they sit around me and give me soft drinks and I ask them, "How is business?" And they say "Don't come on Sundays ma, when we get many clients. Any other afternoon you are most welcome. We will sit and listen to all your stories. Why didn't you bring pictures today?" That is the beginning of my gospel. Many come to our home for food, for clothes, for a pencil, eraser, Christmas card, a
game of badminton or for the gooseberries in our garden. What shall I do with them? I shall show myself friendly. "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" (Lk 16:9). A smile, a touch, a pat, a hand on the shoulder, a kind word, a little help! I know I am closer to their heart now than ever to whisper the love of Christ audible to their heart!
Our greatest fear in becoming a friend of sinners is that they will take avantage of us. Give 10 paise, she will ask for food; give food she will ask for sari; she does take advantage. But is that not our advantage? You have to stop somewhere, no doubt. But you have to be a friend who sticks closer than a brother, if you honestly desire him to join your Jesus family! Jean Valgin took advantage of the Bishop's friendliness. But the Bishop took advantage of the advantage. Who was the wiser? Will any fisherman stop fishing because fish come for the worm only? And just because Jesus became our Friend how much advantage we take of Him, demanding healing, job, this, that and what not. He gives us what He wills, refuses what He will not and yet continues to be friendly! If Jesus treated us the way we treat sinners today we would not have been saved for sure!
You say it is unwise to become a friend a sinners? Jesus' doctrine was different. He counted it wisdom. "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! But wisdom is proved right by her deeds (Mt 11:19). I guess Jesus was enjoying every dish, commenting on their taste, congratulating the housewife, asking for one more helping, laughing with the sinner crowd around Him (otherwise what did they see in Him to call Him a glutton?) The onlookers expected a religious recluse who would be strict in His diet and measured His words. Naturally His naturalness was offensive to them. But He chose it because He was a wise man winning souls and he was attractive to sinners with all His sinlessness.
How did Jesus become our friend when we were antichristian? He ascended on high and brought gifts for us, rebellious, that He may dwell among us! Jesus took pains to prepare some presents so that He might become a friend to the rebellious to live with them! (Psa 68:18). In calling Judas "Friend," Jesus practised His preaching, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Study the book of Proverbs to know how to become a friend. "A friend loves at all times" (17:17). "A man who has friends must himself be friendly" (18:24). "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (18:24). "Every man is a friend to one who gives gifts" (19:6). "He who... has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend" (22:11).
"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice" (27:9).
Jesus said, "Go home to your FRIENDS, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you" (Mk 5:19). That means the wider the circle of our friends the wider our ministry. What else could He have meant by His saying. "Gain friends for yourselves"? (Lk 16:9).
When someone starts telling his story, my mind will be working on the article, the magazine, the proof, the circular, the file, the letters and the 101 other inanimate things. Slowly I am learning to see the value of one soul — more than all this world, and trying to strike a balance. Making friends demands a lot of time. But sometimes we professionals run after time leaving behind the sin-corroded souls. Time is inanimate but soul is life! Is not life more precious than time?
Let us not seclude ourselves in the name of separation. The expression of Pharisees that Jesus was a Friend of sinners shows how different their attitude was. They could not imagine a religious person having a dinner with sinners. He was so friendly with the Samaritan woman that the disciples were somewhat uncomfortable. How distorted our religious ideas are! When is the last time we had a party with sinners and enjoyed it? God forgive us, modern Pharisees and grant the day when Christians will be nicknamed friends of sinners.
There I sit on a cowdung floor trying to convince the 5 semi- interested women that Jesus is God. When I come out and wait for the bus, the cine theatre door bursts open, lettting out a stream of beaming faces which would soon slip, screaming, into the bottomless pit. "Oh, God," my heart weeps, "what about the masses, the MASSES?"
God blast down our Babels and scatter us into the world, the people, the sinners!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, 8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
Who? You! Aren't you? It is true that Jesus earned the nickname "Friend of sinners," but how about you? I am yet to come across a believer with this nickname! Isn't it strange that we strive to imitate Jesus in everything but this? Have we got more sinners for friends than believers? What do we think we are doing, going round and round the church, visiting sick members of the prayer group and singing midnight carols, waking up sloppy Christians and busy believers? Do we really have time for all this when the heathendom is rolling down to hell, gaining momentum every minute? Let us wake up to become like Jesus, a Friend of sinners!
Jesus was more with sinners than with good ones. Thus He broke down the middle wall of partition. Yes, the middle wall of partition between sinners and goodies!
When Paul spoke of the middle wall of partition it was between the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews would never love the Gentiles. They hated their practices and customs, and so built a wall, a partition between them. It broke God's heart because He found
no way to get the gospel across to the Gentiles. Finally He broke down the wall. Peter was the first to tip-toe across the debris to peep into the Gentile world. What did he see? Nothing! No difference! "also" "as well as we" "as on us" "gift" "as to us" (Acts 10:45,47; 11:15,17).
When the Jews were walking high-headed, God showed them that the Gentiles were as precious to Him as they.
Where does this bring us to? Look ahead and see how we have rebuilt the middle wall of partition! If we want to rent a house we go in search of a "Christian locality." We don't want a attend to Hindu wedding and "contaminate" us. We don't want our children to play with their kids lest they learn bad words. When a Hindu offers sweets we say, "No thank you. I don't eat anything offered to idols." We stretch our legs and pretend to be asleep in an overcrowded compartment. No wonder God is sitting with his head on His hands wondering how to get the Gospel across.
Jesus Christ came into the world to save SINNERS. Let us say it again. Jesus Christ came into the world to save SINNERS. That was why He came. That was His business trip. How funny it would have been if He spent most of His time with the righteous! He would have defeated His own purposes. That's what we have now done. We have defeated our own purposes! Our business is flat broke because all the business people are busy getting together and have forgotten the customer. Let us break up and go about our business— to the sinners!
If you are sent to take some data on students where would you spend most of your time? In schools and colleges, of course! What will you think of a doctor who does not want to be with the sick? He will be the most unsuccessful practitioner. "But the scribes and the pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying: Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? And Jesus answered and said to them, Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." In other words He said, "I came for the sinners and
I will be with sinners and I don't care what you say." Then how are we so foolish not to be with sinners? Is not sinners our main target that we should live with them and be with them? If Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, are we not in the world to save sinners too? Then why are we so far away from them? What do we hope to accomplish by once a week outreach?
I am not speaking about 'Preaching the Gospel' but 'Becoming a Friend.' Can you smile at a man who is puffing smoke on your face in the bus or do you grimace at him? Can you put your arm around the shoulders of one who is chewing pan and spitting, spraying on you? Can you have a happy chat with the next door adulterer and drunk? How much we condemn them by scurrying away to a distance, by being too quick to expose their foolishness or blindness of their superstitions. "A man who has friends must
himself be friendly."
May God teach us the techniques of 'making friends.' We have a long way to go to make friends of sinners. When I learnt this lesson I just thrashed off some of my set ideas and started practising friendliness. My daughter's school ayah (woman helper) looked up with a broad smile the moment I put my hands on her shoulder. A passing word of appreciation for the kolum on the cowdung floor gave me a family of new friends. I learnt to sit with lepers, laugh with beggars, hold hands with harlots and play carom with convicts. I have not preached the gospel to some of these but I know I am half way through.
I sent a piece of our big pumpkin to our Hindu neighbours, gave Christmas cards to children playing around our house, asked for drumstick leaves from our neighbour and was surprised to see the results. We formed a carol party exclusively for Hindu homes. Now when I come out of the house I am conscious of smiling faces and greeting voices. When I visit the harlots' quarters they sit around me and give me soft drinks and I ask them, "How is business?" And they say "Don't come on Sundays ma, when we get many clients. Any other afternoon you are most welcome. We will sit and listen to all your stories. Why didn't you bring pictures today?" That is the beginning of my gospel. Many come to our home for food, for clothes, for a pencil, eraser, Christmas card, a
game of badminton or for the gooseberries in our garden. What shall I do with them? I shall show myself friendly. "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings" (Lk 16:9). A smile, a touch, a pat, a hand on the shoulder, a kind word, a little help! I know I am closer to their heart now than ever to whisper the love of Christ audible to their heart!
Our greatest fear in becoming a friend of sinners is that they will take avantage of us. Give 10 paise, she will ask for food; give food she will ask for sari; she does take advantage. But is that not our advantage? You have to stop somewhere, no doubt. But you have to be a friend who sticks closer than a brother, if you honestly desire him to join your Jesus family! Jean Valgin took advantage of the Bishop's friendliness. But the Bishop took advantage of the advantage. Who was the wiser? Will any fisherman stop fishing because fish come for the worm only? And just because Jesus became our Friend how much advantage we take of Him, demanding healing, job, this, that and what not. He gives us what He wills, refuses what He will not and yet continues to be friendly! If Jesus treated us the way we treat sinners today we would not have been saved for sure!
You say it is unwise to become a friend a sinners? Jesus' doctrine was different. He counted it wisdom. "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! But wisdom is proved right by her deeds (Mt 11:19). I guess Jesus was enjoying every dish, commenting on their taste, congratulating the housewife, asking for one more helping, laughing with the sinner crowd around Him (otherwise what did they see in Him to call Him a glutton?) The onlookers expected a religious recluse who would be strict in His diet and measured His words. Naturally His naturalness was offensive to them. But He chose it because He was a wise man winning souls and he was attractive to sinners with all His sinlessness.
How did Jesus become our friend when we were antichristian? He ascended on high and brought gifts for us, rebellious, that He may dwell among us! Jesus took pains to prepare some presents so that He might become a friend to the rebellious to live with them! (Psa 68:18). In calling Judas "Friend," Jesus practised His preaching, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you."
Study the book of Proverbs to know how to become a friend. "A friend loves at all times" (17:17). "A man who has friends must himself be friendly" (18:24). "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (18:24). "Every man is a friend to one who gives gifts" (19:6). "He who... has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend" (22:11).
"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the sweetness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice" (27:9).
Jesus said, "Go home to your FRIENDS, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you" (Mk 5:19). That means the wider the circle of our friends the wider our ministry. What else could He have meant by His saying. "Gain friends for yourselves"? (Lk 16:9).
When someone starts telling his story, my mind will be working on the article, the magazine, the proof, the circular, the file, the letters and the 101 other inanimate things. Slowly I am learning to see the value of one soul — more than all this world, and trying to strike a balance. Making friends demands a lot of time. But sometimes we professionals run after time leaving behind the sin-corroded souls. Time is inanimate but soul is life! Is not life more precious than time?
Let us not seclude ourselves in the name of separation. The expression of Pharisees that Jesus was a Friend of sinners shows how different their attitude was. They could not imagine a religious person having a dinner with sinners. He was so friendly with the Samaritan woman that the disciples were somewhat uncomfortable. How distorted our religious ideas are! When is the last time we had a party with sinners and enjoyed it? God forgive us, modern Pharisees and grant the day when Christians will be nicknamed friends of sinners.
There I sit on a cowdung floor trying to convince the 5 semi- interested women that Jesus is God. When I come out and wait for the bus, the cine theatre door bursts open, lettting out a stream of beaming faces which would soon slip, screaming, into the bottomless pit. "Oh, God," my heart weeps, "what about the masses, the MASSES?"
God blast down our Babels and scatter us into the world, the people, the sinners!
Dr. Lilian Stanley
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91 9843511943
lilianstanley@gmail.com
Blessing Youth Mission
13 Church Colony
Vellore 632006, India
+91-416-2242943, +91-416-2248943
hq@bymonline.org
www.bymonline.org
Click here for more options
To buy books written by Dr. Lilian Stanley, kindly reach to us in the follwing address
Blessing Literature Centre
21/11 West Coovam River Road,
Chintadripet,
Chennai 600 002, India.
+91-44-28450411, Mob:8806270699
blc@bymonline.org
