JANUARY 2ND
Luke 15:1-2
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Resolution #2: I will build real friendships with non-churched people!
These verses represent one of the huge marks of Jesus’ way of life. He was constantly spending relational time with those who didn’t follow God and didn’t attend the organised religious activities. That way of life really bothered the other religious people.
In their minds, he should wait until they got their lives right and then spend time with them. But that’s not how Jesus thought. He knew that what motivates someone to move towards God is almost always a meaningful relationship with a believer.
If we wait for them to come to church, almost nobody will be saved. But if we go to them—if we will reach out in real friendship to the people who don’t know God and get into their lives—then they will see our message in a different light.
If we really want to be followers of Jesus, we can’t ignore this huge feature of his life. He wants to reach the people we know with his love and grace…and he wants to do that through you and me!
MAKE IT PERSONAL
What are three things that might get in the way of you building real friendships with non-churched people? Will you be committed to this resolution despite these things?