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The Friend of Sinners
17 Plays30 days ago
A real friend doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear—they love you enough to tell you the truth. They meet you where you are, call you out when you’ve gone astray, and encourage you to become who you were meant to be. That’s the kind of friend we all long for, and that’s the kind of friend Jesus is to us.
In this episode, Brandon and Chris dive into what it means to know Jesus as the Friend of sinners. They talk about how He meets us right in the middle of our mess, how His love refuses to leave us there, and how His grace lifts us into something greater. Whether you’re struggling with guilt, seeking hope, or simply wanting to know Christ more deeply, this conversation will remind you that Jesus is the truest friend your heart could ever find.
Recommended
Transcript
Jesus: 'Friend of Sinners'
00:00:22
brandon g b
He shared meals with criminals. Some of his good friends were the greediest people in society and even prostitutes.
00:00:33
brandon g b
Who might we be talking about tonight? Sounds like somebody that would be under church discipline, somebody we wouldn't be friends with, somebody that we would give counsel to and say, you know, hanging around that crowd is not helping your reputations.
00:00:33
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:00:51
brandon g b
Well, actually, who we're talking about is the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ. um We know in the scripture that one of his nicknames that he didn't shy away from is he was called the Friend of Sinners.
00:01:08
brandon g b
And that nickname carries so much significance for people like you and I, people that are listening to this podcast, everybody who's ever been born, because we're all sinners,
00:01:21
brandon g b
And he's the friend we need.
Introduction and Personal Updates
00:01:23
brandon g b
So we want to welcome you to the Faith 168 podcast as we talk about Jesus and some of his teachings and some of his sayings and some things that were said about him in this instance.
00:01:23
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:01:34
brandon g b
And we're really glad you've joined us today. It's been a little while since we've put an episode out. Life's been crazy as usual. I don't know if it'll ever be uncrazy, but anyway, we've got me Brandon and we have Chris, the two co-hosts. So how you been doing, Chris?
00:01:56
Christian McKenzie
Oh, I've been doing pretty good, Brandon, just living life, serving God and get through all the craziness as well.
00:02:03
brandon g b
Amen. Well, I've been doing okay, I guess, as well. Done a lot of backpacking and actually got sick on my most recent backpacking trip, which that made for a wonderful memory.
00:02:17
brandon g b
And it was at 1,200 feet with no water.
00:02:17
Christian McKenzie
Mm hmm.
Meaning Behind 'Friend of Sinners'
00:02:20
brandon g b
So I'm glad to be off the mountain and behind the computer and recording another episode for our listeners.
00:02:20
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:02:26
brandon g b
So um like we said, Jesus is called friend of sinners. Probably all of our listeners have heard that title, attributed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:02:38
brandon g b
And we're just going to unpack a little bit um what that means. um What that means a little bit. I just said that totally backwards. um But first of all, let's look at that passage of Scripture where Jesus is given that designation, and it's Matthew 11, 19.
00:02:56
brandon g b
um For a while, i actually didn't even know this was in Scripture. I just thought it was like just Christianese, you know, that Jesus called a friend of sinners, like Casting Crowns, I think, has a song where they say Jesus is a friend of sinners.
00:03:04
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:03:09
brandon g b
And was like, you know, that that's really good use of the English language, you know, to describe the Lord Jesus. But it's actually a title given to him by those who opposed him in Matthew 11, 19.
00:03:23
brandon g b
Are you open there? are you open there
00:03:27
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. yeah
00:03:28
brandon g b
You want to read that verse for us?
00:03:31
Christian McKenzie
It says, the son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, look at him, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
00:03:45
brandon g b
Wow. So there was a couple other insults packaged in there as well. They called Jesus a glutton. I guess they didn't know he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Um,
00:03:56
brandon g b
called him a drunkard, and most significantly a friend of tax collectors and
True Friendship and Correction
00:04:01
brandon g b
sinners. Now, this is Jesus quoting these sayings that people are saying about him.
00:04:02
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:04:08
brandon g b
But what is amazing is he doesn't correct it, does he? He doesn't say, you got it all wrong. I'm not a friend of sinners. um He seems to accept this designation.
00:04:21
brandon g b
But what do you, Chris, what do you think that means that He's a friend of sinners. and And what was the thinking behind the people that were giving him that title?
00:04:32
Christian McKenzie
So think when we define friendship in the wrong way, ah we can look at who people hang around and say when they do something bad or they do something wrong, that means you're doing something wrong.
00:04:49
Christian McKenzie
and And there is a point to that. You know, if you hang around someone and they don't start acting more like you, Typically, you're going to start acting more like them.
00:05:01
Christian McKenzie
But I think in Jesus's case, we understand what was happening is that they couldn't sway Jesus, that Jesus's friendship to them, if they accepted it, was going to change them completely to be more like him.
00:05:15
Christian McKenzie
But our idea of the definition of friendship is, is very similar, I think, to what people thought back in the time of Jesus that that we have today, that if you're a friend with someone, you condone everything they do.
00:05:24
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:05:32
Christian McKenzie
And if you disagree with them, then you're not their friend. You hate them. That's kind of the you know, the way that both of these, you know, different ideas go is you agree with them. If you're your their friend, if you disagree with them, they're your enemy and you hate them.
00:05:49
Christian McKenzie
But you're my friend, Brandon, and if you're not doing the right thing because you are my friend and I love you and I want you to do well, I want you to prosper, i want you to succeed in your endeavors.
00:05:56
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:06:08
Christian McKenzie
If I see you doing something that is going to cause you to fail because I am your true friend I would say, hey, brother, think it's time to change this.
00:06:20
brandon g b
yeah
00:06:21
Christian McKenzie
I think you need to take a step back. I think you need to stop saying these things or doing that or doing this, whatever it is that's that's causing you to fail.
00:06:27
brandon g b
Yeah. No, you hate me. That means you hate me.
00:06:30
Christian McKenzie
Yeah, well, and and that's the world's definition of the friendship.
00:06:33
brandon g b
Yeah, it is. You know, it's weird. Sure.
00:06:35
Christian McKenzie
and And that's the thing, you know, like you and I even have disagreements on different thoughts and and nothing necessarily bad, but we like to talk about them.
00:06:40
brandon g b
sure
00:06:44
Christian McKenzie
We like to debate them. But at the end of the day, we understand that we're just friends that are talking. But I know... that if you call me out and tell me that I'm doing wrong, it comes from a place of love and a friendship.
00:06:59
Christian McKenzie
And that's why we have me, you and and Rob, we talk back and forth and and sometimes we correct each other. We pray for each other. We encourage each other.
00:07:08
brandon g b
no
00:07:09
Christian McKenzie
And it all comes from a place of friendship and it and it grows that bond together.
00:07:11
brandon g b
Right.
00:07:14
Christian McKenzie
Jesus's friendship to sinners was not to condone what they were doing.
Transformation Through Jesus
00:07:20
Christian McKenzie
That's what these people were saying, that because he was friends with them, because he went to them, because he dined with them and reached out to them, that he was condoning what they were doing.
00:07:22
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:07:34
Christian McKenzie
But contrary to that, he was actually being the the best friend anyone could have because he was going to them in their weakest moment and telling them that something had to change.
00:07:40
brandon g b
Yeah, it's true.
00:07:50
Christian McKenzie
he was He was reaching out to them. And you saw that when when he came before these people like tax collectors and drunkards and and all of these different sinners that he came in contact with.
00:08:04
Christian McKenzie
When they came in contact with him, they knew who he was. They saw him. it changed them completely. i want to go back. I'm going to pay everybody back everything that I stole. I'm going to apologize for this.
00:08:17
Christian McKenzie
I'm going to seek forgiveness for that. I'm going to forgive those that have wronged me that I've been seeking vengeance on. it Those were the interactions that Jesus was having.
00:08:28
Christian McKenzie
His friendship challenged people to to mirror him, to look at him, look at his righteousness, and fall in line with him, not continue on in sin, but to turn away from sin.
00:08:42
brandon g b
Yeah, right.
00:08:43
Christian McKenzie
And so that's what he was. He was a true friend. He didn't just agree with them and pat them on the back and say, it's okay. He said, I've come to change you.
00:08:54
Christian McKenzie
I've come to do something new with you. And isn't that what he did with the disciples? You know, like he was talking to to Simon Peter said, I'm going to make you a fisher of men. I'm going to change everything about you.
00:09:04
brandon g b
yeah right
00:09:06
Christian McKenzie
Jesus changes people completely. You're out there, and and there was nothing wrong, of course, with fishing, but, you know, it just goes into this understanding that Jesus changes people completely.
00:09:18
Christian McKenzie
You're out there fishing for fish. You're casting your net day in and day out. You're sometimes successful. You're sometimes not, but I'm going to give you something else to fish. I'm going to make you a fisher of men, and I think you can even see the true friendship here.
Personal Faith Journey
00:09:35
Christian McKenzie
even better with Jesus and his disciples as he openly rebukes them at times. and And, you know, Simon Peter is a perfect example again, right there.
00:09:45
brandon g b
Yeah. Right.
00:09:47
Christian McKenzie
You know, Jesus is saying, I'm going to die. I'm going to die. and I'm going be raised up on the third day. And Simon Peter's, no, we're not going to let you do that. And he says to him, get behind me, Satan.
00:09:58
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:09:59
Christian McKenzie
Not because he hated Simon Peter,
00:09:59
brandon g b
Yeah. yeah
00:10:02
Christian McKenzie
But it was a rebuke. It was him saying, Simon Peter, you're wrong. Step to the side. I'm going to do what I have to do. he didn't He didn't always agree with his disciples because he obviously knew what was best.
00:10:17
Christian McKenzie
He corrected them lovingly, ah sternly at times, because he was the best friend sinners could ever have.
00:10:21
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:10:26
Christian McKenzie
And he's my best friend. that That's what got me when when we think about, you know, our testimony when we came to Christ.
00:10:34
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:10:36
Christian McKenzie
And ah remember when i was eight years old, as I was sitting there in my room over in Katie's, Kentucky, that's where I lived at the time, that I was reading the Bible and I saw all these things that just didn't make sense.
00:10:55
Christian McKenzie
But all of a sudden, some of these things started to click. I had just lied to my mother. I told her that my dad stole a soda from the fridge and he he wasn't supposed to, that no one was supposed to take a soda. Those sodas were, you know,
00:11:13
Christian McKenzie
A luxury. That was something that you were supposed to get after, you know, you did something good and he took the last soda, but he didn't take it.
00:11:18
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:11:20
Christian McKenzie
I did. Oh, they were arguing about it. I saw that argument going on. I realized all of a sudden, man, that's sin. then of a sudden it just started clicking all these things I was reading.
00:11:32
Christian McKenzie
That sin has separated me from God. I am a sinner deserving of hell. And that is righteous. that that is That is, you know, exactly what I deserve.
00:11:47
Christian McKenzie
And then here's what made me put my faith Christ. It was not because I was afraid of hell and he was the only way out of hell. But then I read Romans chapter 5 verse 8. And this is what stuck with me through all these years.
00:12:03
Christian McKenzie
That God demonstrates his love for us in this way. That while we were still sinners... Christ died for us. Think about being a friend of sinners right there.
00:12:16
Christian McKenzie
That's what changed me completely. I didn't cry out to Jesus and say, save me because I wanted to be saved from hell. I cried out to Jesus because I knew I needed to follow him because he was the greatest friend anyone could ever have.
00:12:32
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:12:34
Christian McKenzie
I realized that I needed to follow him not out of fear, but because out of his great love for me that while I was still an undeserving, dirty, rotten scoundrel of a sinner, even at eight years old,
00:12:48
Christian McKenzie
that I needed Jesus. I needed to follow him because he loves me and I would give anything, anything and do anything he has called me to do because of his love and his friendship to me.
00:13:03
Christian McKenzie
So.
00:13:03
brandon g b
That's really good stuff, man. um Yeah, I mean, like you were saying, he was the greatest friend anybody could have ever asked for, you know, because unlike the modern understandings of friendship where you just condone everything everybody's doing, Jesus called it out, as you mentioned.
00:13:05
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:13:22
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:13:25
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:13:25
brandon g b
And I think it's important to clarify that because, know, you know we can get into the mentality of the pharisees and religious rulers as well where they're thinking well he's guilty by association and we can kind of think the opposite where we think they are not guilty by association because jesus is obviously condoning what they're doing if he's eating with them but you know the exact opposite takes place in the gospels where
00:13:38
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:13:54
brandon g b
Jesus' fellowship with these sinners, these prostitutes, tax collectors, and outcasts of Judean society, um their sin didn't rub off on him. His righteousness rubbed off on them and resulted in
00:14:05
Christian McKenzie
Right. Right.
Criticism from Pharisees
00:14:08
brandon g b
their change both now and forever.
00:14:11
brandon g b
But what I find amazing um about the passages that talk about this is you know the Pharisees and scribes and religious leaders, they're not doing ministry.
00:14:23
brandon g b
They're not reaching out to these sinners who need the gospel, they're standing afar and criticizing Jesus for doing it. um Such as in Matthew 9, where they ask the disciples, why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?
00:14:31
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:14:38
brandon g b
mean, you can just picture it, you know, that they're like standing as a group with their arms folded and their fingers pointed and asking the disciples in a scornful way,
00:14:41
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:14:46
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:14:49
brandon g b
Why does your teacher do this? If he was a true, pure rabbi, he would be in the synagogues. He wouldn't be in the streets. He wouldn't be among all these sinful people. And the reason Jesus did this is revealed in Matthew 9, 12, and many other passages that record these famous words, where Jesus expresses that he is the friend and Savior that these type people need.
00:15:17
brandon g b
And he said, those who are well, have no need of a physician but those who are sick.
00:15:22
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:15:24
brandon g b
And he goes on to say he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
00:15:29
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:15:29
brandon g b
So, I mean, Jesus is saying yeah these people, because of sin, they need healing. They're diseased.
00:15:37
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:15:37
brandon g b
They're sick. And they're the type of people I came into the world to save. So...
00:15:44
Christian McKenzie
And if they, if the people that were pointing those fingers would take a step back for a moment and realize that when he would say things like that, that he was also talking about them.
00:15:56
brandon g b
Yeah, right.
00:15:57
Christian McKenzie
and And, you know, the this whole idea of he didn't come to to save the righteous, but the sinner, he wasn't saying that there were some that were righteous because we know in scripture that none are righteous.
00:16:09
Christian McKenzie
No, not one.
00:16:09
brandon g b
Sure.
00:16:10
Christian McKenzie
that's That's what Paul writes out. That's what mankind represented. They were all dead in their trespasses and sins. And what what needed to happen was for them to stop thinking that they were the righteous ones, that they didn't need doctor.
00:16:24
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:16:27
Christian McKenzie
And it's just like, oh man, men are the biggest thing ah concerning this when it comes to needing a doctor. I don't know about you.
00:16:33
brandon g b
right
00:16:35
Christian McKenzie
My wife gets so mad at me sometimes when something's going wrong with me.
00:16:35
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:16:37
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:16:39
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:16:39
Christian McKenzie
and And she's like, well, why don't you make a doctor's appointment?
00:16:42
Christian McKenzie
And it takes me like a whole month to do it.
00:16:42
brandon g b
but yeah
00:16:45
Christian McKenzie
Like there was this, you know, this time not too long ago. So all of sudden my back started hurting where I could hardly stand up straight. and And, you know, me, I got to keep moving.
00:16:55
Christian McKenzie
I got to keep doing things.
00:16:56
brandon g b
yeah
00:16:57
Christian McKenzie
And and so I'm just like I don't have time to go to a doctor and and get this figured out. And so I just keep going and my back keeps feeling worse and worse and worse.
00:17:08
Christian McKenzie
And then finally she said, you know, you need to go to a doctor. I said, no, I'm all right. And then I realized that I said that. You know, that wasn't quite true.
00:17:20
Christian McKenzie
And that's what these Pharisees were doing.
00:17:22
brandon g b
yeah
00:17:22
Christian McKenzie
You know, they didn't realize the the spiritual illness that they had. You know, they probably felt the effects of it, but kind of pushed it down and pushed it to the side. I'm not a sinner. I'm a righteous man.
00:17:37
Christian McKenzie
I'm not dirty like this tax collector over there. I'm a righteous man. and I'm a man of God. I'm a Pharisee. I'm a Pharisee of the Pharisees. I don't need salvation.
00:17:48
Christian McKenzie
I have it of my own accord through the law. You know, those were their thoughts that were going on. If they would just take a step back and say, you know what?
00:17:59
Christian McKenzie
I'm a sinner too that needs Jesus as his friend. I need Jesus to change me. it would ah It would have made all the difference. And there were some Pharisees in the background that did that, that realized, oh man, you know, we're not the right ones here.
00:18:09
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:18:13
Christian McKenzie
Jesus is. But they don't get near as much recognition. So...
00:18:18
brandon g b
Yeah. Yeah. and I'm glad you said that too, because, um There's even grace and mercy for Pharisees and scribes, for people who are hard-hearted and stiff-necked and feel like they have no need for salvation, but they have to come to the place where they recognize that need.
00:18:28
Christian McKenzie
and
00:18:37
brandon g b
um
00:18:38
Christian McKenzie
Yes.
00:18:38
brandon g b
you know You see like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in the Gospels, but it's few and far in between, isn't it?
00:18:38
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:18:46
brandon g b
I mean, much many more in the outcast group came to Jesus than the Pharisees did.
00:18:52
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:18:53
brandon g b
But i mean, we know that mercy and grace only comes to those who are poor in spirit, like these social outcasts who recognize their need for Christ.
00:19:01
Christian McKenzie
yeah.
00:19:05
brandon g b
I mean, there was even um ah a sinful woman, she's called in scripture, who if I remember right, basically bathed the feet of Christ with her tears.
00:19:18
brandon g b
And, you know, was thinking about that story the other night. How many tears must she have shed to cleanse the feet of Christ? That had to be a lot of tears.
00:19:28
brandon g b
I mean, honestly.
00:19:29
Christian McKenzie
oh yeah
00:19:31
brandon g b
um
00:19:31
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:19:32
brandon g b
And his feet had to be filthy as well since they just wore sandals all the time. But to wash his feet with her tears, I mean, that's an expression of not only remorse, but repentance.
00:19:37
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:19:44
brandon g b
And, you know, she inherited the kingdom of God because of that.
00:19:44
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:19:48
brandon g b
But those who think they are well and think they have no need of the great physician, they will not receive mercy, sadly. So we have to come to that realization.
Humility and Self-Recognition
00:20:00
brandon g b
And, you know, there's even a parable you alluded to that speaks to this in Luke 14, where Jesus talks about a tax collector in the temple and a Pharisee.
00:20:12
brandon g b
And the Pharisee, you know, how does he pray? He says, God, I thank you. I'm not like other sinners, you know. and And then the tax collector, he just says, basically, be merciful to me.
00:20:18
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:20:26
brandon g b
Meaning, God, I got nothing to offer you. I need you.
00:20:30
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:20:30
brandon g b
If you don't show me mercy, I'm going to hell. And Jesus said only one of those went home justified.
00:20:36
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:20:37
brandon g b
So, yeah.
00:20:38
Christian McKenzie
yeah It was the one that ah it was poor in spirit and
00:20:42
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:20:42
Christian McKenzie
And yeah, that's our I remember I used to do jail ministry quite often and and I would go in there and those would be some pretty rough guys.
00:20:53
Christian McKenzie
Those were the outcasts. Those were the guys that were breaking the law. Those were the guys that you didn't want to be caught with, you know, when when people were around, you know, those were the guys people pointed at.
00:20:59
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:21:06
Christian McKenzie
And I remember, you know, something that it shook me to my core one day that, you know, this little sweet old lady just, you know, was so upset that I was going to the jail and inviting these guys to church.
00:21:26
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:21:27
Christian McKenzie
And she said, we don't want those scoundrels here. a yeah I can't remember. is It was a word along the same lines, hoodlum scoundrels.
00:21:35
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:21:36
Christian McKenzie
i don't I can't remember exactly how she said it.
00:21:37
brandon g b
Wow.
00:21:39
Christian McKenzie
But I remember being so shocked because she seemed like the sweetest,
Judgment and Redemption
00:21:44
Christian McKenzie
kindest little old lady.
00:21:44
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:21:46
Christian McKenzie
but She was so upset that there were these people coming out of jail that were starting to come to church. You know, they had face tattoos and tattoos on their arms they wore do-rags in or you know had uh you know those what do you call those shirts with the straps that are i don't even know what those are called yeah muscle shirts and and uh whatnot uh
00:22:04
brandon g b
like muscle shirts
00:22:11
Christian McKenzie
And, you know, it it definitely wasn't what you expect because we've come to this point where we expect the outward appearance of perfection and righteousness and have no care of what's inside in the contents of the heart.
00:22:26
Christian McKenzie
But some of those guys came in and they worshiped from the heart. And there were people that judged them just because of their appearance and their background.
00:22:37
Christian McKenzie
And, and I think that's a very bad place for us to get as a church in some, and as an individual, because what that does is instead of reaching out to these that are the outcast of society and introducing them to Jesus, who makes us whole, who is the friend of sinners.
00:22:57
Christian McKenzie
What we do is start pushing them away from the friend of sinners to where, when they look at us, they, they attribute, they,
00:23:01
brandon g b
Right.
00:23:05
Christian McKenzie
how we treat them, how we reach out to them, to Jesus. So if we push them away, it's not Jesus that's pushing them away, but they attribute that to him.
00:23:17
Christian McKenzie
And so it it really hurt my heart to hear this sweet little old lady be so upset that I would invite guys from the jail that when they got out of there,
00:23:32
Christian McKenzie
to to have a seat with me and worship with me at church. And, you know, there were people that ah probably agreed with her. right I didn't wait to find out.
00:23:44
Christian McKenzie
I i made sure to stand my ground strongly on that and say, Jesus died just as much for them as he did for you.
00:23:52
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:23:53
Christian McKenzie
you know and And sometimes we look pretty on the outside, but we're really ugly on the inside. And I would rather look ugly on the outside and be pretty on the inside, cleansed by the blood of Christ and redeemed by Jesus' sacrifice.
00:24:07
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:24:12
Christian McKenzie
I'd rather that be he what is beautiful about me.
00:24:15
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:24:15
Christian McKenzie
And, you know, I'm not the best looking dude anyway, so let's that's what I hold on to anyway.
00:24:19
brandon g b
I was going to say, some of us lucked out and got ugly inside and outside.
00:24:21
Christian McKenzie
he Yeah.
00:24:23
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:24:23
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. And so, you know, that's that's the great thing too, because...
00:24:24
brandon g b
but
00:24:30
Christian McKenzie
there were people that that had physical ailments. And and they, at Jesus's time, looked at these physical ailments as sign of sin and and judgment.
00:24:41
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:24:42
Christian McKenzie
And they they made them outcasts as well. But some of these people that never got healed, that still followed Jesus, ah they they had the most beautiful spirit, even if they looked on the outside, decrepit and indifferent and odd.
00:24:59
Christian McKenzie
they They had more beautiful spirit than a lot of people. so
Beauty in Rejection
00:25:05
Christian McKenzie
and And think of that guy. There's that guy that walks around. Well, I said that wrong. He doesn't walk around because he has no legs, no arms, but he gives these speeches and he's a Christian.
00:25:15
brandon g b
Oh, yeah, yeah, I know who you're talking about.
00:25:15
Christian McKenzie
And he talks about, yeah, I can't remember his name.
00:25:18
Christian McKenzie
but ah love his speeches. i the The message of hope and love and love. focusing on Christ that he gives is that, you know, people might look at him and say he has no legs, no arms. He's kind of strange. He's the outcast. Stay away from him, even though he might not have done anything wrong.
00:25:37
Christian McKenzie
But man, the the beauty of his soul and of his faith is astounding that even with no arms and no legs, he still gets out and gives God all the glory and all the praise.
00:25:49
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:25:51
Christian McKenzie
So, yeah.
00:25:52
brandon g b
Yeah, and people like him would have been the first that Jesus would have gone to during his earthly ministry, you know.
00:25:59
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:25:59
brandon g b
He just, he had a place in his heart for the outcasts. And, know, you were talking about visiting those and in prison and such. And we all know Matthew 25 gives us a mission statement where Jesus talks about The final judgment, and when he rewards the righteous, he says, for I was hungry and you gave me food.
00:26:24
brandon g b
I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.
00:26:35
brandon g b
And of course, he says the righteous will say, when did that happen? When did we see you hungrier in prison?
00:26:36
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
Ministry to Outcasts
00:26:42
brandon g b
And he says, truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me.
00:26:48
brandon g b
And so there's even this amplified,
00:26:48
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:26:52
brandon g b
um this way that he amplifies our ministry to the outcasts. And I know like the woke crowd love this type stuff, and we'll clarify that in a minute. But he says that when you minister to these people that nobody else likes that are pushed to the side and the margins of society, you're ministering to me.
00:27:12
brandon g b
And so He was even giving us an example of what to do when he ministered to these outcasts. But but yeah, um it's definitely important for us to do that and to follow Christ's example in doing so.
00:27:13
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:27:19
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm. Yep.
00:27:26
brandon g b
um
00:27:26
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:27:27
brandon g b
fact, another passage I think about is, um you remember in Luke 14, there's the parable of the wedding feast. And he he talks about um sending out these servants to invite people basically anybody that they can.
00:27:45
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:27:45
brandon g b
And there are so many excuses that people give for not coming to this wedding feast. And then the um master of the wedding says, well, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
00:28:01
brandon g b
You know, it's like, that's going to make for a really weird wedding.
00:28:02
Christian McKenzie
mm-hmm yeah
00:28:06
brandon g b
But I think there's an illustration there that when it comes to the banquet of salvation and being spiritually married to Christ since the church is his bride, there are plenty of seats open for sinners to recognize their need for a savior.
00:28:25
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:28:28
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Well, and and the people that are accepted by society, that they make society kind of their God. They do everything to be accepted here in this world.
00:28:36
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:28:40
Christian McKenzie
But the horrible thing about that is that... If you choose this world over God, you crumble with this world. you This is the closest thing to heaven you'll ever experience.
00:28:53
Christian McKenzie
And if this is the closest thing to heaven you'll ever experience, I feel so bad for you because there's no you can't have joy for 100 years in this world and it even compared to a second of joy in the presence of Christ.
00:28:58
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:29:08
Christian McKenzie
But here's why the outcast so readily would accept Christ. Because... He was someone one of respect, even in those times as as he started to speak out. he wasn't He wasn't necessarily the outcast starting out. He was someone that was was known. he was healing people.
00:29:31
Christian McKenzie
That was a big deal. And that's what eventually made him into an outcast in the eyes of the Pharisee. and And so, you know, as he spent more time with the outcast that readily accepted him, the rest of the world really wanted to make him an outcast.
00:29:46
Christian McKenzie
But someone came to the outcast
00:29:51
Christian McKenzie
that was different than them. That shouldn't have been an outcast, but was made into one. And when he said, I can help you.
00:30:02
Christian McKenzie
they They knew it to be true and they accepted it.
00:30:04
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:30:05
brandon g b
Right.
00:30:05
Christian McKenzie
They said, yes, we need help.
00:30:08
Christian McKenzie
Yes, I've got sin in my life. I need to be cleaned. Yes, I don't know what I'm doing. I know you know what I need to do. I'm going to follow you.
00:30:18
brandon g b
Right.
00:30:19
Christian McKenzie
I'll give you everything. And they so readily did that because Jesus' love for them. and It was the same way when I was a little kid, you know, when I put my faith in Jesus.
00:30:31
Christian McKenzie
They didn't put their faith in Jesus out of a fear of hell or a fear of this or a fear of that. Those were truths that they had to accept, you know, that they deserved hell, that that's what everyone outside of Christ deserves.
00:30:49
Christian McKenzie
And even really what people in Christ deserved. But they looked at that and they saw his friendship and his great love for them.
00:31:00
Christian McKenzie
And they made that same decision that I ended up making when I was eight years old. I got to follow
00:31:07
brandon g b
yeah
00:31:07
Christian McKenzie
And this dude is too great. He is so wonderful. He is so loving. He's such a great friend. He's not going to lie to me. He's going to expect the best of me.
00:31:19
Christian McKenzie
He's going to lift me up and and help me to walk in his righteousness, not in my righteousness, because I don't have any. And he is going to save me. And I'm not following him just because I want to be saved from hell. I'm following him because he loves me.
00:31:35
Christian McKenzie
And he has shown that to me because he came to me when I was at my weakest. He came to me when I was without hope. He came to me in due time to die for the ungodly.
Invitation to the Rejected
00:31:49
Christian McKenzie
He came at just the right time. And, and, uh, So I think that's why we see this this idea of those that are the polished people of society and then the outcasts. Why did these outcasts flock to them?
00:32:06
Christian McKenzie
Because they tried going to the righteous of society and they were cast out. That's why they were outcasts.
00:32:14
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:32:15
Christian McKenzie
They were cast out. But then they came before the only one who was truly righteous and And instead of pushing them away, he invited them in. So.
00:32:28
brandon g b
That last thing you said that he's the one that's truly righteous highlights to me the greatness of the grace of God, because one thing we tend to forget in all these encounters is This is not a moral teacher or a regular man.
00:32:45
brandon g b
This is God in the flesh putting his hand on lepers to heal them, saying to Zacchaeus, a greedy tax collector, we're having supper at your house tonight.
00:32:45
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:32:49
Christian McKenzie
Right. Yeah.
00:32:53
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:33:00
brandon g b
This is the creator of the universe, and nobody, no being detests sin or sees it as an abomination more than God.
00:33:11
brandon g b
But when he took on human flesh, what does he do? He shows grace. He shows mercy and compassion and runs to these people that everybody else rejected. So, I mean, that's just such an emphasis on on the great grace and mercy of the Lord that we just don't deserve.
Model for Believers
00:33:30
brandon g b
But. Well, let's um let's wrap up with just a couple of takeaways for us. um I think we've learned from these passages that Jesus is the friend and Savior we need. We need to recognize, like these people, that we are sick without Him, and He's the physician who can heal us by His grace.
00:33:30
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:33:52
brandon g b
But I think it'd be good for us to think of some ways to apply this and how we can follow Jesus' model in our dealings with people in the world. Um, one thing is, know, in most of these instances, we see Jesus moving toward the lost, the unsaved, not away from them.
00:34:11
Christian McKenzie
z
00:34:13
brandon g b
You know, hey is there, can you think of any time in the gospels where these outcasts came to Jesus and he ran away from, know?
00:34:14
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:34:20
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:34:21
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:34:21
Christian McKenzie
No, not any.
00:34:23
Christian McKenzie
And there were times that his disciples were saying, hey let's not do that. Oh no, this is, this is what I'm here for.
00:34:28
brandon g b
yeah
00:34:30
Christian McKenzie
Like going into Samaria and whatnot.
00:34:33
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:34:34
Christian McKenzie
Are you, is that the way we need to go?
00:34:36
brandon g b
Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:37
Christian McKenzie
ah but ah you know, that's, that's what he was here for. He was here to go to them, not run from them.
00:34:43
brandon g b
yeah Absolutely. And, you know, and even some of them that were kind of a nuisance and an interruption to him, he didn't, he didn't see him as a problem. Like the woman with an issue of blood for 12 years, Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus's daughter, if I remember right.
00:34:53
Christian McKenzie
Mm.
00:34:56
Christian McKenzie
Mm.
00:35:00
brandon g b
And she was at the brink of death.
00:35:01
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:35:03
brandon g b
And she doesn't, this this woman, she doesn't get in his way. She just sneaks up behind him. And he stops the whole show, man. He wants to know her name, her story. He says, who is it that touched me?
00:35:15
brandon g b
And then ends up forgiving her sins and saving her and says, your faith has made you whole. um
00:35:21
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:35:22
brandon g b
But yeah, I think one of the examples for us is we should do the same. We can't give people the healing they need, obviously, but we can give them, ah introduce them to the man they need. And we have to make sure that when it comes to the lost, we are moving toward them and not away from them.
00:35:39
brandon g b
um
00:35:40
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
00:35:40
brandon g b
We know that God is running after them in grace. And we know according to the scripture, they are running away from God. And we need to run fast after them with the gospel.
00:35:50
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:35:51
brandon g b
And i think one thing we fall into where we mess this up is you know especially if we're churchgoers or people in the ministry, ah so many of our friends are exclusively Christian and we have no lost friends.
00:36:08
brandon g b
We need lost friends.
00:36:10
brandon g b
um Now, we have to be careful. you know Obviously, we've already talked about that.
00:36:10
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:36:13
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:36:14
brandon g b
um
00:36:15
Christian McKenzie
Lost friends for a reason, you know, not, you know, yeah.
00:36:17
brandon g b
Yes, for the purpose of leading them to Christ, not being led astray. Yeah. and And it can happen easily, can't it?
00:36:25
Christian McKenzie
That's good point.
00:36:26
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:36:26
Christian McKenzie
Yeah, it can. You do have to put up safeguards because we aren't Jesus when it comes down to that.
00:36:32
brandon g b
yeah
00:36:34
Christian McKenzie
There there is a difference between us. And Paul kind of talks about that. you know He's not saying, he he very often says abstain from the things of the world, but don't abstain from being around the worldly. they They need to hear you.
00:36:49
brandon g b
yeah
00:36:50
Christian McKenzie
You need to go out to them. But I think where we need to to find good ground is that we need to look at people the same way Jesus did.
00:37:01
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:37:03
Christian McKenzie
And, you know, no matter where they were at, who they were, what their background was, he saw that they were lost and in need of salvation and he could offer it.
00:37:11
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:37:14
Christian McKenzie
And he didn't care where they came from. If they were willing to to put their faith in him, he was going to to save them. And so that that's the way we need to look at people is, especially the lost is,
00:37:31
Christian McKenzie
That that's someone that Jesus wants to save.
00:37:33
brandon g b
right.
00:37:35
Christian McKenzie
And we need to reach out to them and we need to love them. But we don't let need to let them have an influence over our life. We need to be the influence, the godly influence in their life.
00:37:49
Christian McKenzie
And let me tell you, it's hard to look at people like Jesus. There are people that have said bad things about me that are lost. And sometimes it's hard for me to look at them and and say, you know, ah need to reach out to them because I've got my own hard feelings that I have to deal with.
00:38:07
brandon g b
and
00:38:09
Christian McKenzie
But I have to look at them the way Jesus looks at me, that I was dead in my trespasses and sins, that I was a sinner, yet he died for me.
00:38:21
Christian McKenzie
Yet he made me alive. And he wants to do the exact same thing for my worst enemy. And what I must do is look at them the way that Jesus does and say, man, Jesus wants to be their friend too.
00:38:30
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:38:40
Christian McKenzie
I might not want to be their friend.
00:38:43
brandon g b
Right, yeah.
00:38:44
Christian McKenzie
But Jesus wants to be their friend too. Therefore, I must reach out. I must present the gospel. I must put my feelings aside on what has gone going on between me and that person. I must reach out to them.
00:39:00
Christian McKenzie
Sometimes it's not hard feelings. Sometimes it's just difference.
00:39:05
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:39:05
Christian McKenzie
You know, that person looks different than me. That person acts different from me. That person comes from a different state. You know, I was born and raised in Kentucky, and now I'm in Illinois right now.
00:39:19
Christian McKenzie
And let me tell you, ah you know, I was always, you know, under this understanding Kentucky is the best. That's where I need to be. That's where that's God's country.
00:39:27
brandon g b
yeah yeah in
00:39:29
Christian McKenzie
You know, that's not a true statement, of course, because but. But it was ah it was a different setting, and people talk differently and act differently, even though we're still really close to Kentucky where I'm at.
00:39:45
Christian McKenzie
But I had to say, you know what? It's not about their differences. They're going to be different than me. They're going to look different. They're going to talk different. They're going to act different. Jesus wants to be their friend too.
00:39:57
Christian McKenzie
Therefore, I must put my feelings aside and I must reach out to them and share the truth that Jesus is a friend of sinners. He wants to be their friend.
00:40:09
Christian McKenzie
And he wants to change them. And he wants to save them. That's what he did for me. And that's what he can do for them.
00:40:18
brandon g b
Absolutely, and that actually leads me to another takeaway is that we have to allow our compassion to override our comfort because, i mean, it's not a real it's not a comfortable thing to um evangelize people that greatly disagree with us, think differently than we do look differently than we do, um but who's going to do it?
00:40:28
Christian McKenzie
Yeah, that's a good way to put it.
00:40:39
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:40:44
brandon g b
You know, I mean, that's the question.
00:40:45
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:40:45
brandon g b
Um, Paul's asked that question in Romans 10. He said, how can they believe without somebody preaching? Um, and so it is going to be uncomfortable at times.
00:40:51
Christian McKenzie
right
00:40:55
brandon g b
Um, it may put our popularity appeal and approval on the line, but if it's what God wants us to do, um, and if it leads to them coming to Christ, it's, it's, it's a small price to pay.
00:41:10
brandon g b
Needless to say. Um, And then one other thing I might say is um a lot of these instances of Jesus being with tax collectors and sinners was around the table.
00:41:25
brandon g b
um And I think there's ah lot of stock we should put in hospitality. Again, that's where we have to be careful, you know, obviously.
00:41:31
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:41:33
brandon g b
um We have to be the influence, not be influenced. um You were alluding to Paul, I think, when he said bad company corrupts good morals. But there are ways we can be hospitable with unbelievers, I think, that will not put our godly reputation on the line, nor will it lead to us being influenced for the worst.
00:41:57
brandon g b
um But like I say, if you look at the life of Jesus, a lot of times he's eating with these tax collectors and sinners because, I don't know, there's just something about sharing a meal with somebody where ah your guard their guard is let down, you know they're not so uptight
00:42:03
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:42:12
Christian McKenzie
where I'm at my most comfortable.
00:42:14
brandon g b
Yeah, yeah. We're all at our most comfortable.
00:42:15
Christian McKenzie
Put some fried chicken in front of me and i I'll talk to you.
00:42:18
brandon g b
Yeah, exactly. Eating is a social thing. It always has been. And so I think um we can use meals as ministry and other acts of hospitality as open doors for the gospel.
00:42:28
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:42:32
brandon g b
um You know, getting a cup of coffee with somebody in public, having them over for dinner. um Again, it takes wisdom and discernment to know what you should do, what you shouldn't do.
00:42:37
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:42:41
Christian McKenzie
and intention.
00:42:43
brandon g b
Yeah, that's really the bottom line though, isn't it? Is being intentional um about reaching them. and And we have to make sure in those instances that we don't just um exercise hospitality for the sake of it.
00:42:57
brandon g b
That needs to be a tool that we use for ministry because um you know what good is it if we have a meal and we don't talk about the bread of life?
00:43:00
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:43:05
brandon g b
you know
00:43:06
Christian McKenzie
Mm-hmm.
00:43:06
brandon g b
it's It's not going to really go anywhere.
00:43:09
Christian McKenzie
Or we can ah invite them over for a meal and then not feed them, like tell them not to eat all day and then not feed them.
00:43:15
brandon g b
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah
00:43:17
Christian McKenzie
But then say, a man shall not live by bread alone.
00:43:20
brandon g b
yeah.
00:43:21
Christian McKenzie
That's very intentional right there.
00:43:22
brandon g b
Yeah. Yeah.
00:43:23
Christian McKenzie
But they might not listen at that point.
00:43:26
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:43:26
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:43:27
brandon g b
Or even better, Jesus there in John 4, he's like, I have food to eat that you know nothing about. My food is to do the will of him who sent me.
00:43:37
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:43:37
Christian McKenzie
we may Every so often slip off to another room and just make rap loud crunching noises.
00:43:42
brandon g b
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:43:42
Christian McKenzie
and
00:43:44
Christian McKenzie
You have no food, but I have food. You know, not. ah
00:43:47
brandon g b
Yeah, that's a good way of ah to be accused of being part of a cult. So but.
00:43:55
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. Yeah. Don't do that that. We're giving you the wrong ways to do this.
00:43:58
brandon g b
Yeah, exactly what not to do.
00:43:59
Christian McKenzie
So yeah. Yeah. What not to do.
00:44:03
brandon g b
But yeah, I mean, those are just some closing applications. This is a great. truth and principle in Scripture that Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners and didn't shy away from that title.
00:44:16
Christian McKenzie
Right.
00:44:16
brandon g b
It teaches us about who He is and who we are. We're the sinners.
00:44:21
Christian McKenzie
right
00:44:21
brandon g b
We're sick. We're diseased. We need Him. And as believers, we need to be like Him and make sure that we are being hospitable, that we are going to the lost rather than expecting them to come to us.
00:44:35
brandon g b
And again, exercising that discernment as we associate with those who are unbelievers. Because like I you can never be too careful.
00:44:46
brandon g b
I remember a couple of years ago, I bought a brand new bag of lemons from Kroger. This is before I upgraded to Sam's Club, but Sam's Club, of course, um who really shops at Kroger anymore, you know.
00:44:55
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:44:58
brandon g b
ah But I got this new bag of lemons and in like a couple of days, they were all molded and I was really disappointed. I think I was going to make some like lemon chicken or something with a bunch of them And I'm like, all right, I'm going to investigate this. This is crazy. In a couple of days, this whole bag is molded.
00:45:17
brandon g b
um When I got to the middle of the bag, I found out there was one bad lemon in there.
00:45:23
brandon g b
And that's a story you can't write, man. And I was like, so all these lemons were healthy.
00:45:23
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:45:26
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:45:29
brandon g b
They were good. But because they were in the same bag with one that was moldy, it spread and corrupted them all. So...
00:45:36
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:45:36
brandon g b
you know We have to be careful with um those that are influencing us.
00:45:39
Christian McKenzie
yeah
00:45:40
brandon g b
we need to make sure we're the influencers.
00:45:43
Christian McKenzie
Exactly. Yep. I think that's a wonderful analogy ah for that. And, and, and that's the, you know, goes to that same idea too, is, is that Jesus didn't let the rottenness stay.
00:45:59
Christian McKenzie
He washed it away. He cut it away.
00:46:01
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:46:02
Christian McKenzie
ah You know, believers are refined by fire. You know, we're, all all the impurities, not that we're sinless and perfect, but man, you know, the spirit just corrects us and lifts us up.
00:46:11
brandon g b
Mm-hmm.
00:46:17
Christian McKenzie
and And that that's that's what following Jesus is all about. That's what his friendship is all about, is cleaning us up, helping us stand up, correcting us, walking beside us, encouraging us, ah doing all of those things.
00:46:37
Christian McKenzie
makes him the best friend of sinners not that he lets them stay unclean and rotten and moldy but he cleans us up and that's that's our that should be our intention with anyone that's lost if you have a family member that's lost your intention when you are with them should be to lead them to christ somehow some way i know that's uncomfortable to think about sometimes
00:46:43
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:47:03
Christian McKenzie
Oh, every time we're around them, we have to find some way to talk about Jesus. Well, yeah, that's what the disciples did everywhere they went.
00:47:06
brandon g b
Yeah.
00:47:09
Christian McKenzie
there
00:47:09
brandon g b
yeah
00:47:10
Christian McKenzie
There wasn't a time that when they were in the midst of the lost that they get their mouth shut about Jesus because what did the lost need? They needed Jesus. But maybe you have a friend or a co-worker that doesn't know Jesus.
00:47:24
Christian McKenzie
but Well, you're called to to be in their life for a reason. to to introduce them to the friend of sinners and say hey this is my friend he wants to be your friend too and he can help you out just the same way he helped me out so there's jesus the friend of sinners go out to a lost and dying world you know people you know people in your family you know people where you work you know people in your community
00:47:41
brandon g b
Absolutely.
00:47:52
Christian McKenzie
that need Jesus. They need a friend like Jesus. Go and introduce Jesus and that person. Go tell them about what Jesus can do for them and how Jesus can change their life.
00:48:08
Christian McKenzie
Let's stop complaining about how bad everybody is. Let's stop pointing fingers and saying, dirty, nasty, rotten sinners. You know what makes a sinner clean? You know what makes a sinner whole?
00:48:20
Christian McKenzie
Jesus. So instead of complaining, let's just introduce them to Jesus. End of ring.
00:48:25
brandon g b
Absolutely.
00:48:27
Christian McKenzie
So, yeah.
00:48:27
brandon g b
Absolutely. Good word. And, ah lasting advice, get your lemons from Sam's club, not Kroger.
00:48:36
Christian McKenzie
Yeah. And we are not endorsed on that, but that's a personal opinion.
00:48:36
brandon g b
All right. Yeah. Yeah. yeah Yeah. We're not sponsored.
00:48:43
brandon g b
All right.
00:48:43
Christian McKenzie
would agree, though.
00:48:44
Christian McKenzie
Yeah.
00:48:45
brandon g b
Well, thank you all for tuning in to the faith one, six, eight podcast. Hope you've learned a lot. Hope you've gleaned some, sanctifying truth from the scripture as we've talked about our Savior who is a friend of sinners.
00:48:59
brandon g b
um If you like this podcast, give us a good rating on Apple Podcasts. If you have a question um about anything we talk about or if you have a topic you'd like for us to discuss, reach out to us on the Facebook page.
00:49:13
brandon g b
um But as always, we encourage you to live faithfully for Jesus 168 hours a week. And we will wrap up today's episode with prayer. And Chris, why don't you ah take us in prayer to the friend of sinners.
00:49:29
Christian McKenzie
Father, thank you so much for sending us your son, who is such a great friend to us that and even though we don't deserve him, even though we have fallen short of your glory and we have sinned,
00:49:46
Christian McKenzie
that he didn't define us by her sin, but still called out to us and still reached out to us and purified us and and lift us up and and forgave us of our sins.
00:50:00
Christian McKenzie
Father, we can't thank you enough for that great gift of salvation and friendship that we find in Jesus. Father, help us after hearing these words and and seeing your scripture,
00:50:16
Christian McKenzie
presented to go out into this lost and dying world and introduce them to the friend of sinners. Introduce them to to Jesus so that he can do the same thing in their lives that he has done in our life.
00:50:32
Christian McKenzie
It's in Jesus' name I pray all these things. Amen.
00:50:37
brandon g b
Amen.