Hanging Out With Sinners

MESSAGE: THE SICK (podcast)
SCRIPTURE: Luke 5.27-32



This passage is where we read that Jesus actually went and sought out those who needed him by going and hanging out with them. Also, we see this passage as a reason for US to hang out with those people who need Jesus. This is important, I think, because there is a certain segment of Christians who think that believers shouldn't be hanging out with non-believers, that light should not associate with darkness, and so on. And then there are those who use the fact that Jesus actually did hang out with sinners as an excuse to run off and party like the devil, all under the guise that they were doing evangelism as they did that keg-stand. As with most things, the key is balance. We do need to be hanging out with sinners because they DO need Jesus, but we need to be watching our motivation and our actions when we do so. What follows are a few observations I've made regarding hanging out with sinners.

1) We should hang out with sinners because they are in the same state that we were when Jesus found us. That is to say that we are no better than those who are currently engaged in active, open, sinful lifestyles. I don't know about you, but before I was saved, I was pretty rotten. I had nothing good about me or going for me. I was a sinner. And how else are sinners going to hear about Jesus? Are they going to come to church? Not likely. Thus, we need to be going to them.

2) If we're going to be hanging out with sinners, we need to be doing it for the purpose of arranging a meeting with Jesus. I used to claim that I was such a loving person because I hung out with sinners. I saw myself as so far above all those other judgmental Christians who wouldn't do so. But I was missing a hugely important thing: I wasn't hanging out with sinners to introduce them to Jesus, I was hanging out with sinners because they were fun to hang out with - and that was it. I had no intention to bring up spiritual things, I just wanted to have fun. If there was going to be any evangelism done, I was under the impression that it would be by these sinners recognizing and realizing the hope that lied within me, and they would somehow all of a sudden reject their sin and turn to Christ just by looking at me. What a stupid thing to think. I've never once had someone come to Christ because of me being a goody-two-shoes. This is not to say, however, that we CAN'T have fun when hanging out with sinners. It is to say that we have to be working under the agenda of bringing them to a point where they meet Jesus.

3) We need to be careful when we hang out with sinners that their sinful behavior doesn't rub off on us. If you hanging out with sinners in order to bring them to faith in Christ causes you to stumble, it doesn't honor God, and you shouldn't be in that situation. If you don't have the stamina to reject temptation and remain holy, then hanging out with sinners isn't for you. I can speak from personal experience on this one too. Every time I hung out with my sinful friends in attempts to "witness" to them, my mouth would foul up quicker than you can say $*%&#^. In Ephesians 5, Paul warns us to not be partakers with sinners as they go about sinning, but instead lead lives that reflect thanksgiving for what God has done to save us from sin. In other words, when you hang out with sinners you shouldn't be sinning - you should be showing how great God is because he took a sinner like you and saved you!

So go and hang out with sinners - and hang out with them so that they can hang out with Jesus.