Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Track 3 is one that I've heard for a while. Initially it was the song the made my wife want the album. I used to play it every Sunday as part of the play list when people would enter the sanctuary. I was trying to help people understand more of what it means to be like Christ.

Jesus, Friend of Sinners is one of those songs that there is a lot you could say. For over a year now I've conversed with an atheist over Facebook, and in the beginning of the conversation I used portions of this song to address some of the issues she raised with the Church and Christians. This is one of those songs we all need to take a good, hard look at.

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand
Made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good
And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good
And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good
And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good
And Your love endures forever

Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

There is so much that could be said about these lyrics. It's easy to get caught up in the events of our world and react in what seems to be righteous judgment, but it's crucial to remember that the sword is never ours to swing, and judgment is never ours to pass.

"No one knows what we're for only what we're against when we judge the wounded." Do an experiment with me. Go to the top of your browser and open a new window. Go to Google and in the search bar type in "Christians are" and type the letters of the alphabet in order one at a time and watch what comes up as suggested searches.

Christians are... Annoying. Bullies. Cruel. Douche bags. Extremists. Fake. Gullible. Hateful. Ignorant of the Bible. Jerks. Known for there love*. Losers. Mean. Not nice people. Obnoxious. Pathetic. (Judgmental Quotes). Rude. Sinners too. Terrible people. Uneducated. Very judgmental. Weird. Zombies.

That is what the world thinks about Christians. That is how the world sees followers of Christ. Did you see that there is only one * by the statement for "K"? That is the only one that is positive. Aside for "X" and "Y" which didn't bring up anything, everything else is negative. How has something so beautiful become so ugly? We've become less and less like Christ. Now all we are is a bunch of "plank eyed saints with dirty hands and a heart divided."

That phrase has stood out to me as I've listened to the song over the past week. I believe most of us are familiar with the first part, "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7.3). But it wouldn't surprise me if you didn't know where the other two come from. Usually Christians only quote half of these verses.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4.8).

"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29.13).

It is impossible to do the will of God and share the love of Christ with sin in our lives. It is impossible to seek and find God if we chase after other things. We cannot lead others to find Him if we are blinded to our own struggles and addictions. We cannot save the world if all we do is point our fingers in judgment, condemning it in the name of Christ. Do you know what the Crusaders declared as they slaughtered Muslims to reclaim the Holy Land? "God wills it!" And though we might not carry physical weapons today the damage we do with out words and actions, is just as devastating.

People see us, they associate us with the words listed above because that is what they see, and when that happens, the associate those attributes with Jesus and want nothing to do with Him. The friend of sinners is despised and rejected by them because those who claim to be His followers don't portray who He really is.

Church, the longer we refuse to act like Christ, the greater the damage we do is, and the harder it becomes to repair. There are people who have walked away from God and will never look back because of the Church. The world is full of people who are bitter towards the Church and cynical towards God because of what they have seen in those who claim to be His followers. The more we judge and condemn, the higher and thicker the walls become.

It is time for us to look inside. It is time for us to focus on who God is, and what Christ must do in our own lives. It is time for us to repent of the damage we have done and begin to tear down the walls as the hands of Christ so that the friend of sinners is able to reach out to them.

"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you