Sinners like Jesus but they are annoyed by “Christians”…

At least that’s my introspective analysis at this point.  Check out the scripture:

“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, MANY tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matt 9:10-11

My observations:

JESUS got his homeboy lean on and so do the sinners…He is reclining at THEIR table.  Now isn’t that contrary to our expectation? He’s meeting them on their turf. Sitting at their table and he doesn’t seem to be about to lose his salvation! (MIRACULOUS). The truth that we should tell is that the reason we “can’t” go where we used to go and do what we used to do is because WE are weak, not others.  Jesus was insulated from the inside, says Oswald Chambers. So he could go into any environment and never lose WHO HE IS.  He didn’t risk conversion because there was “nothing in Him” the scripture says.  It wasn’t a temptation because he didn’t seem to have the desire for it above WHO and WHAT values to which he cherished and committed himself. Tell the truth! You can’t watch the GRAMMY’s because YOU LIKE IT and it will slowly lead to YOUR demise. It ain’t no principal.-AINT! I am totally fine with the religious practices of long skirts, cover your necks, don’t wear make-up etc as long as YOU acknowledge that is what you must do to not lose your Holy Ghost, but don’t put it off on everyone else like it’s what makes one Holy.  Moreover, stop blaming sinners for not performing up to your standards.  After all, sinners do what sinners do, according to that theology.  Why do you watch the Grammy Awards and expect holiness and righteousness and purity to be themes they contend for? #baffling.

Let’s talk about this reclining: Now my contemporary interpretation of that celebrates their posture as one of ease and openness: THE GANGSTA LEAN- Jesus is so being a homie.  The Historical perspective indicates that the posture of reclining at table (for dining) indicates “A man’s head would be in line with the chest of the person reclining to his left, making it easy for that person to lean back and speak to the person on his left without anyone else hearing what is said…” Do you get the sense of intimacy, personal closeness, and confidence that Jesus inspires with this group of “outcasts”? How can we replicate that as Christians?

Final commentary: Have you heard all of the preaching,and admonishment to stay away from the heathen (throws up the crucifix)? That we should at all costs avoid the world.  Stay away from their ghoulish practices because it will taint you.  I only have one concern with that doctrine…How does the gospel get spread if all the church people’s friends are church people? The only time it seems permissible for “Christians” to mingle with the unChristian is when you need to “WIN” souls? First of all people aren’t trophies and they are not goals, they are not objects with which to measure how saintly you are.  And if I understand the WORK at CALVARY accurately, Jesus already won them.

Again, I ask “Can people say about Christians- why does He or she hang out, recline and eat with sinners? I thought they were saved.” To the contrary, religious rhetoric actually implies that if sinners are comfortable around me then I am entirely ineffective for the Kingdom…that somehow they are comfortable around me because I don’t present a challenge to them…that I have compromised and do not uphold the standard.  But the illustration in this scripture leads me to a different conclusion.

The text in Matthew 9 says MANY sinners.  When’s the last time MANY sinners came to your worship gathering, let alone were just drawn to you? I argue we need to re-inspect our evangelism and discipleship strategies

Because sinners don’t seem to be having major problems with Jesus(at least in this text)…but the religious do.