Sunday Sermon

In Scribes and Pharisees world view, there is a holy order that must be maintained. Wicked, sinful people must not co-mingle with the righteous. They’ve had their eyes on Jesus. They’ve been monitoring his ministry. As the religious police, they want to make sure that Jesus is following proper holiness behaviors. And then they see it. Corrupt tax collectors and all kinds of “sinful” people are approaching Jesus. And Jesus doesn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he even sits down to EAT with them! He is in no way setting a proper example to society. It’s as if Jesus and the Pharisees are living in alternate universes. Jesus very patiently tries to explain the economy of God’s kingdom. He relates three short stories to describe the mercy of God and His search for that which is lost....