Sinners.

Jesus said, "'For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.'"  Matthew 9:13b (NRSV)

Why did Jesus forgive sinners?

Jesus said, "'A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them.  Now which of them will love him more?'  Simon answered, 'I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.'  And Jesus said to him, 'You have judged rightly.'"  Luke 7:41-43 (NRSV)

We are encouraged to forgive others as God has forgiven us.

We all make mistakes.
But God does not punish us.
No one is condemned.

It is human nature to divide the world into good and evil, us and them, right and wrong.....
But God does not see it thus.
Are the righteous any better than sinners?

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the temple, "'Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.'"  Matthew 21:31b (NRSV)

Our heavenly Father will not abandon us.
He understands our decisions.
And the tyranny of fear.

Help us to forgive others as we have been forgiven.


(Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.)