is year that has made the most impact to me! It is the very beginning verse in one of the most famous chapters in the Bible, featuring the Parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son. This chapter is famous due to the parables that speak of God’s relentless and reckless grace, but this first verse has really made an impact on me the last couple of weeks.

Here’s the question that came to my mind that in the past I’ve just taken for granted when I’ve blown through this verse in order to get to the “good” stories: Why were sinners so willing and even eager to listen to Jesus? Jesus didn’t have an easy message that tickled people’s ears. Jesus never compromised on sin and said that everything they were doing was acceptable. They weren’t gathering around Jesus because he was putting on some sensationalistic show of signs and wonders. At this point in Luke’s narrative the emphasis is on Jesus’ teaching and miracles are hardly even mentioned.

Why did the “lost” seek out Jesus rather than run from him? I believe the answer is his compassion. Jesus loved them and showed them that love with a compassionate instead of condemning attitude. He preached more what he stood for than what he stood against. In the next verse, it’s going to tell us that Jesus “welcomed sinners and ate with them.” One of the definitions for the Greek word translated as “welcomes” in this verse is to “receive as a friend.” This was Jesus’ attitude toward those who were lost in sin. Jesus welcomed them; he was compassionate and accepting of them despite their sins and faults. He was a friend and not a foe. Jesus had an attitude that lost people were attracted to, do we? For us as individuals and as a church to reach people we are going to have to show that same love and acceptance and create an environment where no matter what you have going on in your life, you are welcome to be a part of my life and you are certainly welcome to walk through the doors of our church.

Every decision that we make 