JESUS MEETS SINNERS

Jesus came to earth with a special mission. He did not come only for people who seemed good or religious. Jesus often said he came to find and save people who were lost. Many times in the Bible, we see Jesus meeting with people that others called “sinners.” These were people who had done wrong things or were not accepted by religious leaders.

Who Were Called “Sinners” in Jesus’ Time?

In Jesus’ time, certain groups of people were called “sinners” by the religious leaders:

1. Tax collectors – They collected money for the Roman government. Many tax collectors took extra money for themselves. People saw them as cheaters and traitors.
2. Prostitutes – These were women who sold their bodies for money. Their way of life went against God’s teachings about marriage and purity.
3. Gentiles – These were people who were not Jewish. Religious Jews often avoided them because they did not follow Jewish laws.
4. Those with certain illnesses – People with skin diseases (like leprosy) or bleeding problems were considered “unclean” and were kept separate from others.
5. People in certain jobs – Shepherds, tanners (who made leather), and some other workers were looked down upon.

Religious leaders called the Pharisees and teachers of the law stayed away from these people. They thought being near “sinners” would make them spiritually unclean.

Stories of Jesus Meeting Sinners

1. Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-10)

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who was very rich. He was short and climbed a tree to see Jesus. When Jesus passed by, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly. I must stay at your house today.”

The people were shocked that Jesus would go to the home of a “sinner.” But Zacchaeus was so moved by Jesus’ kindness that he promised to give half his money to the poor and pay back four times the amount to anyone he had cheated.

Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

2. The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 8:1-11)

The religious leaders brought to Jesus a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery (being unfaithful in marriage). According to Jewish law, she could be stoned to death.

They asked Jesus what they should do, trying to trap him. Jesus bent down and wrote in the dirt with his finger. Then he said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

One by one, everyone left until only Jesus and the woman remained. Jesus asked her, “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said.

Jesus declared, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

3. The Sinful Woman Who Anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50)

Jesus was invited to eat at the home of Simon, a Pharisee. During the meal, a woman known as a sinner in that town came in with an alabaster jar of perfume. She stood behind Jesus, crying, and her tears fell on his feet. She wiped his feet with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them.

Simon thought, “If Jesus were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him—that she is a sinner.”

Jesus told Simon a story about two people who owed money—one owed a little, one owed a lot. When neither could pay, the lender canceled both debts. Jesus asked, “Which one will love him more?”

Simon answered, “The one who had the bigger debt canceled.”

Jesus turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since she came in. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.”

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven… Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

4. Matthew (Levi) the Tax Collector (Matthew 9:9-13)

Jesus saw Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth and said to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed Jesus.

Later, Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus heard this and said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

5. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:1-42)

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at a well. Jews did not usually talk to Samaritans, and men did not usually speak to women in public. But Jesus asked her for a drink of water.

During their conversation, Jesus revealed that he knew she had five husbands in the past and was now living with a man who was not her husband.

Instead of running away in shame, the woman was amazed by Jesus’ knowledge and acceptance. She went back to her town and told everyone about Jesus. Many Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of her testimony.

How Jesus Treated Sinners

When Jesus met people who were called sinners, he showed several important qualities:

1. Kindness – Jesus was gentle and kind, never harsh or mean.
2. Acceptance – Jesus accepted people as they were, but didn’t leave them that way.
3. Truth – Jesus spoke truth about sin, but without condemning the person.
4. Hope – Jesus offered a new beginning and a better way to live.
5. Forgiveness – Jesus offered forgiveness to those who were sorry for their sins.
6. Invitation – Jesus invited “sinners” to follow him and change their lives.

Why Religious Leaders Were Upset

The religious leaders were upset when Jesus spent time with sinners for several reasons:

1. They thought holy people should stay away from sinners to remain pure.
2. They believed God loved only “good” people who followed all the rules.
3. They were jealous that sinners listened to Jesus more than to them.
4. They didn’t understand that God’s love is for everyone, not just for those who seem perfect.

Jesus explained his actions with these words: “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick” (Mark 2:17). He meant that sinners needed his help more than those who thought they were already good enough.

What Jesus Taught About Sin

Jesus taught important lessons about sin:

1. Everyone has sinned – No one is perfect. We all need God’s forgiveness.
2. Sin separates us from God – Sin breaks our relationship with God.
3. God loves sinners – Even when we sin, God still loves us.
4. Forgiveness is available – Through Jesus, we can be forgiven.
5. Change is possible – After meeting Jesus, people can change their lives.

Lessons We Can Learn

From Jesus’ meetings with sinners, we can learn:

1. Don’t judge others – We all have our own sins and mistakes.
2. Show kindness to everyone – Be kind even to those who have done wrong things.
3. Offer forgiveness – Be ready to forgive others as Jesus forgives us.
4. Help others change – Support people who want to live better lives.
5. Remember God’s love – God loves everyone, even those who have made big mistakes.
6. Be humble – Don’t think you are better than others because of their sins.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Jesus spend time with people that others rejected?
2. How do you think sinners felt when Jesus talked to them?
3. How should we treat people who have done wrong things?
4. What can we learn from the way Jesus treated sinners?
5. How can we help others without judging them?