"Now the Tax Collector..."---Lk.15:1

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.”—-Lk.15:1 It is easy to ascertain the folks back then considered the word tax-collector and sinner as synonymous. It was such as these that were drawing near to hear the sweet words of Jesus. Meanwhile, the Pharisees and scribes couldn’t believe that Jesus would speak to them, much less get that close to “sinners.” Knowing their hearts, Jesus shares a couple of parables teaching them that just as, they look for lost things—-so does God. People lost in sin have lost their way, and Jesus has come to bring them back. “Just so, I tell you, there is a joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (v.10) When one person comes to faith in Christ, there is a party in heaven!—-Jesus said. —- As we grow in our personal faith, we too can become accidental Pharisees (thinking too highly of ourselves, forgetting that we too came out of sin). Maybe there are people around you that are in deeper to sin than you ever were. Remember that Jesus came for them also.