Reaching the lost like Jesus did

Mark Lauterbach reminds us that if we really mean to reach the lost with the gospel, we need to build long-term relationships with them. We certainly have examples of that approach:

First, I am struck by the fact that Jesus was so intentional in his seeking of the lost that he had a reputation for hanging out with a bad crowd. There is no other way to say this -- when they wanted to slander him, they called him a friend of sinners! Their slander was a badge of honor!

Of course, we were all lost in his eyes -- but there were folks who were lost and knew it, and there were folks who were lost and did not think they were. Generally, Jesus seemed to find that the "real sinners" were aware of their sin, and the self-righteous were offended that he thought they were sinners. And, of course, he was not just socializing -- he was on a mission, a physician to the sick. But, the real sinners were attracted to him -- and the self-righteous were offended -- and that remains a test of whether I am preaching the Gospel.

Amen. In getting to know those outside the church, Mark reminds us, we "will learn how to speak to them and what their real objections are . . . "