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Jesus the Sinner Magnet

A man named Tom Wymore wrote on his blog that Jesus was a “Sinner Magnet.”

I like that. Well said, Tom.

Sinners simply loved Jesus. Ever wonder why? He DID turn water into wine at parties. The Pharisees snarled, “This man is a friend of sinners…and he eats with them!” 

I think Jesus - undoubtedly a spiritual person to say the least - simply “sounded” different to the sinners He encountered. He wasn’t judgmental. He didn’t tell them they were going to Hell. He loved them and healed them and ministered to their needs. 

It was the religious folks who were bothered the most by Jesus. 

The feeling was apparently mutual.

Sunday morning, I was in a Conference Call with six Members of an organization called Outreach Fellowship International (OFI). The goal of OFI is to raise up at least one Member in each of our 50 states who will mentor at least one Christian in each of 200 other nations. I’ve been doing this about 9 months with people in 3rd world nations and it’s very satisfying and quite thrilling to watch them grow in the Lord. They are so receptive to healing and salvation that miracles have taken place in crowds who simply heard the interpreted word preached OVER THE TELEPHONE! I’ll be preaching “in” Uganda this weekend.

Well, one of the men on Sunday’s call has a very effective ministry to street people and mobile home communities in the USA. Unlike traditional church environments in America, however, much like the 3rd world nations, he testified to the way street people and down-and-outers he encountered were also very receptive to the Gospel. They, too, saw many miracles in those ministry settings as they met their physical needs as well as feeding them spiritually.

Are YOU working with people who need Jesus? Rather than preach at them or invite them to a church service, why not find out what their needs are and organize some Christian friends to help them? Maybe there’s a single mom with kids whose car needs work. A few folks can take the kids out for Happy Meals while a couple of others accompany her to a dealership for repairs. Perhaps one is living in a mobile home with no air conditioning. Lack of clothes for the kids, not enough food, an inability to handle a budget, lack of parental skills…there are a million ways we can meet someone’s needs OUTSIDE the walls of a church building.

The great evangelist Charles Spurgeon said, “Before you give a man a tract, wrap it in a sandwich.”

I agree.

Pray about who you can bless in your workplace and how. 

Then mobilize!

Every blessing,

PS: If you’d be interested in OFI, just ask. Also, you might be interested in joining the new Facebook.com Group called “The Church @ Work.” In just 3 weeks, we’ve grown to over 50 Members from all across the nation. In fact, you may be interested in starting a “LIVE” Chapter of this group and meet one monthly. Don’t panic, I’ll assist you!