How did Jesus do it?

How did he love the woman at the well?

How did he reach out to Matthew?

How did he show grace to Zaccheus?

He didn't overlook their sin - he did it by looking past their sin.

Jesus looked past their sin and their suffering and loved them.

He spoke tender words of forgiveness, he sat down and ate with them and he said, "Walk with me."

While Jesus hated sin, he loved sinners; he loved sinners enough to die for them - for us.

And we are called to do the same - that includes, alcoholics, fornicators, I.V. drug abusers, and homosexuals.

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

We love that verse – that separates the wheat from the chaff doesn’t it? But it’s the next verse we ignore.

“And - such - were - some - of - you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Yes, we should hate sin, all sin, but we have no room to despise the sinner, because we have sinned just as much as they.

But Jesus Christ gave us a reprieve so that we could produce fruit.

“His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." - John 9

We have to do the works of the one who sent him while it is day.