When you think of “sinners” who might be excluded from God’s kingdom, does anyone come to mind? If so, you may be entering dangerous territory. The Pharisees were certain of their own seat at God’s table, convinced that the tax collectors and prostitutes had no such place. But Jesus came precisely for the people the religious crowd wrote off. He welcomes the broken, the fallen, the forgotten with open arms the moment they repent and turn to Him. God’s grace reaches farther than our judgments, and we may be surprised by those who are on heaven’s guest list!

The Unavoidable Claims of Jesus
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Jesus claimed to be one with God, to hold power over life and death, and to deserve equal honor with the Father. He even declared that if you reject Him, you are calling God a liar. These are the words of someone who is either delusional or divine. Such radical claims don’t allow us to remain neutral. We must answer the unavoidable question: What will we do with Jesus? He cannot be admired from a distance or added as an accessory to our lives. In the end, there is no middle ground: we either bow in belief or turn away in blindness.

