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!

Seeing Ourselves as We Really Are
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Self-righteousness was the sin that Jesus faced more than any other. The Pharisees saw themselves as righteous, so they looked down on everyone else. Do we ever think we’re better than people who don’t go to church, people who commit awful crimes, people who live immoral lives? If so, that self-righteousness will keep us from taking God’s love and hope to them. None of us deserve God’s forgiveness. That’s the story of the Gospel. And because we have been forgiven, we do not have the right to choose who we will love!


