Luke 5:31-32 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”Have you ever invited non-Christians to church only to be told by them that they are not good enough to attend church yet? Why would they give you such an answer? While it could be an inner condemnation regarding their lives, it could also come from how the church has projected herself and how Christians have been judgmental towards them. Therefore, we need to clarify who qualify to be saved and welcomed into the presence of God.
The scribes and the Pharisees were religious people who questioned and complained to Jesus’ disciples when they saw Jesus eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinners. Jesus answered that He came to call the sinners to repentance and not the righteous—this is the heart of God. We also saw the passion of Jesus Christ when He had the urgency to go about different towns and cities to preach the Gospel. Because Jesus came to seek and save the lost, as a church, we must also reach out to non-Christians in our office and community, and not be contented and comfortable by only having close fellowships with believers.
You might protest that your colleagues and neighbours do not share the same values as you and do not live godly lives, but this is precisely why some non-Christians would tell you that they would only come to church when they are good enough, because unknowingly, we have asked them to qualify themselves before coming to God. However, they cannot, and neither does God require them to qualify themselves!
Titus 3:5 (NKJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit
We need to know that our salvation is apart from works, and has absolutely nothing to do with our abilities to gain acceptance by God. We will never be good enough because no amount of good works or deeds will earn us a right standing with God.
Romans 5:6 (NKJV) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
On the other hand, Jesus died for the ungodly. It is purely the grace and mercy of God that caused Him to reach out to us and save us. Christ died for the ungodly when men were without strength or the inability to make themselves good, righteous, and holy. Therefore, all ungodly qualify to be saved and accepted by God as long as they are calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon Series: What Pleases God? (Part 1)
耶稣为有病的人来服事
路加福音5:31-32”耶稣对他们说、无病的人用不着医生．有病的人才用得着。我来本不是召义人悔改．乃是召罪人悔改。”
你是否曾经邀请非基督徒参加教会, 但是被告知他们觉得自己还不够好到可以去参加教会？他们为什么会给你这样的回答？虽然这可能是来自对他们生活方式的一种自责，但也可能是来自教会对自己的定位以及基督徒对他们的评判。因此，我们需要澄清谁有资格得救并受欢迎进入神同在中。
文士和法利赛人是宗教人士，他们看到耶稣与税吏和罪人一起吃喝时，向耶稣的门徒发起了抱怨和问题。耶稣回答说，他来本不是招义人，乃是招罪人悔改，这是上帝的心意。当耶稣迫切的去各个城乡传福音的时候，我们也看到了耶稣的激情。因为耶稣来是寻找和拯救失丧的人，作为教会，我们也必须与我们办公室和社区中的非基督徒接触，不要只对与信徒一起有亲密的团契就感到心满意足。
你可能会抗议说你的同事和邻居与你没有相同的价值观，并且过着不敬虔的生活，但这正是为什么一些非基督徒会告诉你，他们只有在足够好时才会去教会，因为这是在不知不觉中，我们已经要求他们要有资格才能来到上帝面前。但是，他们不能，上帝也不要求他们有资格！
提多书3:5 他便救了我们、并不是因我们自己所行的义、乃是照他的怜悯、借着重生的洗、和圣灵的更新。
我们需要知道，我们的救赎与我们的行为无关，与我们获得上帝接纳的能力无关。我们永远做不到足够好，因为再多的善行或好行为也不能赢得我们在神面前得以称义。
罗马书5:6 因我们还软弱的时候、基督就按所定的日期为罪人死。
另一方面，耶稣为罪人死。这纯粹是出至于上帝的恩典和怜悯使祂向我们伸出援手并拯救了我们。当人们还软弱的时候或者还无法使自己变得良好，公义和圣洁时，基督就为罪人而死。因此，只要他们呼求主耶稣基督的名，所有不敬虔的人都有资格被上帝拯救和接纳。
讲章系列：什么能得上帝的喜悦？（第一部分）