Suppose someone asked you for an example from the Bible of Jesus being a Friend of sinners. Which story would you tell? As I role play answering this question in my mind, I’d like to think I would be quick enough to hold up the entire Bible and say, “This one!”


Just as the Bible is 66 books making one book, it is many stories all telling the one story. My evangelism professor in seminary, Dr. Steve Childers, summed up the main story in five words: God. Man. Sin. Christ. Response.


The greatest “Friend of sinners” story is that God who is holy and just, created everything including us. Through Adam all sinned, which brought with it death and judgment. In God’s perfect plan and time, Jesus came and took our punishment on Himself, substituting Himself in our place. God now commands a response from each of us – to repent and believe the Gospel.


Today we have love, forgiveness, peace, joy, hope and community with other believers in the local church and all around the world – all of it because of Jesus.