6. Jesus Came to Save Sinners (Have We Forgotten?)
“The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10
We love to sing about Jesus the Forgiver. We post verses about grace. We celebrate that He loves us despite our sin.
But somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten that saving people is supposed to be our business too.
Some Christians have thrown themselves into feeding the hungry and clothing the naked—beautiful, necessary work. But if we give people bread while staying silent about the Savior who can meet their deepest needs, we’ve failed them.
Others focus entirely on “saving souls” while ignoring physical needs—also missing the point.
Jesus did both. He healed bodies and saved souls. He fed thousands and preached the kingdom. We’re supposed to do the same.
7. Throw Parties for People Who Can’t Pay You Back
“When you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you.” – Luke 14:13-14
This command is so countercultural we’ve basically ignored it.
Our parties, dinners, and gatherings are reserved for:
- People we like
- People who can return the favor
- People who make us look good
- People like us
Jesus says: Invite the people who can give you nothing in return. The poor. The disabled. The socially awkward. The forgotten.
Why? Because these people have God’s heart. They’re special to Him. “He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord,” Proverbs says.
The closer we are to Jesus, the more these “least of these” will matter to us too.
When was the last time you threw a party—a real celebration—for someone who couldn’t possibly repay you?
8. With Jesus, Change Is the Norm
“No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment… And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.” – Luke 5:36-37
We love our status quo. We love our comfortable methods, familiar routines, and predictable rhythms.
Jesus doesn’t play that game.
He’s forever calling us out of comfort zones, abandoning customary methods, and finding new ways of seeing, doing, and achieving. New wineskins—strong, flexible, faithful, growing—that’s His pattern for disciples.
No one unwilling to constantly change and adapt can follow Jesus Christ for long.
Yet churches cling to “we’ve always done it this way” like it’s a theological position. It’s not. It’s inertia masquerading as faithfulness.
9. It’s Not About Keeping Rules
“Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath was made for man.” – Mark 2:27
There’s a fine line between obeying the Lord and slavishly keeping rules. Many well-intentioned Christians miss it entirely.
The letter of the law kills; the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). Visit any legalistic church and you’ll see it: rule-keepers “omit the weightier matters” while obsessing over “tithing mint and dill and cumin” (Matthew 23:23).
A true story: An Amish man disinherited his adult sons for buying a car. Yet he would hire a car and driver to transport him to Nashville, where he’d board planes to travel the world.
That’s what happens when we worship rules instead of following Jesus. We twist God’s laws into shackles for our neighbors while finding loopholes for ourselves.
The object is obedience to a Person, not perfect compliance with regulations.
