Make Room, Part 4

Jesus had a habit of moving toward the people others avoided. He welcomed those with messy lives, touched people considered untouchable, and even invited a despised tax collector to follow Him. Again and again, Jesus showed that you don’t have to get your life together before you can be embraced by God.

That changes the way we see the people around us. Instead of keeping our distance, judging from the outside, or waiting for someone to change, what if we started by making room? Sometimes loving someone well begins with something as ordinary as a conversation, a friendship, or an invitation to dinner.

Who around you might need a friend? Join us as we look at the kind of mercy Jesus modeled and what it could look like to practice it in our everyday relationships.

Jesus Paid it All
William Crockett

Goodbye Yesterday
Elevation Rhythm

For the Sake of the World
Bethel Music

That’s the Power
Hillsong Worship

The issue of Jesus was not primarily what he taught, but who he made room for.

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Luke 4:17-21
…and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

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Jesus demonstrated God’s love to us not only through how he lived but also through whom he chose to live with.

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Luke 5:8-11
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

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Luke 5:12-13
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,”he said. “Be clean!”And immediately the leprosy left him.

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Luke 5:27-32
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,”Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

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Matthew 9:12-13
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

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What is our stance towards people who are in trouble?

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Evangelism is relational before it’s informational.

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