Judges 9-10, Luke 5:17—39 Key Verses: Luke 5:31-32
Jesus had a knack for running with the wrong crowd—at least in the eyes of the self-righteous.
Those who were religious believed that the righteous should associate only with those who are
righteous. Most of the religious leaders with whom Jesus had contact were hypocritical and
legalistic. It was easy for them to criticize Him for His involvement with “sinners.”
Matthew was a new follower of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus quietly but publicly. The meal he
provided for his friends gave them opportunity to meet Jesus. For the righteous, this was wrong
because eating with someone was a sign of friendship. By doing this, Jesus demonstrated that He
was a friend of sinners.
To answer His critics, Jesus used the analogy of a doctor. The sick people are the ones who need
a physician, not the healthy. He knew their need and wanted to bring healing into the lives of
those regarded as sinners.
Jesus did not go along with the crowd, but He was with them. It was there that they heard His
message.
Are you ever with the wrong crowd? God does not want us to go along but He does Want us to
reach out. If you are never with them, how can you ever reach them?
Who are the people you know who need Jesus? Are you trying to find ways to tell them about the
salvation He offers? You can’t minister to people you avoid.
Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in