What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?” Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” (Matthew 9:11-13 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Come Inside
This is an ironic story. The Jews of Jesus day, having been saved by God’s mercy and grace (as they were supposed to remember every Passover feast!) had forgotten how God had saved them. They had forgotten that they, if left to their own devices, would be crooks and riffraff, too.
But Jesus sees things as they are. The only difference between those outsider crooks and riffraff, and the insider crooks and riffraff is Jesus Himself.
The outsiders sought Him, knowing He was their only hope. The insiders rejected Him, thinking they did not really need Him.
Whether you see yourself as an outsider or an insider, stop using those labels. Both outsiders and insiders need the Jesus gate. Both need HIM to welcome us crooks and riffraff.
In fact, in the big scheme of things, there are no outsiders and insiders. Only self-siders and Jesus-siders.
Fear not, then come inside.