When you want to hear someone, don’t you move closer to them in order to listen to them?

Jesus was talking to a large crowd of people… and in that crowd were many men from many walks of life.  Tax collectors, sinners (people who were not religious), Pharisees and scribes, men who were leaders in the synagogue.  Of course, the twelve disciples of Jesus were there.  A mixture of society.

“Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.” Luke 15:1 NASB

Jesus welcomed everyone to listen to Him… even the hated tax collectors, Jewish men who collected taxes for Rome and then anything left over was theirs.  So I would imagine they overtaxed the people to line their own pockets.
Even those who were not religious were coming near… to listen to Him. 

How did the religious leaders react?
“Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”  Luke 15:2 NASB

What category do you fit in?  Are you  a sinner?  I am.  When I received Jesus as my Savior I became a sinner saved by God’s grace. 

I was once like the Pharisees and the scribes.  I was religious but I didn’t have a clue about Jesus as the Redeemer, the Savior whom I needed.

What about you?  What category do you fit in?

You are encouraged to “… come near… to listen…” to Him!  Jesus loves you.  He invites you to be “…coming near… to listen to Him.”  every day!

~ Take it to heart ~

By reading this devotional, you are moving in closer to hear what Jesus has to say to you.
Not my words, read His words.  Listen to Him by reading the Holy Bible.

“… come near… to listen…”