rubbing shoulders with "notorious sinners"

Luke 15: 1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them. (NLT)

1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." (The Message)

1 NOW THE tax collectors and [notorious and especially wicked] sinners were all coming near to [Jesus] to listen to Him.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering and indignantly complaining, saying, "This man accepts and receives and welcomes [preeminently wicked] sinners and eats with them." (Amplified)

I wonder what kinda of people were considered "notorious sinners" by people back then. We've lost our sense of what's sinful or "preeminently wicked" in a day of spin & no moral center. Who is the world would we consider in today's world that kind of person, especially in view of the meltdown we've experienced in the financial market (with no one seemingly bearing any responsibility for this), the meltdown of the big 3 automakers (with no one seemingly taking responsibility for that), & not only our country, but the whole world shifting into the worst recession since the Great Depression (there is a lot of finger pointing in regards to this, but very little, if no responsibility being taken!).

And in a world of no moral center, who would be considered "sinful" these days, let alone "notorious" in doing it? Look at the people we hld up as cultural icons or heros - very few seem to be of the ilk we would call "a liver of an exemplary lifestyle."

Anyway, I find it intersting that Jesus seemed to draw these kinds of people to Him. Rememebr that rabbi & holy men back then were asiduous in keeping themselves ritually "clean" so as to be able to worship in the temple or synagogues. Notorious sinners were used to being scorned & reviled by the "church leaders" of the day.

But these sinners were able to put aside their fear or cynicism toward religious leaders when it came to Jesus. there was a quality to His life, & the way He love people, that made even the most odious of people feel drawn to Him.

And since we have Him living inside of us, as well as His Holy Spirit, wouldn't it follow that the "notorious sinners" of our day should be drawn to our lives & the way we love people - simplu because we've experienced his love in such a magnificent way?

I also wonder, as we walk toward being a presence in downtown Macon, who will speak out against us as we rub shoulders with some of the people who frequent, work, & live there. And what will they think if we eat with them?!!! Quite frankly, I'll be suspicious if there isn't some strong opposition from some quarters to our presence downtown. the devil is not gonna like it one bit & is probably gonna thrown quite a bit of opposition to our desire to love God's children down there.