June 17, 2026 · Mark Bishop
To Get There From Here
“And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 15:2-7 →
## The Reason for the Rules
My wife tends to be a bit more nice or receptive to people than I am. She always tries to include people and usually, they would end up having a meal with us- yes, both of us which means I wasn't too fond of it but went along with the idea. I didn't mind it too much when I had something in common with the person or persons, but when we were on opposite sides on almost everything then it made for a long night. In the previous devotion, I mentioned who the Pharisees and scribes were. The experts in living out and knowing the Law had no idea the purpose behind it. You know you should get an oil change every so many miles because that's the rule, but if you don't know the purpose then you may just ignore it for a few extra months only to find your engine is toast. Sometimes we ignore the reasons why a rule is there in the first place, which could one day cost us our lives. The rules would tell a Jewish person (especially one that was considered to be a Rabbi) not to eat with Gentiles. They pointed out that Jesus was breaking the law. The word "receives" in the Greek can mean "welcome or accept." He isn't just welcoming these wicked men, but the phrase "eats with them" means more than just having food in the mix; it is an expression that focuses more on the company than the
object of food. In other words, Jesus is welcoming those pursuing Him into a relationship with God.
## The Divider
Not only is Christ the divider that I mentioned in the last devotional, but He is also the bridge to God. The company that was with Jesus had nothing in common with each other on the surface. They ate different meals and lived different lives, but those things didn't keep Him from sharing a meal with them. When we first meet Christ, we have nothing in common and are far off from Him. After He finds us, then we have more in common than we would have thought. Paul says that we should share in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10). We end up bonding over things that don't make sense. Why the Law? To point us to God, whom we cannot find on our own. Christ came to live out the Law, which we cannot do, and thus became the only sacrifice to be our bridge to our Creator. The Law says you can't get to God; Christ says "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Christ was the One that made the Father happy because He lived out the Law entirely, thus becoming our way into His presence.
## Self-Check
He left Heaven for that lost sheep; for that tax collector and sinner group. He came for you and me. We're all sinners and salvation is only found in Him. Aren't you glad He welcomed you to His table when you had nothing in common? Aren't you glad you received an invitation to eat with Him? Today is a good day to be thankful He found you, and you found Him.
## Even in the Last Hour