Brother and sisters, you cannot tell how moral you are by the friends you move around with, for your friends do not define who you are!
And birds of a feather do not flock together, that is just a saying that people say from time to time!
For if JESUS is a friend to sinners, then JESUS is the sinner’s friend despite the sins and actions of the sinners!
Brothers and sisters, JESUS was always being judged based off the company he kept, for JESUS ate with sinners, sinners followed JESUS, sinners listened to JESUS, a prostitute poured anointed oil on JESUS feet, and she washed JESUS feet with her hair!
And while all these things were happening around JESUS, and to JESUS, he was constantly being judged for the company he kept, for JESUS truly is a friend of sinners!~
(Luke 7:36-50) And one of the Pharisees desired JESUS that he would eat with him.
And JESUS went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that JESUS sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at JESUS feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner.
And JESUS answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee.
And he said, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both.
Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, you have rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, See you this woman?
I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet.
My head with oil you did not anoint: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
And he said unto her, your sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also?
And he said to the woman, your faith has saved you; go in peace.
(Matthew 9:10-13) And it came to pass, as JESUS sat at meat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?
But when JESUS heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
But you go and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(Mark 2:15) And it came to pass, that, as JESUS sat at meat in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat also together with JESUS and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
(Luke 15:1-10) Then drew near unto JESUS all the tax collectors and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them.
And JESUS spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find 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 neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents.
Brothers and sisters, A true friend is not your friend based off conditions, for true friendship is defined by true love, and love suffers long, love is kind, love bears all things, loves hopes all things, love never fails, and just as love is, then so is friendship, for true friendship is grounded in love!
Brothers and sisters, I am sinner saved by grace, I was a four time felon, drug dealer, gangster disciple, whore monger, career criminal, been to jail 3 different times in my life, I also been to jail for murder, and I have friends I grew up with who are cut from the same cloth I am cut from, and I have not stopped being their friends because GOD changed me, for GOD saved me and changed me to affect them, that they might experience change, by seeing someone they know who has been changed!
Brothers and sisters, wisdom teaches us that sometime you have to become all things to all people to reach some people!
(1 Corinthians 9:19-22) For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
(Proverbs 17:17) A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
(Proverbs 18:24) A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.