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Jesus repeatedly ate and drank with, associated with, and was followed by folks that were considered undesirables by the religious establishment. In fact, Jesus was repeatedly criticized for his association with such people. But the Lord was undeterred.

Jesus came to seek and save lost people so he associated with them (Luke 19:10). When they became followers, they often invived their friends to come meet Jesus — they wanted to connect their unbelieving friends to their Lord and Savior (Matthew 5:27-32).

Jesus has sent us into the world just as His Father sent Him into the world (John 17:18; John 20:21). Clearly, we are to invite people into relationship with our Christian family, but Jesus urges us to go further: we are to go find lost people and bring them into relationship with Him and grow them in His grace (Matthew 28:18-20).