I Timothy 1:15 - This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

I. Who is a sinner?

A. I John 3:4 – "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

B. James 2:10 states, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." By looking at the context of this passage, we understand the person who prefers the rich over the poor is guilty of the entire law.

C. Revelation 21:8 reveals who will be in the Lake of Fire.

1. "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

2. Notice that the unbelieving are in the same category as whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars.

3. The vile and the not so vile all go into the Lake of Fire.

II. What kind of a person was Paul before the Lord saved him?

A. Acts 22:4,5 gives us Paul’s own words, "And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished."

III. Zacchaeus – Luke 19:1-10 – "And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

A. What kind of man was Zacchaeus?

B. He was chief among the publicans. A publican is a tax collector, and Zacchaeus is chief, or head of them all. Publicans in those days often set their own tax rate, which was often much higher than the state required. Poor people did not have influence with government officials to receive a fair rate on their taxes. Wealthy people, on the other hand, had too much influence with government officials, therefore they would pay a lower rate than the poor folks, and the poor folks would have to make up the shortage of taxes paid by the wealthy.

C. Zacchaeus was rich. He knew he had cheated many folks, therefore proclaimed publicly he would give half of his goods to the poor, and would restore four fold to anybody he had falsely accused.

D. Look at the kind of person Jesus said he was going to eat with. Zacchaeus was a sinner. Would Jesus eat at your house? Sometimes we think Jesus would only come to righteous people, but listen to Mark 2:16,17 which states, "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." These scribes and Pharisees, who were religious as far as what men see, rebuked Christ for eating and drinking with sinners. Jesus said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." So I ask you, are you sinner enough for Jesus to eat at your house? Are you sinner enough for Jesus to save?

IV. What kind of people make up one of the churches of Jesus Christ?

A. I Corinthians 6:9-11 states, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

B. What kind of sinners were these people? The list is given in verse 9 and 10, and verse 11 asserts these are the kinds of sins the church members at Corinth had been. Of course, when they are saved, they stop the old way of life.

C. Notice the church members at Corinth were involved in all sorts of sins:

1. Fornication – illicit sexual encounters before marriage; a male prostitute; a whoremonger; involved in debauchery.

2. Idolaters – worshipper of an image.

3. Adulterers – illicit sexual encounters after marriage; prostitution, whoremonger, so forth.

4. Effeminate – A cat-a-mite – A boy who has sexual relations with a man.

5. Abusers of themselves with mankind – Sodomites or homosexuals.

6. Thieves – a stealer.

7. Covetous – eager for that which belongs to another – not satisfied or content with their own possessions.

8. Drunkard – a sot; an alcoholic.

9. Revilers – a blackguard, a railer, an abusive person.

10. Extortioners – to seize that which another person has because you have the power to do it.

V. Let me ask you honestly – Do you believe Jesus would save any of these folks? If you have been are now involved in any of these things, will Jesus save you?

A. Are you using drugs and know it is wrong. Are you now in prison, thinking there is no way out for you. Listen, Jesus can save you. He has saved many a sinner, and he will save you.

B. Do you understand that the church at Corinth was made up of people who were terrible wicked sinners before Jesus saved them, changed them and gave them a new and better way of life?