Why Go Into The Prisons?

"...Lord, when did we see you ...sick, or in prison & come unto You?" Matthew 25:37 & 39.
Jesus said.. "in as much as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto Me"
Matthew 25:40.
His Purpose.... Jesus came to seek & save the lost" Luke 7:34
Prisons are a dark place. But it is a part of our world, in fact, it is a world of it's own, apart from society.
Why go into the prisons? Prisons are filled with criminals; those who brake the laws of the land, who have
no regard for humanity or God. Prisons are full of people we don't want to come into contact with. They
are the unlovely, the despised, the rejects, & outcasts of society. Most would say, "Lock them up & throw
away the key". A deserving statement, for our prisons are overflowing with murderers, child molesters,
drug addicts, alcoholics, thieves, liars, & con artists. LOST PEOPLE!!! Yet, daily, most of us sit or work
beside these people & don't know it! They are lost people just like we were until JESUS FOUND US!
We go to the prisons because our purpose is that of Jesus Christ; to seek & save the lost.
However, that is not the only reason we are to go into prisons, it is because we ourselves have done
wrong, for we too have sinned against God.
The Bible tells us: "all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
"And you hath He quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses & sins; wherein in time past
ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh & of the mind; &
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God...who is rich in mercy, for His great
love wherewith He loved us. Even when we (you & me) were dead in sins." Ephesians 2:1-5.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith, & that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works,
lest any man should boast. " Ephesians 2:8-9.
We, too, were once lost & in need of a Savior. We were not saved by being "good people". Good people
still go to Hell ! But we called on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ & were saved.
"For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved". Romans 10:13.
This includes murderers & child molesters; this includes you & me, for Christ died for all~~~~the
righteous & the unrighteous. Christ died for the whole world, so that no one would have to perish,
who ever believes in Him & calls on the Name of the Lord.
The very people we might not want to associate with are the very people Jesus hung out with.
Jesus sat & ate with publicans & sinners! Matthew 9:9-13.
Jesus went where others would not go. He sought out the lepers, the outcasts, & the untouchables.
He touched them & healed them. He had compassion for everyone. Therefore, how can any of us
say that we are good people unless we go & do the things that Jesus taught us to do? For if we look
down on others, we are no better than the Pharisee who prayed & said "I thank you that I am not
like other men, extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.." When the publican prayed,
"he smote his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner". Jesus said "this man went down to his
house justified rather than the other..." Luke 9:9-14.
Why go to the prisons? Because we are God's creation, we are His children, & the Father wants
someone to bring souls out of prison.
Those of us who go to the prisons are always asked this same question...
"Why would you want to go to a place like that?" Our answer..."If not for the Grace of God,
there go I". If God's Hand had not been upon our life, we too could be sitting in a prison cell.
If we are to be like Jesus we must do the things that Jesus did, go to the places where Jesus went
& associate with the people that Jesus associated with.
Luke 4:18-21 says that Jesus fulfilled that day the prophesy of Isaiah 61:1-2
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news
unto the meek, He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty (freedom) to
the captives & the opening of the prisons to those that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord & the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort those who mourn"
We must go to the prison to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ...to proclaim freedom to the captives
& the opening of the prisons to them that are bound.