Why Go Into Prisons?

Why go into prisons? Matthew 25:37 & 39 "...Lord when did we see You..sick or in prison
& come to You?
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 culture all it's own because it is away from society.
Why go inside prisons? Prisons are filled with criminals, those who break the laws of our 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, despised,the rejects & outcasts of society. Most would say
"lock them up & throw away the key". A deserving statement, for child molestors, rapists, murderers,
& scoundrels. 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 into 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 the  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 made alive, who were dead in trespasses & sins, wherein in time past you
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 , were dead in sins..." Ephesians 2:1-5.
"For by grace are you 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. {A lot of
good people will 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 & I, 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, 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 are, extortionists,unjust, adulterers, or even 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 into the prisons, are always asked the same question,
"Why would you want to go to a place like that?" Our answer.."If not for the Grace of God, 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 Jesus fulfilled that day the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-2
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach the
good news unto the meek; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
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  all who mourn."
We must go into the prisons to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ...to proclaim freedom to the
captives & the opening of the prisons to them that are bound.
Ezekiel 11:25 "So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the Lord had shown me!"