1. We Are Broken Sinners
Broken sinners are people humbled to listen to God like a child listens to parents. What we learn is that God exists and humanity has had a marred (sinful) history and relationship to God almost from the beginning of time. Humanity has become one of the two great enemies to God.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).
Either we humbly trust him or we pridefully live ignoring him. God says this countless times and in various ways such as this Bible passage:
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8).
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you (1 Peter 5:6).
Jesus is the ultimate example of humility,
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).
Jesus explains the difference between pride and humility, uniquely revealing a religious leader in love with themselves and a tax-collector utterly humbled before God in a parable:
I tell you, this man [tax collector] went down to his house justified, rather than the other [Pharisee]. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
Jesus even says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." This came from the context of self-righteous Jewish "scribes of the Pharisees" questioning Jesus, his teaching, his purpose and his company at dinner -- unwilling to listen, learn or love.
And as he [Jesus] reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners' (Mark 2:15–17).
Therefore, the church are Christians who realize they are broken sinners loved by the eternal physician to love others.
We then come to love what he loves. A pastor from a couple hundred years ago in London, England, named Charles Spurgeon, came to realize this and loved sinners. What he wrote tells them of his love for sinners and as such, a sacrifice to call them to love sinners:
There are many stray sheep about. I would rather have them than you. Keep to your own place. I do not want to rob other ministers. Do not come here from charity. We are much obliged to you for your kindly intentions. But we would rather have your seat than your company if you are members of other Churches. We want sinners to come -- sinners of every sort. But do not let us have that sort of men whose ears are everlastingly itching for some new preacher -- who are saint, 'I need something else, I need something else.' - pg. 80 of "Living by Revealed Truth" by Tom Nettles.
A church of broken sinners loves to see other sinners rejoice in knowing God the Son -- Jesus the Christ as their savior -- dead and risen for them and the world. Christianity is centered around him and him alone.
