Scripture:
Matthew 9:9-13 NKJV
[9] As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. [10] Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. [11] And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [12] When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Observation:
Tax collectors, just like in today’s society, we’re not the best people to be seen with. As the popularity of Jesus started to grow and draw attention and HE was gaining more and more disciples. The kind of people that were drawn to HIM were the unlikely people. The problem with that is that those are the kind of people that the religious leaders didn’t even want close to them. In the process of calling HIS disciples to HIM, HE ran across one that those who were leading the church hated the most… a tax collector. This caught the attention of the Pharisees, and as HE sat at the table eating with this group of people that most Jewish people would never be seen with, they couldn’t help but mention it to HIS disciples. HIS response was unexpected but valuable and left them standing there with their mouth hanging open more than likely. But seeing an opportunity to teach and as a teacher, HE had to take it. “It’s not the healthy who need a physician but those who are sick.” HIS very next statement probably offended them and definitely challenged them. They would never be seen with those kinds of people, I mean, what would people think… a Jewish rabbi hanging out with tax collector’s prostitutes and a Foul-mouthed fisherman who couldn’t hold his tongue, and here is the SAVIOR of the world right in the middle of them. But what need did those who “had no sin” need with a savior? The last statement made by Jesus in the group of scriptures we are looking at really exposed HIS purpose for coming to earth. “I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinner, to repentance. After HE challenged them to learn about mercy, this statement had to sting a little. They were looked at as leaders. They had a position in the community. But they did not want their reputation to be stained. However, their lack of mercy or grace was a tail tell sign that their knowledge of scripture was insufficient. After all, HE was bruised for our transgression and pierced for our iniquities.
Application:
Knowing who you were before your personal encounter with Jesus Christ and who you are now has to fill your heart with mercy and grace. I never want to come off like I am someone because, honestly, I know what it’s like to be seemingly without hope. But at some point, someone who was not afraid of what the religious people around them would think pulled up next to me and showed me the love of Christ, and it’s my desire to do the same for others. I never want to push people who are in need of a savior away. Being afraid to get your hands stained by the sins of others shows that you don’t truly understand that you are just like them. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of GOD. In and of ourselves, we are not righteous and never will be, and if we think we can, we are in the wrong. Having compassion for those who are like us is the key. The Bible says those who have been forgiven much love much. My point is I never want to forget where HE found me, and I never want to go back. I also never want to look down my nose at those who are just like I used to be. The harsh reality is this without Jesus, I am either still stuck where I was in the grip of addiction, or I am looking at those who are stuck in it as though I am better than them. Jesus is the key to compassion. We are not better than anyone, and we are no worse either. We are all sinners saved by grace. We are all in need of a SAVIOR. You can not be righteous in and of yourself. Without Jesus, we have no hope. We are all sick and in need of the great physician to heal our hearts of our sinful condition. Even if the condition is self-righteousness.
Prayer:
Father, we know we have no hope without you. Our request this morning is that you fill our hearts with compassion for others. We never want to forget where we have come from because if we do, we are on our way back. Help us never become Cynical and think we did this on our own. We always want to keep the day we encounter you fresh in our minds. Knowing you are what has changed our lives. Showing the grace and mercy you showed us to others may change theirs, and honestly, we just want to be used by you. So we ask this morning for you to fill our cup to overflowing so that others can see you through us. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen