Matthew 9:9-13.

Key verses 9:13.

Theme: The Messiah of Sinners.

Praise the Lord everyone. I welcome you all in this morning. And thank you that you come in the presence of God. God bless you all.

Today's message is from the book of Matthew which was written by him. And throughout this book, he also writes about himself, how he met Jesus and left his bad deeds and became a follower of Jesus.

Do you know about Matthew? Yes he was a tax collector. His job was to collect taxes from the people. He used to collect taxes from his own people for the Roman Empire. And because of this the people who used to collect taxes at that time were called traitors. Because he was working against his own people and he was mixed with Gentiles. But many tax collectors also started collecting arbitrary taxes because at that time a fixed amount went to the Roman Empire. And the tax collectors started collecting more taxes from the people to increase their wealth.

So was Matthew among them. He was also charging exorbitant fees from the people. He used to sit in a checkpoint on Capernaum's main highway. He used to charge fees from farmers, traders and any human who brought imported goods. He was in a good position. He had collected a lot of money. He had become rich. He would also have a big house. He must be living his life very well. Although people would call him unjust, thief, greedy, sinner and much more. But he was rich.

Matthew 9:9 One day while he was at his place of work. Then he encounters Jesus. Jesus comes before him and asks him to follow me. And he gets up and follows Jesus.

But Luke 5:28 states that he leaves everything behind and follows Jesus.

         Why was it that Matthew, who had so far been doing so dishonestly, was suddenly ready to give up everything. He was ready to give up his job by which he could become richer. He was ready to give up his best life and follow Jesus. Why??

Because now he has encountered Jesus. And when one encounters Jesus, that person is able to see the flaws within himself very clearly. Do you remember Zacchaeus?? Everything was going well in his life too. He also collected taxes and became rich. But when confronted with Jesus, he too was able to remove evil from his life. Do you remember yourself?? You didn't see your flaws until you encountered Jesus, but when you met Jesus, you realized how many mistakes I have in my life, how much of a sinners I am. And when we realize this, we leave everything behind and start following Jesus.

The same thing happened with Matthew. He too was able to feel his sin when he encountered Jesus. And leaving behind all his evil, he followed Jesus. Till now he was a sinner who was caught in his evil deeds but after meeting Jesus his life changed.

When Jesus chose Matthew, he was a sinner. Jesus did not wait for him to be changed. Jesus did not think that when you become a good idealistic person, then I will add you to my group. Jesus chose him in the same situation he was in. Matthew was sitting in the same post from which he sinned and Jesus chose him for his evil. How strange is this, isn't it?? Whenever you choose someone, do you choose him with his evil? Maybe not but Jesus is like that. Jesus chose you when you were evil, Jesus chose me when I was evil. Jesus also chose Matthew when he was evil. Romans 5:8 states that Jesus died for us while we were still in sin. Jesus doesn't wait for us to change, He loved us when we were still in sin. He calls us into our sin, but He does not allow us to remain sinners.

He wants to change our situation. As Jesus did with Matthew. Jesus raised Matthew from his sin and took him into his fellowship. And Jesus did the same with you and me. He raised us from our sins and called us and changed our circumstances. That's why we no longer live that way or do the bad things we used to do before coming to Christ. Isn't it?? Now we don't do bad things. Like Matthew, Jesus chose us as his followers.

Let's move on to the next verses 10-11. Matthew, who has now changed, has a big banquet in his house. Most of the people in his house were tax collectors and sinners. And Jesus was also in that house. Jesus ate with the tax collectors and with the sinners. Notice from where so many tax collectors and sinners come from here. You must remember that this feast was being given by Matthew. And Matthew, who is a tax collector, his friends also would’ve been tax collectors. Those who came to this feast were invited by Matthew. And Jesus was ready to dine with these sinners.

What you need to note here is that Jesus never avoided the company of sinners. Jesus came to help sinners, not to allow them to remain in sin. Jesus used to associate with sinners in order to redeem them from their sin.

You must also understand not to abstain from the company of sinners because they need Jesus. And you can be the way those people can reach Jesus. 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. Paul tells us that you can have fellowship with sinners, but the Christian who commits sin as a brother, throw him out of your midst.

A little understanding is needed here because one who is an unbeliever and is in sin should not avoid the company of one who is an unbeliever. And it should not come as a surprise because he is an atheist. Jesus never stayed away from sinners, so we should not stay because such people need Jesus.

If you read in the following verses, you will see that Jesus has to face criticism. Verses 12-13 Jesus is despised by the Pharisees. You also have to be prepared because people will criticize you too. The way Jesus did. Even today there will be people in front of you who do not want you to have the company of sinners. But the important thing is that you don't shy away from people who need Jesus. Because it is only because of you that they will know Jesus.

Jesus fellowship with sinners because He had come to help them. Let's read verses 12 and 13 once again. There are now three things here.

1 Need According to Jesus, those who are sinners are sick and the sick need a doctor and he himself is a doctor. It should be noted that Jesus associates with sinners in order to redeem them from sin, not just to spend some time with them. Jesus visits them to help them, and to heal them. It was prophesied in Ezekiel 34:15-16 that he would gather again those who had gone astray. 

But the Pharisees did not act according to these words, they kept their distance from sinners and condemned them. So Jesus gave them an example and explained that they needed a doctor.

2 * Mercy

Jesus wants to show mercy to those who have gone astray or are still in sin. Although it is necessary to make sacrifices to God, but your behavior should be kind with people.

As Jesus treated sinners. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus tells the Pharisees that you give a tenth to everything, but you have left out the serious things of the law, namely justice, mercy and faith. Jesus wants to explain that it is necessary to show mercy to those who are still in sin. Not exclude these people and offer sacrifice to God. That's why Jesus told the Pharisees to go back to your teaching or learn the scriptures again what is needed. Because the Pharisees had forgotten what God had said in the Old Testament. Micah 6:6-8. I have told that what God wants, God wants you to love mercy first and then think of making sacrifices to God. If your heart is not kind to sinners or to anyone, then your sacrifices are of no value. So be kind because that's what God wants of you. You must hate sin. Note that you have to hate sin but sometimes we start hating sinners along with sin. For which Jesus did not command. 

In Ephesians 4:32, Paul tells us to be kind and compassionate and forgive people because Jesus also forgave you when you were a sinner.

3 Jesus came to call sinners

       When Jesus faced criticism from the Pharisees, Jesus responded in an excellent way. Jesus told the Pharisees that sinners are sick and I am their doctor, they should not be hated but have mercy, and now he is telling that I have come not for the righteous but for sinners. So whoever believes that he is righteous denies Jesus, but whoever confesses his sins accepts Jesus.

Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The verse states that sinners who are deprived of the glory of God cannot feel the glory of God. But when they confesses their sin, then they are about to see the glory of God. And when you confess your sins then you see the glory of God. Jesus came into this world so that sinners could draw close to him, 1 Timothy 1:15 says. Jesus came as a way for sinners to receive the salvation that God Himself laid out for them. Jesus also wants from you that you too can be the way of salvation for those who are in sin, keep in mind that you should hate sin not sinners because Jesus also hated your sin, not you.

Amen.