Throwing Parties, Meeting Jesus

Introduction

Opening Story: “The Call That Changes Everything”

There’s a story of a young man who worked a dead-end job he hated. Every day was the same—clock in, go through the motions, clock out. One afternoon, out of the blue, he got a phone call from a company he had dreamed of working for, offering him a life-changing position. No long interview. No resume review. Just an invitation: “We’ve seen something in you. We want you. Are you ready to start something new?”

He didn’t hesitate. He quit on the spot, left his old job behind, and never looked back. Why? Because when you know the offer is real—and the one calling you can be trusted—you go.

In today’s message, we’re going to look at two men who received a similar call. But the one calling them wasn’t a CEO. It was Jesus. And His call didn’t just offer a new career—it offered a brand-new life.

Jesus Pursues Us — and Calls Us to Follow Him (Matthew's Story)

Matthew 9:9–12 NASB 2020

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting in the tax collector’s office; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and began dining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

1. Jesus sees us before we see Him.

We would never follow Jesus unless he first sought us out.

Examples of God pursing people in the Bible:

God pursued Adam and Eve after they sinned in the garden of Eden. (Genesis 3)

God pursued Hagar when she ran away from her problems. (Genesis 16)

God pursued Matthew sitting at the booth collecting taxes.

God pursued Paul on the road to Damascus.

And God pursues us.

Imagine a game of hide and seek where you think you've found the perfect hiding spot. You crouch behind a couch, but your little sibling, convinced they can find you, begins to hunt you down with a grin on their face. No matter how well you think you’re hidden, they keep checking every nook and cranny. This is like God pursuing us; He’ll never stop seeking us out, no matter how good we think we are at hiding from Him!

We pursue Jesus but He is seeking the lost sheep so that may be saved from harm.

2. Following Jesus requires leaving something behind.

Tax collectors were detested and hated. They were corrupt, greedy, and self-centered. In the eyes of the Jew, he was the worst person possible to follow Jesus.

Jesus still asks Matthew to “follow him.” He doesn’t think twice and gets up, leaves his booth, and follows Jesus.

Jesus lovingly calls even the most unlikely and broken people to follow Him—those whose lives have been marked by sin and who would have been overlooked or rejected by others.

Following Jesus requires us to leave behind the old in order to embrace the new. We must step away from our old ways—whether it’s sin, comfort, or our past life—and follow the completely different, transformative path found in Jesus.

Jesus calls us away from sin and into a life of repentance and holiness. These are not rules created by man, but transformations that only God can bring about in us. When we fully open our hearts and lives to Him, He is the one who works in us to make us new.

3. Relationships create opportunities for transformation.

Later, moved by compassion for his former colleagues, Matthew invited his fellow tax collectors (or the rest of the crooks) to a meal. He wanted them to hear the life-changing words of Jesus—the same words that had transformed his own life.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible Chapter 9

Christ’s conversing with sinners is here called mercy; for to promote the conversion of souls is the greatest act of mercy. The gospel call is a call to repentance; a call to us to change our minds, and to change our ways.

4. The Pharisees Arrive

a. Contempt for Jesus’ Compassion

They hold nothing but contempt for Jesus and are determined to trap Him by twisting His words. Yet here He is—sitting down at a table, sharing a meal with the very people they consider the worst of sinners.

b. The Heavy Burden of Man-Made Rules

The Pharisees had built layers of man-made rules to keep people from even getting close to sin—or sinners. In doing so, they focused more on separation than salvation. So when Jesus ate with tax collectors, they likely saw Him as ceremonially unclean, violating their traditions by entering the homes of those they considered spiritually unworthy.

c. A Scandalous Break from Tradition

In the eyes of the religious leaders, Jesus' actions were both scandalous and offensive.

He didn’t concern Himself with appearances or traditions; instead, He focused on the hearts that needed saving.

As the Great Physician, Jesus knew that fulfilling His mission of salvation meant stepping into the mess of real lives, even if it meant breaking social and religious norms.

By deliberately associating with social outcasts and eating with sinners on a day of fasting, He challenged the expectations of the religious elite.

His love for us drove Him to do what others were too afraid to do—reach out to those in need, even when it meant offending tradition.

d. A Response That Exposes Their Hearts

He gives a response that silences and stuns them: You don’t need me. You are stuck in your own ways and will never change.

Everyone needs the Divine Physician to heal their hearts because of a sickness called sin, but some believe they are righteous and don’t see their need for His healing touch.

They were well versed on their law but had no mercy in their hearts. Jesus calls for us to do it differently.

Matthew 12:7 NASB 2020

But if you had known what this means: ‘I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

The Message of Matthew The Calling of Matthew (9:9–13)

There is no room for the Pharisee spirit in the kingdom.

e. The Kingdom is for the Broken

There were sinners who needed Him—people sick with sin and desperate for healing. Those who were open to the message of salvation and transformation needed Him most.

One day, these sinners would become saints, not because of anything they could do, but because of what He would do for them.

The Message of Matthew The Calling of Matthew (9:9–13)

The kingdom is a one-class society—for sinners only.

Jesus lovingly calls even the most unlikely and broken people to follow Him—those whose lives have been marked by sin and who would have been overlooked or rejected by others.

His desire is that every heart, especially those who would follow Him, would be open to the mercy of God, turn from their old ways, and believe the good news.

When we respond with repentance and faith, God does a beautiful work of transformation in us, just as He did in Matthew.

Jesus Sees Beyond Our Obstacles (Zacchaeus's Story)

Luke 19:1–10 NASB 2020

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable due to the crowd, because he was short in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree in order to see Him, because He was about to pass through that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” And he hurried and came down, and received Him joyfully. When the people saw this, they all began to complain, saying, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner!” But Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I am giving to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I am giving back four times as much.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

1. No obstacle is too big to keep Jesus from reaching us.

Zacchaeus had many obstacles. Let’s look at some of these:

He was short, had a bad reputation, and was hated.

He was very rich and accomplished this through his authority as a chief tax collector.

None of these obstacles stopped Jesus from encountering him.

He is wanting to see Jesus and will let nothing get in the way of that.

He runs through the crowd.

He climbs up the sycamore tree.

Jesus notices him and calls him down from the tree.

a. He humbles himself and comes down from the tree.

This one small encounter Jesus had with Zacchaeus changed his life instantaneously. His wealth could not provide what his heart truly needed.

Salvation and sanctification does the same in our hearts.

Our mind thinks differently, our eyes see differently, our ears hear differently. Changed from the inside out.

He joyfully received Jesus after hearing Him call his name.

The joy we see in Zacchaeus is the joy we have when we encounter Jesus and allow him to enter into our lives.

Jesus gives him the honor - someone who is marginalized and despised, of hosting him in his home.

The crowd began to talk, seeing Zacchaeus not for who he had become, but for who he was before he met Jesus.

I can hear the crowd and what they are talking about: He is a sinner and does much worse things than us and Jesus is going to eat with him? And to top it all off, it will all happen in Zacchaeus’ home?

Jesus is an equal opportunity Savior.

He offered salvation to both the self-righteous and repentant. He can’t and won’t make that decision for us.But Jesus gave it all to offer it all? Are we willing to accept it all?

2. Jesus knows our name and our need.

True encounter leads to true life change. (Zacchaeus responded not just with words but with action — giving, restoring, and rejoicing.)

He had a new lifestyle because he had a new Lord.

He recognizes the wrong he has done and is led to do some things he never imagined he would be doing. He gives half of his possessions to the poor and those he ripped off he repaid times four.

Something that was so significant to him before is now made insignificant after his encounter with Jesus.

The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

We must understand that Jesus did not ask him to do these things. Salvation does not come from the acts we do but from the acts that Jesus did for us through his death and resurrection.

Our salvation bears witness to the changes in our heart so that we do things we normally wouldn’t do. It causes a stark contrast to what would have been the norm for us.

His salvation would be one that impacts the whole home.

Parents set the foundation for their children's future faith.

The children follow the example of the parents. Be faithful in teaching your children the things of God. Get into the Bible with them. Speak words of life over them. Show them God’s love, even in the tough situations.

Even as adults, if your children stray from God, remember His promise: He is always at work, touching their hearts and guiding them, even in their distance. ✨

Isaiah 55:11 NASB 2020

So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.

We Are Called to Help Bridge the Gap to Jesus

(Luke 19:10)

Throw a "Matthew Party" — build relational bridges.

A simple act of hospitality becomes an evangelistic opportunity.

Invite a person to your home to eat.

Invite them to go out to dinner with you.

Invite them to our monthly fellowship meals.

Invite them to our game nights.

Use your imagination to bridge the gap and build relationships.

People meet and create community through love and grace, not confrontation.

Let love be your motive, not manipulation.

Make sure when we welcome people, that we do it with the purest intentions.

We love people where they are and through the testimony of our life, we point them to Jesus. He will do the saving work because it’s not our job to do in the first place.

Luke 19:10 NASB 2020

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

1. Seek

He wants us to intentionally seek opportunities to encounter other people just like Jesus did in the lives of these two men.

We must first seek the things of God before we can help others seek God.

Seek the lost — it’s Jesus’s mission, and it must be ours.

2. Save

Jesus, the Redeemer, came to save the lost. He promises that anyone who calls on His name will be saved—regardless of who you are, what you’ve done, or where you come from. 🙌

To Sum It Up: Jesus pursues us, transforms us, and sends us to bridge the gap so others can meet Him too.

Conclusion

Jesus Still Seeks the Lost — Are We Willing to Follow?

Jesus sought out Matthew at a tax booth. He saw Zacchaeus hiding in a tree. He sees you too — right where you are. Not for who you used to be, but for who you can become in Him.

His invitation is personal and powerful: “Follow Me.” But that call requires a response.

We’re Not Just Called to Be Found — We’re Called to Go Find

Jesus didn’t just change Matthew — He used him. Matthew threw a dinner party so others could meet Jesus too. Zacchaeus’s transformation didn’t stay in his heart — it touched his household and his community.

When Jesus finds us, He doesn’t just leave us where we are. He sends us out — to bridge the gap, to extend the table, to seek the lost.

You’re not too broken. You’re not too far gone. And neither is your neighbor, your coworker, or your prodigal child.

Prayer Following Message

Heavenly Father, Thank You for seeing us, pursuing us, and calling us by name. Like Matthew and Zacchaeus, we are not worthy—yet You are merciful. Help us let go of anything that holds us back from fully following You. Transform our hearts and make us new. Give us courage to rise, respond, and live as bridge-builders, So others may come to know the grace we’ve found in You. Let Your mission to seek and save the lost become ours too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Blessing and Sending

Charge

Go now, like Matthew and Zacchaeus, as people who have been seen, called, and changed by Jesus. Leave behind whatever once held you back, and walk forward in the new life He offers. Let your home, your table, and your life become a bridge that leads others to Christ. Follow Him with joy — and help others find their way to the Savior who seeks and saves the lost.

Benediction (Romans 15:13, NASB 2020):

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Amen.