"Jesus, Friend of Sinners" (Matthew 9:9-13)

Not Afraid of Them

Not Afraid of Their Deeds

Not concerned with how “big” a sinner they are

These were considered come of the worst people in their community

“Tax collectors and sinners”

They did not frighten Him or cause Him to feel uneasy.

Not unaware of their sins, the religious leaders did not tell Him something He didn’t know.

He knew well and full of their transgressions and yet still reclined at the table with them.

Not Afraid of Their Influence

Not worried that they might lead Him astray

His faith and devotion to His Father was too strong to be led into temptation by them.

He was able to associate Himself with sinners without giving in to sin Himself.

If He could withstand temptations from Satan himself, these sinners certainly would not cause Him to offend the LORD in anyway.

Many of us neglect certain people for fear that they may lead us astray, but if our faith is secured and our hearts surrendered then we need not to fear.

Though others accused Christ of being many things; Matthew 11:19 ““The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.””

Not Afraid of Their Enemies

The reviling of others does not hinder His love for them.

The religious leaders were considered the most holy of all the people of Israel.

Pharisees: Strict adherence to the law both written and oral. Respected by the people for their piety and knowledge of the law

Sadducees: Leaning more political, they were a priestly group associated with the Temple.

Scribes: More like lawyers who were skilled in writing the law and were tasked with preserving, interpreting and teaching the law.

Essenes: Reclusive group who focused of purity and lived outside the city awaiting the end of the world. (Dead Sea Scrolls)

They would put down those who the Lord sat at the table with and called friends but Jesus was not concerned with what these men of high repute thought.

In Galatians 2, Paul talks about how Peter separated himself from the gentiles when other Jewish men came walking up.

Paul, as an example of our Lord, reproved Peter for his actions.

Not Afraid of Truth

Not Afraid to Hurt Feelings

He was clear to make sure they understood they were “sick”

He compared those who He was at the table with to sick people.

People who are not well.

Obviously He was not referring to their physical condition but to their spiritual condition.

The call of the religious leaders to point out that they are sinners indicates the reply by our Lord is a spiritual one.

“Christ came to bring healing to those who are spiritually sick—you say that you are perfectly well, so you must go your own way and Christ will go in another direction—towards sinners” — Charles Spurgeon

He was not shy, nor did He hold back in letting them know they were sinners and in need of a physician.

He was there reclining at table with them so that they might be exposed to their sin, repent and receive salvation.

He is the light of the the world and shines a light on the darkness that is within us all.

Luke 7:36-50 the woman who was a great sinner, who washed His feet with her hair and poured perfume on His feet, and was forgiven much.

Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector who climbed the tree and had Christ dine at his table, to whom the Lord said, “I have come to seek and save the lost”

Even in our text here, He said He has come not for the righteous but to call sinners.

It is important that we do not neglect to share the truth of God’s word with others, not saying we go out of our way to condemn, but we certainly do not hold back the diagnosis.

There was no sugar coating it/ No beating around the bush/ He loved them with the truth.

And obviously did not consider them hopeless as no doubt the religious leaders did, for He was their, as the physician they desperately needed.

Not Afraid to Defend Authority

He had no problem telling them that He was the Physician that could bring healing into their lives.

He compares Himself to a physician, implying He is the one who can remedy their ailments.

Matthew 11:28 ““Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

They are in need of healing and He is there to provide it/ He is compassionate/ He is understanding.

They recognize they are in need and to Him they go.

It was sinners in fancy robes that criticized the sinners Jesus was associating Himself with.

Matthew 23:13 ““But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

We know from the previous section (Matthew 9:1-8) that our Lord has the authority to forgive sins.

He is now once again proclaiming that authority and the physician who heals the spiritually sick.

Not Afraid to Challenge

He knew the Word of God perfectly and taught to bring the true meaning of which God intended through the Prophets

He is called in the beginning of John’s Gospel “the Word of God” and once again in Revelation 19.

These are men who pride themselves in the knowledge of the law and the prophets and Jesus tells them to “go and learn what this means” (Hosea 6:6)

He is saying in front of all those present, that according to His understanding of the Scriptures, they are way off with theirs.

They would have likely passed over such a text as something unimportant compared to other texts but the Lord knows of it’s significance and recognized their ignorance.

How it reveals the heart of the LORD our God as one who is after our hearts more than the service of our lips and hands.

Our Lord made it a habit to defend sinners and challenge the misunderstandings of the religious leaders. (The adulterous woman and the stones)

Not Afraid of You

Not Afraid of Your Past

Nothing you have ever done would keep Him away from you.

“If only you knew what I had done you would not want to be my friend” — Not so with Jesus.

He does know what you have done/ He knows how it tempted you, how you fell and how it has torn you apart.

He still calls you friend/ Still willing to sit at the table with you/ Still willing to help you through it all.

Peter said to the Lord when Christ called Peter to follow Him, Luke 5:8 “But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!””

Luke 5:10 “...And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.””

That was then, this is now.

Not Afraid of Your Confusion

He does not expect you to understand everything

You do not have to be a scholar or a minister or a Sunday school teacher with much knowledge concerning the things of God.

You may not fully understand how God has saved you or how He could forgive you but you have faith that He did, that is all He is asking for.

These sinners were probably more confused than the religious leaders yet Christ was there to heal them.

Come to Him with humility of mind and allow Him to begin a good work in you.

Watch Him turn all that ash into a masterpiece.

Don’t Be Afraid of Him

No need to run from Him/ Hide ourselves from Him/ Avoid Him.

He is compassionate and wants to be your friend.

In spite of all the running you have done, all the disbelief you have held on to, He has never lost hope in you because He lives.

He sees you as a lost sheep in need of a Good Shepherd and His compassionate heart makes Him the best Shepherd.

Lamentations 3:22–23 “The lovingkindnesses of Yahweh indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Psalm 86:15 “But You, O Lord, are a God compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.”

Jesus is God/ Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords/ Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega/ Jesus is the Word of God and Jesus is a friend of sinners.