Jesus Christ Our Physician
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Introduction
Introduction
I once knew a man who loved the outdoors.
He loved to hunt, fish, and just enjoy God's creation.
One day, this man got terribly injured at work. He ended up being paralyzed from the waist down, but it didn't stop him.
His son was a welder and he had him weld a seat into the back of his truck. For safety, they even installed a seat belt.
But he determined that the seat belt hindered him from seeing. So he took it off. Then they hit a bump and he slid right out of the chair.
Not wanting to stop he didn’t say anything and bounced around in the bed of the truck until his son saw he wasn’t on the chair anymore.
He jumps out, takes one look at his dad and says, “we need to get to a Doctor.”
His dad says, “I’ll be fine, get me back into the seat and we’ll keep going.”
Hit bump, fell, twisted leg.
Soon - need Dr.
To which his son replies, “Dad, look at your leg, your foot is backwards.”
They went to the hospital.
There are two kinds of people. Those who know they need a physician and those who don't.
Let backwards.
Those who know they need a physician and those who don't.
Those who know they need a physician and those who don't.
2 kinds of people. Those who know they need a physician. Those who don't.
Jesus tells a story that illustrates this in (p. 1207).
READ (p. 1207).
(p. 1207)
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
The difference between these two men is that only one of them knows they need God’s mercy.
Now let me read how Jesus introduced this story in v. 9.
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who trust in themselves, and those who trust in God.
Those who trust in themselves, and those who trust in God.
Which kind of person am I? Which kind of person are you?
Throughout Scripture there is a uniform conclusion.
Only those who recognize their need of Jesus will be saved by Him.
Jesus is the Great Physician. He brings healing to our souls.
This passage reveals three truths about Jesus Christ Our Physician.
As we understand these truths three changes will take place.
We will see our need. We will trust in Jesus. We will bring the sick to the Great Physician.
Truth #1…
1. Our Physician Seeks The Sick v. 9
1. Our Physician Seeks The Sick v. 9
READ v. 9
Jesus had just healed a paralyzed man.
In that encounter is one of my favorite verses demonstrating who Jesus is. READ vv. 2-7.
2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” 3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.
Verse 6 is so awesome.
He has the power to forgive sin! That is the greater miracle. Physical healing is not. The physical healing was done to prove that spiritual healing is only possible through Jesus!
Jesus has just had this encounter. It is as he walks away from healed and forgiven paralytic that he calls Matthew.
What is Matthew doing and who is he?
He is a tax collector. This means that he is working for the Romans and taking money from his fellow Jews.
Normally, tax collectors over charged people too make more money.
Because of that and because they worked for an occupying force, they were hated by other Jews.
What does all this mean? If you were looking for a disciple, you wouldn't pick this guy!
Notice that Matthew is not looking for Jesus!
Let me illustrate this with something all of us have done.
You go to the Dr’s office and check in. Then you sit where? In the waiting room. Because you are waiting. You are waiting for a call.
Sitting in waiting room. Someone comes in and calls your name. You answer, they say “follow me.”
Eventually, someone comes in and calls your name. You answer, they say “follow me.”
This is how it works with Jesus.
Look at (S).
10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
None who seeks after God.
He seeks us! That’s what the whole parable of the lost sheep is about!
What does say (S)?
19 We love Him because He first loved us.
He loved us first!
Jesus is a Physician. He seeks people who are sick.
The unrighteous, the foolish, the lost, the broken, the bad.
These are the kinds of people Jesus seeks!
Matthew is sick. Not physically, but spiritually. He needs a physician.
Just to emphasize the point, look at once again (S).
He didn’t come to call the righteous; He came to call sinners to repentance.
I believe we need to understand this verse in light of (S).
10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
We are all sinners and Christ came to call us to repentance!
This is one of the instances in Jesus life that are recorded by all three synoptic gospels. Why? Because it is important!
Here's what I love, Matthew follows Jesus immediately.
When called by Jesus, Matthew responds!
When called to follow, Matthew drops everything, walks away from his job, and follows Jesus!
Jesus is calling you. Will you answer?
If you are here and you have never placed your faith in Christ, He is calling you to receive Him. He is calling you to believe that you are a sinner. I know, hard pill to swallow.
But here’s the deal. Have you ever told even 1 lie? What do we call people who lie? Liars.
Have you ever taken something, even one small thing, that didn’t belong to you? What do we call people who take things? Thieves.
Have you ever hated someone? The Bible says that is like committing murder. What do we call someone who kills another person? A murderer.
If you have done these, as I have, you are a lying, thieving, murderer.
That is sin.
(S).
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The penalty for sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life!
God is calling you to admit you are a sinner and to trust that Jesus Christ died for that sin!
Will you answer the call?
If you are already a believer, Jesus is calling you into a deeper life of commitment.
Will we answer the call?
Sing with me…
#326 “Softly And Tenderly” (verses 1 & 4)
That is our first truth. Our Physician Seeks the sick.
Matthew was not looking for Jesus, Jesus called Matthew.
Truth #1. Our Physician Seeks The Sick.
Truth #2…
Why? Because it is important!
2. Our Physician Knows Our Need vv. 10-12
2. Our Physician Knows Our Need vv. 10-12
READ v. 10
I want to make an observation here. Tax collector and sinners knew they were welcome with Jesus.
Do lost people find a welcome with us?
With that thought in mind we need to clarify two things.
Welcome is not acceptance. Having someone into your home doesn’t mean you are affirming all their behavior. We need to build relationships to bring lost people to Jesus.
Condemnation is a gospel killer. When people feel that we condemn them, we lose the chance to talk to them about the Lord.
READ v. 11
Wow. This is a revealing question.
It reveals three failings on the part of the Pharisees.
1 - They don't understand His purpose.
These are the people he came for!
They don’t know why He came.
2 - They don't understand His person.
He's not just a teacher!
They are having a meal with the creator of the universe! And they have no idea.
3 - They don't understand His power.
They address the disciples, not realizing Jesus still knows what they are saying.
They don’t understand who He is.
This man who appears as a humble carpenter is the Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Holy God!
That is who we are speaking to when we pray.
READ v. 12
I love how Jesus presents this argument.
He is eating with tax collectors and known sinners.
The Pharisees begin to question His actions and He makes this statement, “it’s the sick people who need doctors, not the well”.
This is one of those “no duh” statements. Of course someone who isn’t sick doesn’t need a doctor!
Do you know what the problem is?
The problem is that everyone is sick!
No one is righteous!
Our human righteousness is like filthy rags to God! How do we know that? (S).
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
We are sinners with no way to be reconciled in our natural state! That’s Paul’s point when he writes (S).
We are sinners with no way to be reconciled in our natural state! VERSE
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
Jesus came to heal those who are spiritually sick!
It is the tax collectors and sinners who know they need help.
Paul wrote this in (S).
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
I believe this is how we all feel when we understand our sin!
All of us would say with Paul “I am the chief of sinners!”
We have sinned against an infinitely righteous and holy God and apart from the sacrifice of His son there is no forgiveness!
Look at what Jesus said in (S).
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The only way to come to the Father is through Jesus Christ!
Jesus came to save the ones who needed it! That is all of us!
But here’s the issue. We have to recognize our need.
We opened with the story of the Pharisee and tax collector.
What does the tax collector cry out?
Be merciful to me a sinner!
This is a statement of need! This man knows he needs Jesus!!!
Spiritual healing requires the admission of need.
Sing with me…
#428 “I Need Thee Every Hour” (verses 1-3)
Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners because they knew they needed Him.
Do you know you need Him this morning?
Truth #1. Our Physician Seeks The Sick. Truth #2. Our Physician Knows Our Need.
Truth #3...
3. Our Physician Calls The Lost v. 13
3. Our Physician Calls The Lost v. 13
READ v. 13
Jesus quotes here. This is what the verse says (S).
6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
God desires to show mercy to His people more than He desired sacrifice from them.
Go to Hosea. That's what Jesus is quoting.
This truth leads us to a question.
God desires to show mercy to His people more than He desired sacrifice from them.
Who needs Mercy? The guilty. The sinner. The one who has broken the law.
Who is that? All of us!
God would rather extend His mercy to sinners than receive offerings from those who think they are righteous!
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.
records the story of Zacchaeus.
After this tax collector is converted and gives his possessions to the poor Jesus says this in verse 10 (S).
10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
One of the schools I attended was in Texas.
After finishing part of the program my parents came out to visit.
Our flights home arrived at different times with me getting back first.
I got in the van and went to kill time.
But you have to recognize that you are lost in order for Him to save you.
I thought I knew how to get back to the airport.
But it turned out that I didn’t.
After driving around for awhile, I finally admitted I was lost and stopped to get directions.
In order to get on the right track I had to first admit that I was lost.
This physical truth has a spiritual application.
You have to recognize that you are lost in order for Jesus Christ to save you!
It takes humility and desperation to admit that you are lost, and seek help.
The only answer for sin is Jesus. says this (S).
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
This is a powerful statement of purpose from the Lord Jesus.
He didn’t come to call the righteous; He came to call sinners to repentance.
Jesus came to call sinners, He came to seek and save the lost. That is why He came.
We often hear people say, “How could God ever forgive me for…”
We get it so backwards!
We don’t have to be good for God to save us! We have to admit how bad we are!
We have to get to the point where we say, “God I am lost! I have no idea where to go.” That is when He saves us.
Jesus Christ saves sinners.
When we place our faith in Christ He cleanses us from all our sin!
When we place our faith in Christ He cleanses us from all our sin! That is what He came to do!
That is what He came to do!
He came to heal the sick. He came to call sinners to repentance.
When we come to Jesus we find that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.
Sing with me…
#189 “Calvary Covers It All” (verses 1-3).
Jesus came to fulfill Scripture, to call sinners to repentance, and…
Turn with me to . This is a time for believers to remember the price that was paid. To be reminded of the penalty of sin. Taking part of communion does not save you. This is simply a way for us to be reminded of what Christ has done. If you know the Lord as savior this morning, please join us in bread and juice as we remember Jesus Christ. These are only symbols, they represent the body and blood of our Savior. Examination – verses 26-32
OBSERVANCE OF COMMUNION
OBSERVANCE OF COMMUNION
The Bread (His Body) vv. 23-24 “Born To Die” (Chorus Only)
Born to die upon Calv'ry
Jesus suffered my sin to forgive
Born to die upon Calv'ry
He was wounded that I might live
The Cup (His Blood) v. 25 #525 “I Will Praise Him” (Chorus Only)
I will praise Him I will praise Him
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain
Give Him glory all ye people
For His blood can wash away each stain
Conclusion
Conclusion
Jesus is the great physician. He seeks the sick, knows our need, and calls the lost.
He came seeking those who are sick.
He came because we had a debt of sin we could never pay.
He came to call sinners to repentance.
Are you trusting in Jesus today?
There is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved. There is salvation in no other. There is no way to be reconciled to the Father, except through Jesus.
Trust Him.
If you are trusting Jesus today, Who will you bring to Jesus?
Scripture commands us to preach the gospel to every creature ().
Jesus desires all men to be saved (), He is not willing that any should perish ().
Salvation requires faith in Jesus Christ alone.
This challenges us to take action.
This challenges us to take action.
Build relationships with the intention of sharing Jesus Christ.
Jesus extends to each of us an invitation to trust Him. Have you?
We need Jesus. Not only for salvation but for daily life.
We need Jesus. Not only for salvation but for daily life.
For each of us, may this be a week filled with Jesus.
PRAY
#405 “My Faith Has Found A Resting Place”
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.”
