We Have Just What the Doctor Ordered....
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We Have Just What the Doctor Ordered....
Good morning everyone, I trust you’ve had a good week.
I bet you could all say, God has been good to you this week. Amen!
I know there are times when our days seem over burdened with various issues that can cause us a great deal of stress and anxiety.
But I would remind you to never loose sight of the truth that God is watching over you and all you go through day by day.
So with that news, Praise Him for loving and caring for us.
And with that news… we flow into Matthew chapter 9 and it is here that we see that the Lord cares for the children of this world.
He did during the time he walked physically here on earth and I believe He still does today as He walks with us through life.
Now if you remember last week Jesus was at Capernaum in the home of Peter’s mother in law and there people came out by the groves to hear Him.
So much that the house was full and no one would get in…
It was here that Jesus sees the faith of those who brought their friend to see Him Jesus seeing their faith not only forgave the paralyzed man’s sin, but also healed him physically to prove His message was true.
And the people gave glory to God for what they had seen and heard that day....
Today, we continue as Jesus is ministering in Capernaum and it is here that Jesus will call a person to follow him and He will also tell the world of His purpose.
So lets look at our text.... Matthew 9..verses 9-13
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
And with this, verses 35-37
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
As you look at these two passages, Jesus is illustrating His mission. His mission is calling sinner’s to repentance. This message is part of His mission here on earth.
Jesus came to die for the sins of the world. And with this, Jesus is calling people to come and follow Him. This message and action then becomes our purpose my friends.
So this morning lets begin looking at the text and I want to share three things for us to see...
1. The Call to Follow....
Now I realize we looked at this text briefly a couple Sundays ago, John Kelso from ISF touched on it a bit in His message the Sunday before the Sports camp.
But I want us to go back and look at it again and connect it all to the whole of the chapter, here in Matthew 9.
So here in verse 9, we see Jesus calling another man to come and be His disciple.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
So Jesus has left the house where the man was healed who was let down through the roof and he is passing through the town, and on the out skirts we found a tax collector
Now this place where Matthew is located is like a customs station if you will, a place where by merchants would bring goods into the city to sell. And so no matter if they arrived by land or from the sea of Galilee, they would have to pass by Matthew and pay a fee to enter the city with their goods.
Now this made Matthew lower than a snakes belly according to his own people.
You see the gov’t would set a tax on goods and people and they could charge what they desired above Rome’s taxes.
Example...If Rome wanted a dollar per person and the tax collects could charge 3.... In truth they got rich off their own people and people hated them and treated them as traitors...
So here is a man who is consider to be a sinner, a ungodly person since he is a Tax collector… He would have no welcome or place among his own people.
But as Jesus passes by, Jesus saw him and called Him… can you just hear Jesus..
Matthew, Come and follow me.
Now I can imagine Matthew.... Who me? Wait how did you know my name.... and in His heart, I am sure he knew it was right… and he got up and went leaving his job, his wealth behind.
And this is the truth for each of us my friends…
There is a day when Jesus comes to us, the first call is to come and find life, salvation.
And once we expect that call… it continues my friends. Jesus never calls a person to be saved and it stops there.
No the call is to come and follow Him, to be His disciple and to learn of him in every area of life, for all the days of your life. That is the fullest expression of His call. Come and follow me, be like me for the world to see.
Let me ask you… if you re a born again child of God, are you continuing to follow?
You were created for Jesus.... remember you are second.
The Call is to Come.....
Now this comes to my second thought for today....
2. The Call is for Sinners....
Can I tell you something: God loves sinners.
He sent His Son, Jesus came to die for sinners that we might have a way to be restored to God.
You know what happens when people find Jesus? They are excited and they want others to know Jesus as well. They want everyone to know!
So Matthew,(who is also called Levi in the Scriptures) decides to throw a party. Now this isn’t some keg party or something of the like, no Matthew has other intentions for this dinner party.
He calls for other tax collects and other sinners, according to the Jewish religious leaders, to come and meet the man that has changed life.
Let me ask you a question...
When you found Jesus were you excited? Did you want others to know Him?
Now here is a better question..... Are you still excited about Jesus? And if you are not, then something is wrong.
You should be more in love with Jesus now, than the day you met him. Now trust me, I know life distracts us, hinders us at times… but we don’t stay there, we keep moving forward growing in our relationship with Him.
If you have fell behind, just pray, ask for forgiveness and ask Him to help you draw closer to him each day.
Now moving on....
Matthew throws a party, He wants everyone to know this Jesus. and so Matthews house is full of sinners and tax collectors., verse 11
Now the word for sinner here can be used a couple different ways, but here, it speaks to the most grieveous of sinners, the criminal sorts, the lowest of people.
Look at the text again, verses 10-13
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Now it’s interesting my friends, the Pharisees, and the other religious leaders who would never step foot into a sinners house....but it appears they are here to see Jesus, to check out His teaching and other works…
Just a side note.... When Jesus was around different areas like Capernaum and Jerusalem, the religious leaders were watching and listening to Jesus.
Some are very curious, on the edge of believing like Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night in John chapter 3. And we know He does indeed believe since he is with Joseph of Arimathea, who take Jesus from the cross and bury Him.
So there were some who were believers, and some were skeptical and continuing to listen and then some who later on would try to harm Jesus.
But now back to our text, these religious leaders see Jesus with them and they can’t believe what they are seeing...
Look at verse 11....
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
So the Pharisees see this and ask one of the disciples, why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?
You see the religious leaders would have nothing to do with these people. They were unclean, they were considered useless and worthless in the eyes of the religious elite.… and there in is their fault.
They missed the need to love all.... instead of being inclusive, they were exclusive in their faith and beliefs. If you are not one of us, we will have nothing to do with you.
But Jesus hears the conversation. and He reminds them of the need the world has,, the need that sinners have.... those without God have...
Listen to verses 12-13
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
You see my friends God as always called for people to come to Him, to come and find life.
Jesus replies to them in a proverb of sorts. the well, the healthy have no need of a doctor, but the sick do. Please note here that Jesus is not necessarily referring to them ( The Pharisees) as healthy, or righteous. He knows the Pharisees, their hearts, their actions and so forth.
But Jesus is playing along with them, the well, the healthy (He refers to them.) have no need of a physician. But the sick do...
These outcasts, these who are separated from God… they need the great physician because they are soul sick.
And then look at this last thought Jesus gives them…verse 13
13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus is pointing them back to the Old Testament, namely Hosea 6:6
6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Now Hosea did not abolish the sacrifices the people were offering, but He was pulling them away from ritual for the sake of ritual. You see when you are doing something for the sake of doing, your wrong, you are missing the point.
i don’t come to church just because I am the Pastor, I come because I want to meet with you and for the sake of our cooperate worship before our heavenly Father. It is meaningful when we can worship together in His presence.
The Pharisees were living in a ritualistic way, they were just going through the motions and they were thinking they are ok… when in truth God wanted their heart and not their actions.
If God has your heart, He will also have your actions and they will be righteous actions.
God always desires the heart of man, if we have a steadfast love we will live for God.
But it all begins with the moment of Salvation and with it, the desire for sinners from all over to be saved.
Let me ask you a question: How many hear have a lost family member?
What are you doing to communicate God’s love to them. Now I am not talking about beating with over the head with religion. No!
I’m talking about living in front them, praying for them and witnessing when you get the chance.
I have 8 people on my prayer list for salvation. Some are my family, some are neighbors and some are your family members or co workers....
Why? I want them to be saved just as much as you do!
Jesus is still calling sinners to be saved and we should be involved to see people come and hear about Jesus.
Now just one last thought today...
3. The Call for More Laborers...
It is important for us all to be involved in one way or another in the task of calling people to be saved.
Why is it important? Because unless we pray, unless we go and tell, unless we love those apart from Christ, how are we going to see people saved.
It is so important that Jesus speaks about the need for laborers. Look with me verses 35-38
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
As we read this text, there is a great word that we need to pay attention too, Compassion.
The compassion of Jesus is a theme that occurs all throughout the Gospel of Matthew.
As Jesus has left the area of Capernaum, He has gone through the area villages and on this journey He proclaimed or preached about the Kingdom of God and healed people of their various afflictions.
And I want you to see this… When He saw the crowds… the crowds came to Jesus. Everywhere Jesus went people came to Him. I really just cannot imagine what the scenses would have looked like my friends. People pouring out to see him, begging for help in places, pouring their souls out to Him about their life and needs...
And the Creator of the Universe, He had compassion on them. Heartbroken about their state, their misery, and yes their sin. Understand to have compassion, means he was deeply moved inside himself.
And listen to what Jesus says… He saw them as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd....verse 36
The words harassed and helpless literally means the people where torn or mangled and thrown down or thrown to the ground.
The religious leaders and those in positions of power had abdicated their responsibility to lead and take care of the people. Instead the people were often separated or pushed away…the religious looked down on and drove people away.
Jesus said in the Gospels that the religious leaders, the Pharisees placed heavy burdens on the people in regard to people keeping the law.
The Spiritual leaders of Israel were meant to bless and help the people. Toe care for them, shelter them and lead them to the Father, but they has failed and the people abandoned..
And so Jesus responded, He taught and ministered and the people came hungry and ready to meet the Lord. And they were forever changed by these meetings.
And seeing their need, Jesus tells us more people are needed.
Look with me again at verses 37-38
37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Jesus compares what he sees in the world, the heart of people ready to change, looking for truth and help is likened a field of wheat ready to be harvested, ready to be gathered and stored into barns,
Our world is full of people who are ready to hear what God is doing and what He wants to do in their life.
What hinders the harvest from being gathered is those who are ready to work. Jesus says the labors are few, there are not enough who are helping, telling, praying , whatever....
God needs more people whoa re ready and willing to step and like Isaiah the prophet proclaim… Here am I send me...”
Where is God going to send you.... How about your neighbors? How about across your community? How about praying and prayer walking?
Asking God to send you doesn’t mean He is sending you to Africa… But he will send you to your neighbor that you wave at, speak to across the fence to dive deeper and invite them to know the Savior.
So what does Jesus say..
Pray, ask the Lord to therefore send our workers into His harvest field.
In like of knowing the world is around is in need, Jesus compels us , asks us to pray for more to come and work.
Consider the Amish community, when a person is in need. They get together, work hard together to help with a house or raise a barn. They work for the benefit of each other.
Why then can’t we gather and seek to make a difference in this or your neighborhood.
Remember I asked you if you had a lost family member, Now what about a friend?
Are you praying for them daily.
Are you letting them see Jesus in you.
What about your neighbors…
You are the laborers and the harvest is in front of us...