Today’s Scripture tells the account of a man, a highly successful man, busy in his office making a rather prosperous living. However he was a social outcast by all the “good” people in town. They did not like the way he made his living. He wasn’t involved in any illegal business, but it was one that they considered wrong, even evil, as it was collaborating with the enemy of the people. Because of this he didn’t have any friends from the “respectable” people in town, and thus his only friends were other social outcasts. He had very little thought for God in his life, one reason being that he was not welcomed into the local places of worship. However that was all to change one day for this man named Matthew.
As our Scripture opens, we read about Matthew, who was a tax collector. Now, even today, most people might not be too fond of a tax collector, as no one enjoys giving them business. However, for the people of Israel at the time of Jesus it was more than that. As a conquered nation the taxes that were collected were for the Roman empire. Devout Jews hated the Romans, and looked at tax collectors as collaborators with the enemy. Another reason they disliked them was that the Romans gave them a rather free hand in collecting taxes. They didn’t care how much money the tax collector got from the people, or even how they got it, as long as they got their set amount. Thus tax collectors often extorted more money, keeping the extra that they could get. In conversations, the words “tax collector” was frequently lumped together with “prostitutes” and other “sinners”. One morning, however, everything was going to change for Matthew.
On one particular day, Jesus came by the tax collector booth of Matthew. Tax collectors in Roman days would often have their tables set up on a main intersection in town, or sometimes at the city gates, where they would collect the taxes from all who passed by. As Jesus came by that day, He called for Matthew to come and follow Him (vs. 9). Matthew undoubtedly knew who Jesus was. He had probably heard people in the village talk about Him and what He taught. Perhaps he had even once or twice stood at the fringes of the crowds gathered when Jesus spoke. Yet he had never felt that Jesus would want anything to do with him. He was a tax collector, a sinner, an outcast. But now He did. He asked Matthew to come and join Him!
Later Matthew invited Jesus to eat at his house, where he invited those who were his friends to come and hear what Jesus had to say to them, so that they, too, might come to know Him as their Savior, as well (vs. 10). However, what was the reaction of the Pharisees, the “religious” folks, to that? They criticized Jesus, saying that He was associating with the wrong crowd, the “sinners” of the village! (vs. 11).
Jesus had one response to the self-righteous Pharisees (vs. 11-12). Who needs the doctor, the sick or the well? He said that He came not for those who consider themselves righteous, but for those who know they are sinners, to call them to repentance. Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6, saying that God desires mercy shown by His people, not sacrifices that have no meaning.
Jesus did not come to affirm the self-righteous, but to save those who know they are spiritually sick. We see here the emptiness of the self-righteous religious person, and instead see the grace of God towards repentant sinners. Jesus came to redeem the outcasts, those who “proper” society has shunned.
As we see in the life of Matthew, in the life of other sinners that Jesus called, He came and called them while in their sinful life, but He didn’t leave them there. He called them to repentance and out of their sins. Also, Jesus did not participate in their sin. He brought the light of the Gospel into their darkness. God does not want someone who comes to Him for salvation to remain in their sinful lifestyle. He calls us out of that. If they remain, then there was no true repentance nor genuine salvation.
The Pharisees saw Matthew and other sinners as unclean. Jesus saw them as lost sheep. Self-righteousness blinds people to their own need of salvation. Matthew knew that he was a sinner and needed the Savior. The self-righteous think they are “good enough” for God, though no one is, and they don’t see their need for Him. Conviction of sin is essential for salvation. No one is saved who does not first see their need.
Jesus intentionally seeks those whom society has rejected. The Gospel is for the broken, the guilty, and the ashamed. Are you one of those, one whom the “good” people have rejected? Then Jesus comes to call you. Are you one whom others would say is a “good” person? You need the Savior just as much! Don’t let self-righteous pride keep you from turning to Him! Jesus shows the nature of God’s everlasting love when He seeks out those who have been rejected by society. Jesus came to change people, and calls them to follow Him.
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