Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus came to call sinners back to
God. Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to be a disciple and eat with
“sinners.” The calling of a despised outcast, a tax collector by the name of
Matthew, provides the setting for Jesus’ response to the Pharisees who
criticize him for his fellowship with publicans and sinners. His answer
indicates that God wants mercy to be shown rather than the keeping of
ceremonial observances. As God’s Son, accordingly he felt his mission was to
call sinners to repentance. Jesus did not condemn the morally sick but came to
them as a physician to heal them.
If God in Christ shows mercy to
sinners as demonstrated by Christ’s call to Matthew and eating with sinners,
then God’s children are expected to do the same. The Pharisees were not doing
this. They looked at sinners in judgment and criticized Jesus for his
friendliness to sinners. The religious people were self-righteous and thus just
as great sinners as the publicans. They religious Pharisees were more
interested in making religious sacrifice than in loving their fellowman who
were in need of mercy. [2]
A Prayer for purity– Almighty God unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, from whom no secrets are hidden, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy name.
For humility -Heavenly Father, You resist the proud and give grace to the humble. Grant us true humility after the likeness of Your only Son that we may never be arrogant and prideful and thus provoke Your wrath but in all lowliness be made partakers of the gifts of Your grace.[3]
[1] God so loved the world © Ed Rojas, Higher Things
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series A, John Brokhoff, © 1980 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] Collects for purity and humility, Lutheran Service Book © 2006, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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