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.”
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
St Matthew is sitting at his tax collector both. Just another day in the office. How often do you have someone come up to your cubical or office and say, "Hey follow me"? Even more so if you did have someone say this to you, would you actually follow him? Most of us probably wouldn't even hear him, because we wear headphones or have music turned up.
But for those of you who have heard your savior calling to you. Follow him! Follow his words! Follow his teachings! Follow his guidance! Often times even the most die hard among Christians only follow part of his commands. But St Matthew provides the example for one of the greatest illustrations he gives with respect to our salvation.
How many of you would call yourself sick? How many of you would claim to be unclean? How many of you think of yourselves as poor? Maybe you will relate to that last one, but unless you are in the hospital or have a terminal disease you don't relate to the others. But Jesus says, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. God and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
This is why we should confess our sins on a daily basis. We remind ourselves of how unclean we really are. We remember our need for a savior, because we are disease ridden human beings. St Matthew was recognized by all to be a sinner. But we are all sinners. We are all disgraceful, and unrighteous. It is only through our Savior calling us out of slavery to sin, to salvation in his name.
Jesus Christ has come to save sinners of which I am certain that I am the worst, but I know that you are a pretty bad sinner as well. You need Jesus Christ just as much as I have need of his sacrifice in my place.
But for those of you who have heard your savior calling to you. Follow him! Follow his words! Follow his teachings! Follow his guidance! Often times even the most die hard among Christians only follow part of his commands. But St Matthew provides the example for one of the greatest illustrations he gives with respect to our salvation.
How many of you would call yourself sick? How many of you would claim to be unclean? How many of you think of yourselves as poor? Maybe you will relate to that last one, but unless you are in the hospital or have a terminal disease you don't relate to the others. But Jesus says, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. God and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
This is why we should confess our sins on a daily basis. We remind ourselves of how unclean we really are. We remember our need for a savior, because we are disease ridden human beings. St Matthew was recognized by all to be a sinner. But we are all sinners. We are all disgraceful, and unrighteous. It is only through our Savior calling us out of slavery to sin, to salvation in his name.
Jesus Christ has come to save sinners of which I am certain that I am the worst, but I know that you are a pretty bad sinner as well. You need Jesus Christ just as much as I have need of his sacrifice in my place.
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