“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9).
Something about this traveling teacher named Jesus was different from other religious rabbis, pious church people and even Matthew’s own family.
They all judged him with disgust, as a special class of sinner they would not forgive. When he’d try to visit the local synagogue, well, if looks were daggers he’d be dead.
So Matthew felt further repelled from church—and from God. He developed closer connections with his tax collector friends than his own family, who didn’t know how to deal with him.
But Jesus, instead of ignoring Matthew or insisting that he was inferior, invited him. Jesus wasn’t harsh and judgmental, superior and self-righteous like some religious people, not trumping up man-made tradition or teaching his own version of the truth like other rabbis.
Jesus was kind, yet he wasn’t soft. He condemned sin, but not by unbiblical bias or personal preference.
More importantly, Jesus got involved with sinners. He didn’t yell at them while standing on a street corner.
Jesus came near to the labeled, the marginalized, the not-good-enough, the outcast, the prostitute, and the tax collector. Jesus gave his attention, forgiveness, and mercy to those who needed help and healing whether that happened because of disease or bad decisions.
And so here, sitting in his tax collector’s booth which had become a safe place for him—and his own sins which he knew were real—Matthew left it all behind. He traded it in for the One who saw him not just as a sinner, but as a follower. The One who saw him not as a problem, but as a person in need of mercy like everyone else. Jesus.
Jesus sees you, too. Not as a problem, but as a person in need of mercy. Not just as a sinner, but as a forgiven sinner following him like Matthew did.
Have you been criticized by church people for your addiction or divorce, your mental illness or special needs kids, your tattoos or piercings, politics or posts, or friends who don’t fit the cultural expectations of church?
Have you been dismissed by Christians as unacceptably unforgiven, and been made to feel like an unwelcome outcast?
Have you experienced the unbiblical, unfair judging of your lifestyle that isn’t any more sinful than the sins of those judging you?
Jesus sees you. That includes whatever is sinful in your confused conscience, your impulsive reactions or your unfair criticisms of the church—a church that Jesus loves as much as he loves you.
Jesus sees you. Jesus comes to you with his mercy and brings free forgiveness. Jesus wants you, and invites you, “Follow me.”
PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy that sees me and forgives me. Thank you for understanding me in ways that others haven’t, and for getting involved like others won’t. I need your grace, and pray that it fills me and my church. Amen.
EVANGELISM ACTION: Do you have a friend who needs Jesus but they’ve been hurt by church? Share this blog or send them to a longer video sermon here: https://crosslifepf.org/messages/dinners-of-sinners/