Not the Healthy,
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13.
Here is a concept that quite often is lost on some in the church today and I think especially on many within the evangelical church today.
I’ve been in churches over the years where the soul purpose of the congregation seems to have been to have a good time singing hymns and songs and feeling good about themselves. They feel good that they can praise God and have praised God. Which is a good thing. However such congregations need to remember that the purpose of the church is not just to praise and worship God but to evangelize and make disciples.
In addition to this group I’ve also heard many calling themselves Christians speaking out against those they disagree with even to the point of trying to restrict the rights of other groups they deem not to be Christian. This should not be so.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“It is the Holy Spirits job to convict of sin, God’s job to judge, my job to love.” Billy Graham.
The apostle Paul said,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Christians are to look after their own house if you will. Ensure that the word of God is being taught correctly. It is the Christians job to present the gospel to whoever will listen to us. To sit down and have dialogue with all people without judging them.
This is what Jesus was doing when he was sitting with the tax collectors. He who had the right to judge them did not.
Jesus told his detractors,
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice...”
As Christians we should be showing mercy toward those who do not believe as we do. Not speaking against them as the religious leaders did in this incident.
It is essential that we show love to all we come in contact with. Only in doing this can we truly reach people for Christ. Which is the primary duty of all Christians.
Please think about it.
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:9-13.
Here is a concept that quite often is lost on some in the church today and I think especially on many within the evangelical church today.
I’ve been in churches over the years where the soul purpose of the congregation seems to have been to have a good time singing hymns and songs and feeling good about themselves. They feel good that they can praise God and have praised God. Which is a good thing. However such congregations need to remember that the purpose of the church is not just to praise and worship God but to evangelize and make disciples.
In addition to this group I’ve also heard many calling themselves Christians speaking out against those they disagree with even to the point of trying to restrict the rights of other groups they deem not to be Christian. This should not be so.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said,
“It is the Holy Spirits job to convict of sin, God’s job to judge, my job to love.” Billy Graham.
The apostle Paul said,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Christians are to look after their own house if you will. Ensure that the word of God is being taught correctly. It is the Christians job to present the gospel to whoever will listen to us. To sit down and have dialogue with all people without judging them.
This is what Jesus was doing when he was sitting with the tax collectors. He who had the right to judge them did not.
Jesus told his detractors,
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice...”
As Christians we should be showing mercy toward those who do not believe as we do. Not speaking against them as the religious leaders did in this incident.
It is essential that we show love to all we come in contact with. Only in doing this can we truly reach people for Christ. Which is the primary duty of all Christians.
Please think about it.
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