MATTHEW 9:9-13
JESUS CALLS SINNERS INTO HIS KINGDOM.
In
the name + of Jesus.
There are four accounts of the life of Jesus in our Bible, and one of
them is written by St. Matthew. We know
he was an apostle and an eye witness of Jesus’ resurrection. We know that he was commissioned to go and
preach the gospel wherever he went.
Beyond that, we don’t know much about him. Even traditions about St. Matthew are not
very helpful.
Prior to becoming one of Jesus’ disciples, Matthew was a tax
collector. Tax collectors had a
reputation of being thieving cheats. They
regularly took more money from the citizens than they were supposed to which they
pocketed for themselves. This was not a
secret, but there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. Rome
got their taxes, so they did not care.
The Jews got robbed, and they could not stop it. As a result, tax collectors were generally
rich, but also generally despised.
After Jesus called Matthew to follow him, Matthew hosted a banquet. He was quick to invite his associates and
friends to this feast with Jesus. Most
of Matthew’s dinner guests had the reputation of sinners. They were branded as sinners rightly; for,
their words and actions had proven it.
The Pharisees saw Jesus and his disciples among Matthew’s guests, and they
were appalled. Jesus’ attendance there
was no act of charity, either. Jesus was
not merely giving up a few hours to spend with the down-trodden after which he
would get back to his real concerns.
These sinners were his real
concern. Jesus actually liked being with
them, talking with them, and feasting with them. Jesus actually liked them! The Pharisees were embarrassed
and incensed by it.
The Pharisees also seemed to think that Jesus’ disciples should be
embarrassed by their master’s actions, too.
Perhaps that is why the Pharisees challenged the disciples instead of
speaking to Jesus directly. The Pharisees said to his disciples, “Why does your
teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11) Perhaps they
thought such a question would drive these disciples away from Jesus—that they
would be too embarrassed to associate with him if he is going to act like
this. Is this what we are to expect from a Messiah? Shouldn’t he be shaking these kinds of people
off of himself? Doesn’t he have standards? Shouldn’t people start living up to those
standards before he would sit down with them?
Is this who he is going to associate himself with? Is this what the kingdom of God
Jesus did not
wait for his disciples to speak for him.
When he heard it, he said, “Those
who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy,
and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to
call the righteous, but
sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13) Among those sinners was Matthew, the tax
collector. Matthew would not only share
a table with Jesus, Matthew would be appointed an apostle by Jesus. Jesus calls sinners into his kingdom.
But let us
consider the questions which went through the minds of the Pharisees, and which
still goes through the minds of Christians today. “Why does your
teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11) Is this what we are to expect from a
Messiah? Is this what the kingdom of God
The Pharisees took pride in their well-behaved, religious ways. They wanted a reward for being good men. They saw Matthew and his friends, and they
thought Jesus should be there to unload judgment on them and go away. Instead, Jesus reclined at their table and
spoke kindly to them. Jesus did not come
to rub their faces in their sins, but to deliver them from them. For it is not judgment that delivers sinners,
but mercy. Jesus called these sinners
into his kingdom.
Pride is still the problem today.
It can happen one of two ways.
The first way is the pride of the Pharisees. It is when we hold the attitude that we are
better than others, and that is why we have a place in God’s kingdom. It is a pride that is embarrassed by Jesus’
mercy and suggests to people, “You don’t belong here; not in this kingdom.” But there is also a perverse pride that is
becoming much more common in churches today.
It is usually disguised as being open-minded and tolerant. It is when we tell people that we will not call
anything wicked or sinful because God accepts all people. This pride encourages the tax collector to
remain at his booth and blesses the prostitute at her street corner. With this pride, we apologize for God’s
commandments and celebrate the sinner. Ironically,
with either kind of pride, people are convinced that they are more God’s people
than anyone else. With either kind of
pride, people presume to speak and to judge for God. And with either kind of pride, people end up
like the Pharisees, without a seat at the feast and outside the kingdom of God
Jesus calls sinners into his kingdom.
There is no room for any kind of pride for a sinner. You cannot be proud of despising or belittling
other people. You cannot be proud of
judging other people as not worth God’s attention. You cannot be proud of dismissing God’s
commandments because they are unpopular.
You cannot be proud of thinking that God shares your assessment of other
people or that you are equal to God in judging them. These things are not worthy of pride, but of
punishment.
Nevertheless, Jesus does not cast you off. He calls you into his kingdom. That kingdom is ruled above all by divine mercy. The Savior who told the Pharisees, “I
desire mercy, and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:12), supplied both for you.
First, Jesus offered the sacrifice of a perfectly obedient life. Jesus did not despise people no matter how
wretched they were. Though he never
could or did condone man’s wickedness, he did not isolate himself from the
wicked. How could he if he were to dwell
on earth at all? Rather, Jesus found
Matthew at his tax collector’s booth. He
did not despise him, but summoned him: “Follow me.”
Jesus does not
despise you because of a troubled marriage, because of your bitter jealousies,
your malicious gossip, or your self-important pride. Instead, he summons, “Follow me.” In following Jesus, you find a Savior who
answers for your sins with his perfect obedience. You have not done what God has commanded, but
Jesus has. Jesus found you in your
sinful condition and cleansed you at the baptismal font. He continues to be merciful, granting you
pardon for all your sins and preparing a feast for you. For, Jesus still eats with sinners.
Jesus calls
sinners into his kingdom. He says: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”
(Matthew 9:12) Jesus supplies
both. He is the sacrifice which atones
for all your pride and all your shame.
Jesus delivers you from all your iniquity. The title “sinner” no longer sticks. Jesus says that you are a citizen of the
heavenly kingdom and a partaker of the heavenly feast.
No longer do we
call Matthew the tax collector. We call
him “Apostle,” “Evangelist,” and “Saint.”
That is what Jesus made him because he called this sinner into his
kingdom. You have been granted a new
name as well. God calls sinners into his
kingdom, but he no longer calls them sinners.
Now God calls you “saint,” “beloved child,” and “heir of heaven.” And just as God called Matthew to go out and
proclaim this mercy to other sinners, so you are called to go and do
likewise. Do not be afraid of the
sinners, but go and be merciful to them as Jesus has been merciful to you. This is how Jesus delivered you, and it is
how he continues to call sinners into his kingdom.
In the name of the Father and of the Son +
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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