WHO DO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH?

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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.

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

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Question: Who do you feel most comfortable being around? Family? Friends? Co-workers?

We all have that comfort zone…the place where we feel most at ease…the place where we seem to always seek out and hang out.

As we look at today’s passage from Matthew, Chapter 9, it’s important to note that people had their comfort zones back then too. Those who were righteous…read Jewish…could hand out together but wouldn’t be caught dead with a Gentile…read non-Jew…or anyone else who was considered a sinner or unclean. Those who were in and of God just wouldn’t associate with “those” types of people.

Today, we do much of the same thing…just in a different variation.

For example, how welcome would a murderer be in the midst of law-abiding citizens? How about a sex offender? A prostitute?

Typically, we wouldn’t want to be within a foot of any of these people. They’re just evil and should hang out with each other, away from society so they can’t do harm. And most of the time, where that ends up being is a prison…a place where the average person has no desire to go and visit. Ditto for a brothel.

Question: What would Jesus do? Do we even ask this as we consider those who live on the margins of our society?

Let’s look at today’s scripture passage for some insight.

It begins by formally adding another disciple to Jesus’ inner group…a group which would number 12 before it would be all said and done with.

We read where Jesus “saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth” and asked him to “Follow me." And Matthew did just that.

Now before we move on any further, it’s important to note that Matthew was a tax collector and there were few others hated more in the New Testament society than tax collectors.

Why?

Well, for starters, they were pretty much under the control of the Romans who had control of Israel and oppressed the Israelite population with severe taxation…revenue that the tax collectors had to gather from their own people. But if this weren’t enough, there were many unscrupulous tax collectors…those who would add an additional amount to what the Romans demanded so they could pocket the difference for themselves. Many tax collectors ended up with wealth by essentially stealing from their own people. This is why they were despised.

This explains why the Pharisees were caught off guard when Jesus decided to have dinner with Matthew, along with “many tax collectors and sinners”. The Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

Jesus didn’t give them time to develop their own response for He had one of His own. He replied to the Pharisees saying, “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."

I couldn’t help but wonder how the Pharisees felt after Jesus spoke those words. My gut is that they didn’t get it…for the Lord’s wisdom would have been lost in translation to them.

Jesus intends to tell the Pharisees and us as well today that we ‘re not to be just hanging around with those who are considered holy and righteous. No…we’re expected to get out of our comfort zone and go to bring the good news to the marginalized…those who have been shut out and shunned by society. Jesus would have no avoided them. He would have embraced them and ensured He spent time with them.

How else might they change and become more like Him otherwise?

Friends, this passage challenges us and rocks us at our core. For it stirs our very souls to respond as Jesus responded…even if we must move from beyond our comfort zone to carry out His will.

What’s at stake?

The very souls and salvation of those who have went astray and fell into the clutches of Satan...the evil one. If no one chose to associate with them, how will they come to know Jesus and possibly catch a glimpse of Him through the actions of those who choose to serve and represent Him?

Again…a question…Who do you associate with?

After today’s scripture, my prayer is that you’ll reevaluate yourself before you answer, asking yourself, “What would Jesus do?” and answering by remembering that “it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick”.

Amen.

PS: You may want to check out a few of these sites in response to Jesus’ call in today’s message:

http://www.prisonfellowship.org/prison-fellowship-home

http://prisonministry.net/

http://www.prisonministry.org/

http://www.afterhoursministry.com/

http://www.matthew25ministries.org/

In Christ,

Mark

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