Scripture is clear that Jesus demands worship and complete devotion from his followers, even calling his followers slaves (1 Corinthians 7:22-23). Yet the book of Matthew portrays an incredible picture of Jesus connecting with sinners in a personal way that would make modern Christians cringe. Jesus hated sin yet devoted himself to sinners. Instead of aligning himself with the religious elite he devoted his life to bringing empathy, love, and grace to people long abandoned by the religious leaders of the day. One of the best examples of this comes from Matthew 9:9-13. Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector (the author of the book, also called Levi). Tax collectors were particularly hated by Jews, like a government sanctioned mob boss. Known for their greed and disloyalty, only the most wretched sinners would associate with them (Dr. John MacArthur does a fantastic job of describing tax collectors in his book “The Gospel According to Jesus”).  After his conversion, Matthew holds a banquet inviting Jesus to dine with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other rejects of society.

The Healthy Don’t Need a Doctor

If Jesus demands complete worship from his followers and hates sin, why would he attend a banquet with some of the most notorious sinners in that community? Why would a holy God share a table with prostitutes? That is exactly what the Pharisees wondered, but Jesus himself answers this question saying “those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Jesus was rebuking the Pharisees by presenting the question “if you recognize them as sinners, what are you going to do about it?” Jesus is attacking an attribute of the Pharisees that is also common in modern Christians: labeling people as sinners but remaining numb to their condition. So the lesson from our Lord is this: When you notice a sinner, bring them to repentance as a doctor brings healing to the afflicted.

Go Learn

After he demonstrates their callousness Jesus exploits the pride of the Pharisees. “Go and learn” (vs.13) was a way for teachers to expose ignorance in an area their students should have known. Basically Jesus was saying “go back and study this topic, come back when you understand.” He then quotes Hosea 6:6 saying, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” reminding his audience that God is not concerned about religious activity. He wants character. Pharisees had nearly perfected the religious rituals but ignored mercy, compassion, grace, and had no love for the lost. The Old Testament sacrificial system was pleasing to God only when it was accompanied by a broken and contrite heart (Psalms 51:16-17). Sacrifices without repentance are like soiled rags in his presence.

I Did Not Come For the Righteous

Luke 18:9 tells us that Pharisees trusted themselves and looked down on others. In other words, they viewed themselves as righteous. Jesus is saying he doesn’t want the self-righteous. They lack humility, but the sinners he would call to repentance. Jesus is making clear that the gospel is a call for sinners to repent and find forgiveness. The “righteous” simply can’t accept this because they attempt to veil their sinfulness and lack the humility for confession. “I did not come to call the righteous” tells us that Christ’s invitation to salvation is not for those who view themselves as righteous.

Wrap Up

Jesus is calling for repentance, not sacrifice. He wants to see sinners not validate or redefine their transgressions, but turn from them. Sin today is the same as it was 2,000 years ago. Christians should not ignore the “tax-collectors” of today in favor of other Pharisees. The beauty of Christian life is the community. We can minister to the broken in our city together as a unified community. As one body with many parts, our church can impact Billings. We can overcome fear and weakness together. My weaknesses are overcome by the body of Christ as we bring the gospel to our city. In other words, we should follow Jesus’ lead and extend grace and a call for repentance rather than hide in our buildings with like-minded friends pointing fingers at sinners. This may be a radical approach, but Jesus never promised a comfortable life.