Thursday, September 25, 2008
Matthew 9:10-12 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."
JESUS EATS WITH SINNERS
The Pharisees found fault with Jesus' eating with Matthew and his friends because they believed they themselves were righteous and looked down on those who did not live up to their standards. Of course, what they failed to realize was that God's standard was much higher than theirs. From God's point of view all human beings are sinners, so far separated from Him by their guilt that the difference between them is hardly worth
mentioning. Not then. Not now.
The fact is, if Jesus doesn't eat with sinners, He eats alone. This Christ is unwilling to do. Not then. Not now. Not in eternity. Because of this Jesus offered His perfect life in substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. And as a result the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be well-attended by forgiven, repentant sinners. Indeed, no sinner
trusting in Jesus will be turned away.
So let us take care we do not excuse or discount or deny any sin of which we are guilty. For when we do this we are in danger of throwing away the heavenly Father's invitation to the eternal heavenly banquet -- and taking our place with the sin-diseased Pharisees who declared themselves morally healthy and in no need of the Great Physician.
