PASSAGE: Matthew 9:9-13

SERIES SUMMARY 

As Jesus steps onto the scene of history, Matthew paints a picture of him that invites our participation in what Jesus is doing. The portrait is that Jesus is the True King who is bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. This good news is not reserved for especially religious people in a distant future; it’s good news, right now, for ordinary people who come to Jesus in faith. 

And while Jesus inaugurated the kingdom among us through teaching and serving in dozens of ways, he ultimately brought heaven to earth by embracing the cross as his throne and wearing thorns as his crown. In doing this, he broke the powers of the kingdom(s) of this world and opened up God’s new world through his resurrection. Now, because of these things, discipleship to Jesus is about praying and living “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” It is about whole-life transformation and embodying kingdom realities. It is about becoming people who naturally live out what Jesus taught. Today, because of Matthew’s witness and Jesus’ ministry, the kingdom is coming in our own lives, “on earth as it is in heaven.”

PASSAGE GUIDE

Matthew has been revealing Jesus as the Messiah-King who possesses authority over sickness, creation, evil, and sin. In this passage, that authority is displayed through His mercy toward sinners. Jesus sees Matthew sitting at a tax booth, a man whose occupation and reputation would have caused respectable religious people to dismiss him as a traitor and sinner. Yet Jesus sees Matthew and simply says, “Follow Me.” He does not first require Matthew to repair his reputation, prove his sincerity, or make himself worthy. At the same time, this is not an invitation to remain unchanged. Following Jesus means leaving an old allegiance for a new one. Matthew rises, leaves the tax booth, and follows the King who has called him.

The scene then moves from the tax booth to the table, where Jesus eats with Matthew and many other “tax collectors and sinners.” Sharing a meal communicated welcome, relationship, and fellowship, which explains why the Pharisees are so disturbed. They cannot understand why a teacher would associate with people whose lives so clearly fall outside their standards of righteousness. Jesus responds, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” He does not minimize sin or pretend that the people around the table are spiritually healthy. He moves toward them precisely because they are sick and need the healing only He can provide. Jesus does not compromise holiness in order to show mercy. His mercy moves toward sinners in order to make them whole.

Jesus then exposes a different kind of sickness by quoting Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” The Pharisees can clearly recognize the obvious sins of Matthew and his friends, but they cannot recognize their own need for mercy. Their religious devotion has become disconnected from the merciful heart of God. Matthew 9 therefore reveals two kinds of people who need the same grace: the unrighteous, whose sin is public and easy to identify, and the self-righteous, whose sin can hide beneath morality, religious knowledge, and respectable behavior. The great danger is not simply being spiritually sick. It is being sick while believing you have no need of the Physician.

Jesus explains the entire scene with the words, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew’s individual call reveals the larger mission of Jesus. He came for people who cannot make themselves whole or earn a place at His table. He sees sinners, calls them to follow Him, welcomes them into fellowship, and begins making them new. Those who follow Jesus have received that same mercy, which changes how they see people whose lives appear far from God. Sin should never be minimized, but neither should it become the final word we speak over another person. The person we are tempted to write off may be someone Jesus is calling to Himself. No one is beyond His sight, His authority, or His saving mercy.

*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jesus sees people we may write off, calls them into fellowship, and will their transformed lives to tell His story to others.
• We can be grateful that Jesus didn’t write us off while we quietly write other people off. 
• Jesus doesn’t just forgive sinners at a distance. He brings forgiven sinners into fellowship with Himself.
• We can refuse to write the final line before Jesus has finished His work.
• Jesus’ compassionate authority sees people we may write off, calls them to follow Him, welcomes them to His table, and makes them new.
• The invitation is the same for the unrighteous and the self-righteous: stop defending yourself, stop comparing yourself, come to Jesus, trust in Jesus, and follow Him.
• The Jesus who welcomed Matthew now lives in you to love the Matthews in your life.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS    

These are “suggested” questions. You do not have to go through every single one of them. Remember: the text is the focus; the sermon is a commentary. Discuss and apply in the group.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (Read Matthew 9:9-13)

1. What stood out to you from the passage as you were listening to the sermon? 
2. What is significant about Jesus seeing Matthew and calling him while he is still sitting at the tax booth? 
3. What does sharing a table with Matthew and his friends communicate about Jesus’ relationship with sinners? 
4. Like Matthew, what might “following Jesus” require you to leave behind or surrender in this season? 
5. How does remembering that Jesus called us by grace shape the way we view people who are far from God? 
6. Who have you quietly written off as someone that will never follow Jesus but is close to you? 
7. Where might religious activity or biblical knowledge be present in your life without producing greater mercy toward others? 
8. How do we grow in mercy, not just biblical knowledge or information about Godly things? 
9. How can ordinary rhythms of home, table, practice, shopping, or work create opportunities for meaningful relationships with people who do not yet follow Jesus? 
10. What is something you can start doing or somewhere you can be more intentional to show mercy and grace to those who are far from God but in your sphere of influence? 

LIFE ON MISSION THIS WEEK 

• Pray: Ask God to give you patience and compassion for someone who is difficult to love.
• Serve: We will need volunteers to man tables for Compassion International child sponsorships on Sunday, October 11. We need 34 volunteers at Hwy 14 location and 16 volunteers at Adams Mill location. You can register online under “Events” to serve during our Compassion Weekend!