Brent Kuhlman

+ Jesu Juva +

Matthew 9:9-13

Whoa!  Don’t go there Jesus!  Don’t get near that piece of trash!  He’s been excluded from the synagogue!  He’s betrayed his countrymen!  Works for the Roman scum. He’s unclean! A lying cheat!  Overcharges the tax and pockets the difference.  He’s a big time sinner!  You can’t be seen with people like that!  We’re warning you!  You’ll get a reputation Jesus!

So what does Jesus do?  Ignores us.  Goes right through our stop sign and bellies right up to this unclean, tax collecting, cheating, notorious sinner named Matthew.  Jesus interrupts Matthew’s entire life and recruits him to be a disciple.  “Follow me.”    Mercy unleashed.  Pure forgiveness.  No strings attached.  Just, “follow me.  I’m here as your Savior.  I’m here to forgive you of everything Matthew.  I know who you are.  I know what you’ve done.  You’re a sin sick sinner.  Believe me, nothing you’ve done shocks me. I’m here to take all your rot, gunk and filth in my Body and answer for it on the Cross.  I’m hear to trade places with you Matthew.   I forgive you Matthew.  I’ll take your sin and be the damned sinner on the Cross.  And in exchange I’ll give you my righteousness.  Follow me Matthew.”

And lo and behold:  Matthew dies to his sins!  Let’s Lord Jesus have them all.  This sin sick sinner holds none of his sin outside of Jesus’ forgiveness.  He’s dead to sin.  Jesus has forgiven it.  And now Matthew’s alive to God through Jesus the Savior.  And so Matthew gets up.  He arises – is resurrected -- for a new life.  The life of faith in Jesus who has come to forgive sinners, even a horrible sinner such as he.

So with the great joy of being set right with God through Jesus’ forgiveness, it’s off to Matthew’s house.  A dinner party.  And the guest of honor, Jesus Himself, the Savior who rescued Matthew from sin’s paycheck:  hell’s damnation. 

You can just imagine the spread.  Matthew’s not a poor man.  A large quantity of Madeira and high flavored Claret.  Grilled Lake of Galilee Trout served with the freshest vegetables and the sweetest baked bread.  Almond cookies and fig pie.  And then billards, brandy, and cigars in the game room as the latest episode of “The Mediterranean Bachelor” glows from the big screen plasma. 

Jesus’ other disciples and all of Matthew’s friends are invited. Quite a motley crew!  Unwholesome characters.  Fellow excommunicated tax collectors.  All kinds of questionable folks.  Red light district girls and all sorts of sin sick twisted freaks.  All, just like Matthew, in need of the Savior who has come precisely for them:  SINNERS!  Jesus is there for them too.  He’s there for them in full blast mercy mode.

The Pharisees are offended.  Scandalized.  Outraged.  They’ve been working very hard on NOT being sinners.  Very careful to not sin.  They’ve sacrificed everything in trying to be just perfect.  And if they can get this NOT SINNING mastered, then they’d be God’s favorites and they’d enter God’s kingdom as sinless boy and girl wonders.  And even if they don’t get that job done, at least God will give them kingdom of God credit for trying.  And most certainly trying harder than this Matthew and his slug of dinner party sinners! 

Are you a Pharisee?  Are you offended that Jesus would dine and have fellowship with sinners?  Are you deeply put off that Jesus would forgive hard-core sinners? 

Then listen to Jesus.  “The healthy don’t need a doctor.  But sick people do.  Go home and read your Bibles again where it says, ‘Mercy is what I want and not sacrifice.  I’ve come not to call on the perfect.  I’ve come to rescue sinners like Matthew and his friends.”   

While we were yet sinners – that’s when Jesus died for us!  That is so delicious!  So scandalously joyous!  So outrageously comforting.  Before Matthew and before you could get your act together – before you or Matthew ever cleaned up your lives and starting flying right – Jesus comes and says:  “Pardon the interruption.  But you’re a dead, damned sinner.  Under God’s wrath.  But now I’m here.  I’ve taken your sin.  All of it.  Every last bit of it.  In my Body on the cross.   I took your place.  I became the sinner.  I became the sin.  I took the damnation you deserved.”

“And since I’ve risen from the dead I have a word for you too.  I forgive you.  Of everything.  Arise, come, follow me.  Sinner, follow me to another Supper.  Mine.  I’m the Host.  The Butler.  The Food.  For you, dear sinner, I give you my Good Friday Body and Blood.  Proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that I died for you and that I forgive you.  Matthew’s here.  So are His buddies.  All is forgiven.  All is made right.  God is at peace with you. Come, follow me.” 

In the Name of Jesus.