Word of Salvation – Vol.29 No.01 – January 1984

 

The Compassion Of Christ

 

Sermon by Rev. W. Wiersma v.d.m. on Matthew 9.9-13

Suggested liturgy:
Psalter Hymnal: 187; 448; 361:1,2,3; 377; 361:4
Scripture: Matthew 8:1-22; Psalm 51

 

Congregation of our Lord Jesus.

Our Lord is more interested in what He can do for men that in what men can do for Him.  He is the doctor who has come to attend to the sick.  He invites sinners to come to Him for help and health.

How badly we need to know this truth and its implications!  How often we should ask the Spirit to show us its meaning; both for ourselves and for our neighbours.

Therefore, let him who has ears to hear, hear.

When Jesus called Matthew, Matthew was a tax-collector.  Matthew belonged to a class of people who were regarded as sinners.  Tax-collectors were known as cheats and traitors.  They went around with people of bad reputation.  Tax-collectors were the subject of public criticism and scorn.  Decent, God-fearing people were to have nothing to do with them.

Together with all other law breakers and indecent people, tax-collectors were regarded and treated as sinners beyond the hope of God’s care.

In the eyes of law abiding Israelites, Matthew and his kind were very unlikely prospects for the kingdom of heaven.  But Jesus did not much care for popular opinion.

Jesus called Matthew.

And, wonder of wonders, Matthew obeyed Christ’s call and followed Him.  Not only did Matthew follow Jesus, he also invited his old mates to meet Jesus.  He arranged a dinner party for Jesus on which many of his old friends just happened to drop in.  Obviously they were interested in meeting this man who had such an influence on old Matthew that he gave up his lucrative job to be close to Jesus.

An interesting situation, don’t you think?

The holy Jesus in the home of an ex-tax-collector, eating at the same table as “sinners”… as riff raff.

How did the disciples feel about all this?  We aren’t told.  But it is not hard to imagine that maybe they did not feel entirely comfortable.  Maybe they thought, hadn’t we better leave?  What will people say?

O dear, look.  Here’s trouble.  Some Pharisees.  They are coming over.  Wonder what they will have to say about this.

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
What sort of religious teacher are you following?
What kind of example is he giving you?
Does he not know what kind of people he is eating with?

It’s obvious.  They do not approve at all.
These religious rulers are criticising and condemning the whole thing..
They are attacking Jesus and His disciples.
How will the disciples explain this?

They don’t have to.
Jesus has heard the question of the Pharisees.
He knows what they are thinking and implying.

Jesus tells them what they, and everyone else, need to know.
“I am here because I am needed here.
I am the great physician.  These people need me.
A doctor is not appreciated or consulted by the healthy.
He is needed by the sick.”

Do you hear what Jesus is saying?
Do you get what He is implying?
Our Lord drives home the point when He adds:
“Go and learn what God means by saying ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’.”

Jesus is saying, compassion is more important than self-righteous religion.
“God does not want sacrifices.” Samuel said that to king Saul
when Saul did not have the patience
to wait for the prophet to bring the sacrifice.

Saul was supposed to wait for Samuel.
But after waiting seven days he became impatient.
So rather than obeying God, rather than trusting God,
Saul decided to force God’s hand.
He realised that he needed God’s blessing before he went to war.
So he decided to bring the sacrifice himself.
He thought, if I do this God must bless me and make me successful.

So ‘to sacrifice’ came to have the meaning: to do a religious deed to buy or force God’s blessing.

That is the idea of every proud and self-righteous heart.
If I do this God will, He must, do that.

If we go through the motions of doing what God commands God is bound to back (or accept) us.  By our actions, our sacrifices, our obedience, our religion, we will fix it.  We are healthy.  We can look after ourselves.  Sinners will never get there because they do not know or practice the right formula.

As if religion is a practice of magic.  As if God is in our power!

We should not misunderstand this.
Jesus does not teach that there are actually healthy people.
What he is saying is that there are people who think they are healthy,
and who therefore reject Him who is the healer of souls.

There are people, brought up with the bible, who still think that God owes them a place in His kingdom.

They do not look for mercy.  They do not think of themselves as lost in sin.  They do not cry to God from a broken heart, because they neither know themselves nor God.  And that in spite of all their religion, bible reading and prayer.

The Pharisees had apparently never fully understood the significance, the meaning, of the temple rituals.  Never realised that they too were sinners in need of atonement, in need of a sacrifice in their place; that they needed forgiveness for the blackness of their heart.

They were healthy and worthy.  So they thought.
Therefore they looked down on others.
Therefore they judged and condemned others.
Therefore they could never help a sinner.
All they could do was criticise.
But they could not offer a sinner hope.
They could not see how sinners could be saved.
So they would not go anywhere near sinners.
They could show them no mercy.
Their hearts were callous and cold.

But the heart of Jesus is alive and warm.
His heart goes out to the sick, to the poor and needy.
He knows sinners can’t get themselves out of their mess.
Jesus knows that sinners cannot heal themselves.

But Jesus can.
He is the great physician.
He has the knowledge, the skill, the medicine, the surgery that can heal the worst sinner who hears the gentle invitation to come to Him.

Shall Jesus then avoid and run away from sinners?
Never!
He will sit with them, talk with them, laugh and cry with them.
Yes, and even suffer with them.  For them.

I have come to call sinners.
I have come to seek and save the lost!

Do you hear that, dear sinner?
Do you hear that, dear Pharisee?
That Jesus has come to save sinners?

Why do we then continue to act as if there is hope only for decent people?  As if decency can get anyone into the kingdom of God?

Why take away all hope from sinners?  As if they can only be saved after they have changed their ways?

We are not saved by the praise or approval of God.
We are saved only by His mercy, His compassion. .. His grace.
Jesus did not come to congratulate people on their good efforts.
He has come to speak the word of forgiveness.
There is hope, even for tax collectors and sinners.

That is what Jesus is showing and saying to us in this text before us.
This is the message we are to take in and to proclaim.

We are not called to criticise the fallen.
We are not called to push them deeper into the gutter of sin.
Jesus said: “I have not come to condemn, but to save.”

It is true that His word often makes people feel guilty.  But that is meant to make us realise that He has come to free us from our guilt.  He makes us see why – to save us – He had to die on the cross.  But surely His willing death shows us how much He cares for ungodly people.  Is that not why the apostle Paul calls the Gospel of Christ crucified, the power of God unto salvation for all who believe?

Even for the likes of the adulteress, who, aware of her sins, washed Jesus’ feet with her tears..!

The host of Jesus on that occasion wondered whether Jesus knew what kind of woman was touching Him.  He also thought that Jesus should not associate with sinners.

But if Jesus were not to associate with sinners, what hope would there be for anyone?  Then He could not have lived on this earth for a moment.  There would never have been any disciples.  Never any church.

Instead of driving sinners away from himself and so further away from God, Jesus calls them.  Come to me.  Follow me.  Take me.  Hold me.  Believe that I can make you well.  I can give you peace with God.  I can cleanse your guilty conscience and give you rest.

That was what Matthew must have discovered and experienced.  That was why he was eager to introduce his old friends to Jesus.

What kind of people do you think you ought to bring to Jesus?
What kind of person are you yourself?
Sick or healthy?  In need or quite able to take care of yourself?
What are you preaching to sinners?
That they must help themselves…
or that you know a doctor who can help them?

So often ‘Christians’ tell sinners to help themselves; to make themselves worthy of a place in the church and in the kingdom of Christ.  What do we teach people to do?  To bring sacrifices or to believe in mercy?

Jesus practised mercy.  He lay down His life for sinners.
Bringing the one sacrifice that makes atonement for the vilest sins.
If there is a place in His company for sinners,
should we try to keep them from Him?

Or are we afraid of being contaminated?
Do we not believe that the Spirit of Christ is stronger than any sin or power?

One minister tells the story of a woman in a rough district in London, who came to a women’s meeting.  She had been living with a coloured man and had a half-caste baby by him.  She liked the meeting and came back time and again.

Then the minister came to her and said: I must ask you not to come to this meeting again.  The other women say they will stop coming if you continue to come.

She looked at him and said: Sir, I know I am a sinner but isn’t there anywhere a sinner can go?

Have we got room for sinners?
Have we got room for Jesus and the people He calls?

Is there still room in our church for the hymn
(it is not found in the new Psalter Hymnal):

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore.
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.
He is willing, He is able
He is willing, doubt no more.

Now, ye needy, come and welcome;
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Let not conscience make you linger
Nor of fitness fondly dream.
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you. This He gives you.
’tis the Spirit’s glimmering beam.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden
Bruised and mangled by the fall.
If you tarry till you’re better
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Not the righteous, not the righteous – Sinners Jesus came to call.

Amen.