Today's Passage - Matthew 9:9-13

Matthews 9:9-13 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth."Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 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. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." When Jesus was on earth, He was really happy to be friend with tax collectors and sinners! At that time, Jerusalem was a great and prosperous city. Everyone who walked on its street were proud. But when the Lord saw Jerusalem from Mt. Olive, He cried for Jerusalem. When the Lord entered Jerusalem, he was very happy to sit and eat among tax collectors and sinners. Why was that? That is because the Lord had mercy. He saw the misery and poverty of people in sins. Jesus said, I came to call sinners to repent, and to help those who were sick. In verse 12 the Lord says, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.' But are there any real healthy people in the world?  Not really.  There are lots of people, however, who think they are healthy. Are there any people who have not sinned? Not really.  Nevertheless, there are a lot of people who thought they had no sin. That's why Jesus rebuked those who thought they were righteous, even crying for them, because they are indeed the ones who need salvations. But they refused salvation, refused Jesus.  What's a pity! There was a person named Matthew. He was a tax collector. At that time, a tax collector was not accepted by Jews. When the grace of the Lord came upon him, knowing his sins and his needs, once he heard Jesus' calling he got up and followed Jesus. Bible says, he 'got up', and didn't wait. There wasn't a problem of saving face or rationalizing. A sinner can receive new life because of his belief. How wonderful it is! Today, no matter what you need, you can come to God. When God calls, you need to get up and see wonderful grace descending upon you!     Prayer with Pastor Tong Liu   Lord, we thank you.  May you open our eyes and see our weakness and poverty. Let us turn back to you once again to look for you power and help.  May your grace descend upon each of us because of our faith. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!        Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!