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Oh Lord…I never want to forget that I am a mess in process! Matthew 9:13


Matthew 9
Jesus Chooses Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth.
“Follow me,” Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.
10 Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and “sinners” came. They ate with Jesus and his disciples.
11 The Pharisees saw this. So they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12 Jesus heard that. So he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”


I don’t want to forget that Jesus was about relationships with everyone
he didn't distinguish between sinners and tax collectors. Andy Stanley compares tax collectors to the people who sell drugs to young kids in our days. They were unpopular people, but Jesus asked Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him.

Jesus didn't put Matthews down! He asked Matthew to be a part of his “in crowd!”  You know the Pharisees (who are the equivalent of “holy rollers” of our day) were shocked.

Jesus also hung out with “sinners” and tax collectors because he was all about relationships. He dined at Matthew’s home with Matthew’s sinner, outcast friends!

Jesus was comfortable with people who were nothing like him. Those who were different from him were comfortable with Jesus! They followed him!

If we are not right with the Lord, we will not be comfortable with Him just as the Pharisees of his day couldn't deal with him. 

Jesus wasn't afraid of telling those around him that they were sick. He clearly said he came for those who were messed up. 

Which comes to the point that pierced my heart: I never want to forget that I am a mess in process!  I don’t want to think that I believe and behave the "right" way! I don’t want to turn into a Pharisee of modern days.


I don’t want to forget that I am here to walk with you, Lord. 

I am here to partner with you, Father, to bring everyone around me to you. 

I don’t want to believe “right.” I don’t want to be judgmental. 

Help me.
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