The Lost Can See?

From the Book Of Matthew (Ch 9:9-13)

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?[a]”

12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

13 Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[b] For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough!"

One of the things I like about going on mission trips is the fact that so many people outside of the states know and identify themselves as sinners. They know they are doing wrong and know that they are undeserving. They know they are lost. Most belief systems in the areas I've been in teach on a works mentality, and yet most know and believe that there is no reason to bother trying because they will never succceed!

Our sin creates a gulf of separation between us and God and no matter how good we are or no matter what good deeds or works we do, WE can NEVER bridge the gap to get to God. I could try to jump from the Texas to the coast of Florida over and over but I'll never be able to jump far enough. I'll get wet each and every time. The Pharisees felt like they were good enough because they were the children of Abraham. They were so wrapped up their own self-righteousness they couldn't see God (as Jesus) right in front of their very eyes. In their minds, their heritage and the law was the bridge to God. A Roman soldier, non Jew, could recognize the fact that Jesus was Saviour when he approached him to ask Him to heal his servant. Jesus offered to go to the man's home and heal him and the man said, "no need to you could do it from here at this distance if you wanted to" (Ron's paraphrase). Jesus said He had never seen such faith in all the land of ISRAEL!

It's funny how many people in our country think they are "good enough" while people around the world know they in fact are not. Americans don't see their sin as separating them from fellowship with God. Americans have fallen into this lull of believing that their heritage will save them.

I read the scripture from Matthew as typed above and it just reminds me that God is CALLING THE SINNERS....not those who THINK they are already GOOD ENOUGH. You can argue with one of those "good enough 'believers'" all day, you could show them signs and wonders just like Jesus, and at the end of the day the self-righteous will still be their same blinded selves. Jesus is calling out to the lost as a shepherd would call out for the sheep in his field that isn't with the rest of the flock.

Let's remember to pray for a deep conviction of our sins as a nation and as a church. Pray that our self-righteous walls will crumble and then that we will humble ourselves before the Lord. I fear what is to come if our nation does not repent of our sins soon. Israel turned from the Lord so very often, His very own people. Evil would be allowed to rise up and persecute Israel until they would remember that the God is their LORD! Pray that it doesn't take something horrible to wake us up.