Mark 2:13-17
Romans 8:26-30
Jesus came to call sinners
Today, we are going to start a 3-part series looking at this question:
Why did Jesus say he came to this earth?
I mean, that is why we celebrate Christmas after all….we remember the time when Jesus came to this earth……
And once we look beyond the nativity scene of baby Jesus in the manger, mother Mary and father Joseph, the animals, the shepherds, the angels and the wise men, although they were never at his birth, they came later on….but still, once we look beyond his actual birth, we must ask this question.
Why did Jesus come to this earth in the first place?
And in order to answer that question we can look at why Jesus himself told us why he came to this earth?
It is no surprise that when Jesus called Matthew to follow him, to be one of his disciples, is the time, when Jesus first told us, why he came to this earth.
It is no surprise that when Jesus called someone called Matthew from that most hated of people groups- tax collectors, those who would steal money from your own pocket and somehow make it legal, it was at that time when Jesus declared why he had come to this earth in the first place.
And the reason he gave, is found in Mark chapter 2 verse 17.
Look at Mark 2:17 with me:
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”
And so, Jesus actually makes it clear why he didn’t come to this earth in order to highlight the reason why he did come to this earth.
As so often in the scriptures, the darkness is explained, so that the light is made clearer and more distinct. Just like the first commandment is a command not to make idols, in order that the command to worship God only is highlighted brighter.
And so here we have Jesus telling us why he didn’t come to this earth first of all.
He didn’t come to call the righteous.
This seems an odd thing to say, since we know that rightoussness- that is being right with God, is something that God desires. He desires that all all right with him, he desires that no one should perish, but have peace with God, and so being righteous, - that is being right with God is a good thing…..and yet Jesus here, says he didn’t come to call the righteous….
So, what did he mean here?
Well, as always if we look at the context, we will find our answer.
Jesus said that he came not for the righteous, in response to the question which the scribes and pharisees asked in verse 16.
The scribes and pharisees had seen Jesus eat with his new friend- Matthew, and his tax collector mates, and had asked this question out of shock and anger
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus was hanging out with what these pharisees and scribes would consider “unclean” people, the scum of the earth, tax collector, chief of sinners and in response to their question, Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous”
Jesus wasn’t saying that the scribes and pharisees were already part of God’s kingdom, since they were already righteous, but Jesus was actually giving these scribes and pharisees a stinging rebuke.
He was telling these scribes and pharisees that he didn’t come to call people who tried to earn their own righteousness with God, by trying to do righteous things…….he didn’t come to call people who were self-righteous.
He didn’t come to call people who thought they were saved by good works, or saved by virtue signalling, saved by giving money to charity, saved by doing acts of penance, saved by making lots of money…..
Jesus didn’t come to call those who didn’t respond to his call because they thought they didn’t need to.
Just like King Herod in the days of the Jesus birth.
Instead of king Herod acknowledging that Jesus is the king in whom he needed to bend the knee to, Herod was his own king, and tried to kill King Jesus while he was just a baby.
Jesus compared these people to someone who thought they were well and so had no need to visit a hospital and see a surgeon.
These people stay away from the hospital, stay away from the doctors, because they think they don’t need one.
This is what Jesus meant when he said, “He didn’t come to call the righteous”
So, who did he come to call?
He came to call sinners.
Friends, if you are not a sinner, then Jesus did not come to this earth for you.
You just keep doing what you are doing, keep making that money, keep helping out people, keep loving your family, keep doing what you are doing, if you are not a sinner, then Jesus did not come to this earth for you.
However, if you, like me, recognise that you are in fact a sinner, then Jesus came for you.
Jesus compares us to someone who is sick, as a sick person we need a doctor.
If, you, like me, know that you have the terminal disease of sin, then Jesus came for you.
We know we are sinners because the MRI scan of God’s law, shows that we are sinners- there is no way we can keep all of God’s laws, we just can’t and the MRI scanner of God’s laws, shows the blackness of our hearts.
And friends, if you accept that diagnosis today, then Jesus came to call you.
He called you to be part of his family, he called you to be right with God, he called you to be forgiven of all your sins.
And friends if he has called you, listen to what he has called you for.
This is from Romans 8:29-30
For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be first born among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called, and those he called he also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified
Friends, Jesus has called you to follow him, to be more and more like him.
When Jesus called Matthew that day, Matthew changed.
He left his tax booth, he changed, and he wanted all his friends to meet Jesus and be like him to, as he opened his house up for dinner with Jesus.
When Jesus calls you, he justifies you, he makes you right with God, it is as just as if you had never sinned when Jesus calls you, and as he makes you right with God, by his spirit working in you, he makes you more like Himself, until one day, when we are in heaven, we will be totally like him, we will be glorified.
Friends, Jesus came to this earth to call sinners.
It was Jesus who first sent out this call….It was Jesus who initiated it, and guess what…..since Jesus called sinners, and the bible tells us we are all sinners, Jesus has called all of us….all of us who know that we are sinners,
If you are not a sinner, this call is not for you.
We know that God called the nation of Israel to follow Him, and yet only a few, a remnant responded to that call, many heard the call of God, and yet turned away from him, many heard the call of God, but trusted in their own righteousness instead and so many perished.
You see many of the Israelites were called, in one sense, that they all heard the call of God to follow him, and yet only a few were “really called” in the sense that they responded to God’s call and they followed him.
And so, friends, how do you know that God has called you?
Because just like Matthew the tax collector, you don’t just hear the good news that Jesus has died for your sins, but you respond by following his ways, you start walking in step with the spirit, in the freedom knowing that God has justified you, in the freedom knowing that just as God has justified you, he is transforming you to be more like him, and one day you will be fully like him, you will be glorified.
Friends, if you are hearing God call you today, then don’t just listen and do nothing, but respond, for today is the day of salvation.
Let us pray.
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