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Matthew 9: The Question That Reveals the Heart
In Matthew 9, Jesus was having a meal with publicans and tax collectors.
The Pharisees questioned His disciples asking:
“Why is your Master eating with publicans and sinners?”
And when Jesus heard it, He responded by saying “those who are well do not need a physician—but those who are sick do. (Matthew 9:12)
Jesus was the physician.
He came for the sinner.
But in order to receive healing, you have to recognize and admit you’re sick.
The Humble Heart Is the Teachable Heart
Jesus does not force Himself on anyone.
He said, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.
But until someone admits they have a need—if they think they’re fine—Jesus is not going to push Himself on them.
However, when we come to Jesus with a humble heart, a heart that recognizes we need Him, He meets us there. A humble heart is a teachable heart. It’s pliable. And can accept the help it desperately needs.
A humble heart can receive the grace Jesus offers.
Jesus Puts Us All on the Same Level
One of the things I love about Jesus is that He puts us all on a level playing field.
Nothing that I have…
Nothing that I’ve ever done…
Nobody I’m related to…
Gives me an advantage when it comes to me standing before God.
Because before God, I’m a sinner. We’re all sinners. We are all sinners saved by grace.
Before God, I have no righteousness of my own.
But it is only those of us who can admit that we are sinners—that we need grace—that can receive grace.
The Pharisees Needed Saving Too
The Pharisees needed saving too.
But they didn’t think they did.
They were the keepers of the law. They were confident in their own ability to please God.
And instead of coming to Jesus as the Messiah, they were constantly looking for fault.
Jesus did not behave the way they thought a rabbi should behave.
And certainly not the way they thought the Messiah would behave.
They were confident in their own righteousness.
They believed they were earning God’s approval by legalistically obeying the law and judging everyone else around them.
But Jesus did not come that way.
He did not treat people that way.
The Pharisees Needed People Beneath Them
If your righteousness is based on how good you are, or all the things you do right, then the only way to feel good about yourself is to compare yourself with someone who isn’t measuring up to your standard.
And that’s what the Pharisees were doing.
The only reason they were on top was because everybody else was on bottom.
And Jesus came and broke up the system.
He was showing them another way.
He was showing them the heart of God.
The heart of God is to lift everybody up.
The heart of God is that everyone would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
That all sinners would come to repentance.
But if that happened in the Pharisees’ world, then who were they?
If they weren’t the best, then they were nobody.
And they had presented themselves as the best.
The Difference Between Sinners and Pharisees
The difference between those who came to Jesus and the Pharisees is that the sinners understood they needed a Savior.
They knew they were sick and needed a physician.
But the Pharisees did not. Their pride would not allow them to humble themselves and need Jesus.
And that is the key to Jesus’ heart. To humble ourselves. To have a heart willing to receive the grace He provides.
The Bible says:
“Humble yourselves therefore under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”
(1 Peter 5:6)
Two Kinds of Righteousness
The Bible talks about different kinds of righteousness.
We have to choose what kind of righteousness we’re going to walk in.
First, we have to choose that we want to walk in righteousness, that we want to do the right things. That we want to be right before God.
Then we have to choose what kind of righteousness we will walk in.
Do we want the kind of righteousness the Pharisees had?
A righteousness based on our doing… based on trying to be better than other people…based on trying to impress…based on trying to work our way to God…
Or do we want the righteousness that comes from God by faith?
A righteousness that is a gift. A righteousness that must be received.
Jesus gives us His righteousness as a gift, and we must admit we need it and receive it.
Paul’s Words in Romans and Philippians
Paul mentions two kinds of righteousness in Romans 10.
He talks about the Jewish people who rejected Jesus and says they had zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
He says they did not know God’s righteousness, and they were seeking to establish their own.
And because of that, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God.
And then Paul says:
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
(Reference: Romans 10:1–4)
Paul says something similar in Philippians 3.
He lists all the things he could have trusted in—his accomplishments, his credentials, his religious achievements.
But then he says he counts all of it as loss for the sake of Christ.
And he says he wants to be found in Jesus, not having a righteousness of his own that comes from the law, but a righteousness that comes through faith in Christ.
(Reference: Philippians 3:7–9)
The Righteousness of God Comes Through Faith
Romans 3 also teaches that God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the law.
It is righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
And Scripture reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
And that we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
(Reference: Romans 3:21–24)
Jesus knew we could never fulfill the requirements of the law.
So He came and fulfilled them for us.
He took our sin, and it was nailed to the cross.
And He gave us His righteousness.
So that we could know God.
So that we could please God.
So that we could walk in fellowship with Him.
This is where the joy of our salvation comes from.
When we are no longer striving to be good enough…
but we simply say:
“Lord, thank You. Thank You that the blood of Jesus has cleansed me. Thank You that I can come before You. Thank You that I can be called Your child.
I’m Your daughter. I’m Your girl. And I don’t have to carry the heavy burden of trying to do everything right.”
Grace Isn’t a License to Live Sloppy
Grace isn’t a license to live however we please.
When you love Jesus, you want to please Him and live your life in a way that brings Him honor.
You want to become like Him.
Grace is not permission to sin.
Grace is the power to walk out of sin and walk with Him by faith.
Grace gives you the confidence that no matter how many times you fall, you can get back up and come to Him.
Grace will not allow you to willingly walk in sin.
“I Need a Physician”
Jesus said the well don’t need a physician.
But the sick do.
And friend, I need a physician.
I need Jesus daily.
I’m not embarrassed to say I have issues.
I need Him.
He is my lifeline.
He is my friend.
He is my Savior.
And I pray this is a reminder to you today:
He’s on your side.
He’s sitting at your table.
No matter who around you is pointing their finger and saying,
Who is she to talk to Jesus?
Who is she to serve God?
You are the one He chose from the foundation of the world.
So that He could fellowship with you.
So that He could be your friend.
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