Unexpected Mercy (Matthew 9:9-34)
June 21, 2020
Jesus was an enigma to the people of his day. An enigma is someone mysterious, confusing, or hard to understand. I wonder how we would view him today. Would he fit into the mold that we give him, or would he stand out as something different? We might picture Jesus to be a lot like us, except way better at battling sins that we see in ourselves. Plus he can do some awesome miracles. The first two sections of our story this morning show us something interesting.
Mercy Towards Sinners (9:9-13)
Matthew 9:9--13 (ESV) --- 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus has been miraculously healing people and demonstrating the power that only God has. He sets himself apart from those who would claim to be a Messiah by actually doing the works that back it up. But in verse 9 he does something unexpected. In the past, he has asked common fishermen to be his disciples. That's pretty odd. He has also been pursued by educated and possibly wealthy men, but he now he calls for a tax collector to follow him. I imagine that this is something we would never do. Tax collectors are despicable human beings. They make a living off of deceiving and taking advantage of people. Why would Jesus call someone like this?
Notice that Matthew does not hesitate. He does not make excuses or list off the things he needs to take care of first. He rises, leaves his business behind, and follows Jesus. This is not like a fisherman job. Matthew would lose his place and another tax collector would come in. He was effectively giving up the evil lifestyle of deceiving and taking advantage of people to take part in the work of Jesus. Jesus calls Matthew because Matthew was ready to repent of his wicked ways. Jesus is not interested in taking in people who want to keep being tax collectors. He wants people who are ready to change.
After this, many tax collectors and sinners become interested in Jesus. They take note of what Matthew has done, and Jesus is willing to eat with all of them. He is looking for more who might make the same change that Matthew made. But notice that the Pharisees do not understand what he is doing. Can you imagine a preacher getting together with a bunch of ex-convicts? Can you imagine me going into a house full of prostitutes, con-artists, sexual predators, drug sellers, lawyers, and politicians? Could you imagine me bringing them into this building and expecting everyone to find a way to deal with that? I have a friend from California who did that very thing. He was going to the difficult areas and he had a church with more new Christians than older Christians. That posed a number of problems, but isn’t that what Jesus was hoping to see here?
Jesus did go into the synagogues and try to teach the church folk what repentance means, but he was also willing to meet with those who were the outcasts of society. Notice his reasoning in verse 12. Those who are well do not need a physician like those who are sick. His focus was different from the religious people of his day. He did not just want to keep the saved safe. He wanted to reach out, bring in, and heal the lost sheep.
Then, Jesus quotes Hosea to say that they have never learned what this phrase means, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." Do we know what this phrase means? He says it means that Jesus has come to call sinners, not righteous people. We need to think about this for a minute because it is extremely important. Jesus sees a large number of unsaved people. Most of them would be saved if the religious people would stop blocking them. The religious leaders are focusing so much on their religious practices that they forget about helping the lost. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but that is the point of Jesus' words. There are plenty of people out there who need to see God's mercy. An understanding of God's mercy will help them get out of the evil and sinful state they are in and help them find the forgiveness that Christ offers.
Something New (14-17)
Matthew 9:14--17 (ESV) --- 14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
In the next part, we see the disciples of John questioning him. I wonder if the Pharisees have put this bug in their ear. They want to know why Jesus is not like them and the Pharisees. Do you see how they are questioning Jesus' righteousness? We fast, the Pharisees fast, but you and your disciples are eating every day! Why aren't you as righteous as we are? Jesus could have told them that God never commanded a fast, or he could have said that fasting like y'all are doing is foolish. But instead, he patiently helps them understand the purpose of fasting. He says that fasting is part of mourning. His disciples do not need to fast because they have cause for rejoicing, not mourning.
Then, he uses a small parable to illustrate it for them. He says that wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them. A wedding feast is a cause for rejoicing, not mourning. What does this imply? It implies that a covenant is about to be made that has been a long time coming.
Then, he uses two more parables. We don't repair clothes anymore. We just throw them away and buy more, but if we did repair clothes, we would not want to use an unshrunk cloth as a patch on an old shrunk cloth. When it shrinks it would tear the old garment. The second image is the same, but using wineskins (which we are even less familiar with). What does all of this mean? This means that Jesus is not trying to repair the system that the Sadducees, scribes, and Pharisees have established. His mission is not to reform their version of Old Testament worship. His mission is to fulfill what it was always intended and to establish a new way that is exactly what God has always wanted. Notice the final words, "New wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved." Jesus wanted to create a new way alongside the old so that everyone could understand how he was fulfilling the old. This goes back to what he said in 5:17, "I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it."
Do we see how what they had set up was not what God had in mind? Even the people closest to the kingdom, the disciples of John did not understand what fasting was for. They did not see what Jesus was doing because they were focused on the sacrifices they could offer God rather than mercy.
Healing Everyone In Every Way Of Every Disease (18-33)
This next section contains many miracles. Imagine all of these Pharisees and disciples have been questioning Jesus, and they are interrupted by these events.
Matthew 9:18--33 (ESV) --- 18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district. 27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. 32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
So one of the chief elders of a synagogue comes through the crowd (He may or may not have been a Pharisee). Instead of rebuking or fighting with Jesus, this man kneels before him and asks him to come and revive his daughter who is dead. Do we see how unimportant the religious practices are to this father? I imagine that this father does not care what his Pharisee friends think. Jesus is the only one who can give him hope. Jesus is willing to leave the people he has been teaching and go to this man's house, but the crowd follows him.
Along the way, the story takes a turn. There is a woman who has been suffering for twelve years as an outcast. I wonder what that would have been like. A woman who is bleeding is considered unclean, and this would have resulted in her losing the ability to worship God or be around her clean family. She approaches Jesus from behind just to touch the fringe of his garment. Touching the fringe of his garment if she is unclean would make him unclean, but this is Jesus so that touch makes her well and clean all at the same time.
Then, Jesus enters the ruler's house to find a crowd there mourning over the loss of this man's daughter. You could imagine that many would want to come pay their respects and get on the good side of a leader in the local synagogue. Jesus kicks them all out, saying that she is not dead. They mock him and laugh at him. But he goes in, takes the girl by the hand, and revives her.
The third and fourth miracles happens to two blind men who call out for Jesus to show them mercy. The most notable thing about this is the fact that they call him the "Son of David." This would be a reference to his kingship. So Jesus opens their eyes so they can see. Then, he tells them not to tell anyone. We saw him do that to the leper back in Chapter 8, but these men share the news anyway which will make Jesus' work more difficult.
The final man he heals is both demon possessed and unable to speak. Jesus heals both issues at once. To this, the crowds marvel and say, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." This is greater than Moses, Elijah, or Elisha.
All of the work Jesus is doing show us his tremendous compassion and mercy. He is not partial to anyone. He heals the poor lowly woman, the ruler of the synagogue, and all of those along the way who have a need. His mercy and compassion seem unending. He does more good in one day for people than any of us will do in our lifetime. He is changing people's lives in every way imaginable. Imagine being the ruler who lost your daughter, the woman with twelve years of bleeding, the men who are blind, or the man who is mute and demon possessed. Imagine your life being transformed in an instant because Jesus decided to heal you or your relative.
Seeing The Difference (34-38)
Jesus did not come to keep the law and to sacrifice the way the Pharisees do. He did not set out to do all the rules that the Mishna requires. He wasn’t seeking to be the perfect Jew. Jesus came to fulfill God’s law by being like God and showing tremendous mercy.
Matthew 9:34--38 (ESV) --- 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The final section we will look at shows us what Matthew wants us to see in all of this. Jesus has won over the crowd and convinced them that everything the Pharisees are good at is worthless without love and compassion. So what do they do? The Pharisees reveal they’re blind, stubborn, and hard hearted. They refuse to see the good Jesus is doing. This whole time they have been trying to find fault in Jesus, and now they accuse Jesus of only healing by the powers of darkness. Instead of responding with excitement, humility, and love, they want to run Jesus through the mud and stay on top.
Matthew doesn't even mention Jesus' response to this accusation. He just moves us on to more good work being done by Jesus. He also tells us that Jesus sees people with compassion, and he is saddened by the fact that they have no one to show them the truth of God. They are like sheep without a shepherd. I find this statement especially interesting in this context. Matthew has described the Pharisees as men who want to discredit Jesus, but now Jesus points out that they aren't shepherds at all. They are so focused on their religiosity that they don't pay any attention to all of these sheep who are interested in the good news of the kingdom.
Application
What do we tend to focus on to worship and serve God? Is our focus on doing the right things in church services? If Jesus showed up here, do we think that we would impress him with our ability to follow the New Testament pattern for worship? The phrase, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" should stick out in our minds as a reminder that our primary work is to be done outside of this building.
Jesus says this because our tendency is to focus on sacrifices instead of mercy. We enjoy going through religious motions and then getting back to our own busy lives. God wants to see more. Knowing the law of God, doing good works, and saying that we love God is not what God is looking for.
Hosea 6:6 (ESV) --- 6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
It is possible for us to know about God and not know him. We have been learning in the Old Testament that God was always full of compassion and mercy toward the rebellious people of Israel. The God we serve is willing to forgive the worst of us who turn from our sins and seek after the Lord. The sacrifices were more so the way for us to learn about our own sin. The blood of Jesus is what saves us, not our sacrifices. All of our religious practices today must be done out of love and admiration for the God we serve. But before we even think about our religious practices, we must understand that God wants us to be merciful.
1 John 3:16--18 (ESV) --- 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 4:7--12 (ESV) --- 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Conclusion
I pray that God will give us a heart like Jesus' heart. I pray that people who are not like us will be welcomed in this place and that they can find the healing and the help that they need to start over. God, please equip us through our studies and our trials for every good work. We know that the harvest is starting to grow white. Please give us laborers to go out into your harvest.
Maybe this lesson has shown you that your focus has been off. The goals of your life are now shifted from offering sacrifices of fasting, or whatever you thought God wanted, to now thinking about the needs of others. Will you let us show you mercy and pray for you in that? You can keep it private if that's what you would rather do, but we want to help you with that if we can. We are also planning to start an evangelism workshop in two weeks to talk about how we can show love and mercy to those around us. Please make sure to be there for that Sunday morning Bible class.
Maybe this lesson has shown you that our God is merciful and compassionate toward sinners, and you recognize, as most of the people here have, that "sinner" describes you. Would you let the great physician heal you of that? He is willing to accept you if you are willing to live for him.