1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:04,280 All right, y'all, Well, today's scripture reading is coming out 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:09,600 of Matthew Chapter 9. Matthew Chapter 9. 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,520 If you're using the Bible in the seat in front of you, it's on 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:20,560 page 763. We're starting Matthew Chapter 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:26,720 9, starting in verse 9. As Jesus passed on from there, 6 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,480 he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,720 And he said to him, follow me. And he rose and followed him. 8 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:41,320 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax 9 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:45,200 collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,440 his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, 11 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:53,720 they said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax 12 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,600 collectors and sinners? But when he heard it, he said, 13 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,480 those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who 14 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,880 are sick. Go and learn what this means. 15 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:10,880 I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I came not to 16 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,200 call the righteous, but sinners. This is God's word. 17 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,480 Good morning Port City family and friends. 18 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,160 How are we doing? Good. 19 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,200 Well, my name is Ron. I am one of the pastors here and 20 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,680 it is a delight for me to be able to walk with you and and to 21 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,720 teach guys Word this morning. I want to start off with the 22 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,840 question, have you ever had sort of an experience that turned out 23 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:37,840 completely different than what you thought? 24 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,160 One of those moments where something happens and you're 25 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,240 like, well, that's not at all what I thought would happen. 26 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,440 Well, I had one of those moments recently. 27 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:51,160 I had a, an appointment at the cardiologist. 28 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,320 So my primary doctor wanted me to go to the cardiologist 29 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:59,720 because when I'm sleeping, sometimes my heartbeat is goes 30 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,360 under 40 beats per per minute. All right. 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,680 And so they wanted me to just check it out, make sure 32 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,639 everything was good. And so I am in the cardiologist 33 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,600 appointment and I'm there and the nurse comes in and she says 34 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,120 we're going to do an EKG. And I had heard that, but I had 35 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,440 no idea, no concept of what that meant. 36 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,320 So I began to prepare for the absolute worst. 37 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,360 And so she begins to like clip all of the put all these 38 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,800 stickers and these clips on my chest and I'm like, I'm about to 39 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,800 be in like shock and like all kinds of pain. 40 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,720 I am nervous. And then she like clips, clips, 41 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,240 clips. And then as soon as she gets 42 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:39,560 done, she's like, all right, we're done. 43 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,400 I'm like, wait, what? Like you spent all this time 44 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,880 clipping me, putting all these stickers and the moment she got 45 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,640 done, I mean, it was over. And I'm like, wow, that was not 46 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,680 at all what I thought it was. B No shocks, no pain, no 47 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:52,560 nothing. All right, maybe you've had a 48 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,480 similar experience where you've gone to a restaurant that you 49 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,440 heard was really, really good and you got there and you're 50 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,680 like, Nah, this isn't it. This is not what I heard. 51 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,640 It was going to be like, or, or maybe you tried something new 52 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:07,720 for the first time and it was like it, it, it was better than 53 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,440 you thought. You're like, man, I, I could do 54 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,240 that again. Well, in our passage today, 55 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:16,560 there's certainly a similar experience where there is the, 56 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,520 the Pharisees, they, they certainly had an idea of what 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:24,400 the Messiah would be like and what his mission was. 58 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,120 And so there was this moment where really what they saw was 59 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,000 very different than what they saw Jesus do. 60 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:36,680 In other words, his, their expectations of who he was and 61 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,160 what he would do, it shattered what he actually, well, what he 62 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,240 did actually shattered those expectations. 63 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,400 And so as we are taking notes here, here's sort of the main 64 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,240 idea for our text. It says the main idea is that 65 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,880 the King of Mercy calls sinners, communes with sinners, and 66 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,880 cleanses sinners. Now I chose to use the word 67 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:04,000 sinners because the text does. I I understand that, you know, 68 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,160 for for many of us, maybe if we are don't have a church 69 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,680 background, to be called a Sinner is maybe abrasive and and 70 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:13,120 what we're going to talk about that. 71 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:18,200 But so to define sinners as the Bible does it just to be a 72 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,360 Sinner just means that your, your life misses the mark. 73 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,520 It misses the mark of God's standard of perfection. 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,400 And so rather than living in God's world his way according to 75 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:33,440 his will, according to his sort of standards and character and 76 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,800 demands, you sort of choose to live your own way. 77 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,040 And so Matthew Chapter 9, verses 9 through 13. 78 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,320 What it does not do is it does not create a category of good 79 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,920 people and a category of bad people, but rather what it does 80 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,720 is it shows us that God's mercy desires to reach all of those 81 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,320 people, especially those who recognize their need. 82 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,880 Because we're going to see that there's going to be some people 83 00:04:57,880 --> 00:04:59,880 who did not think that they were in need. 84 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,840 And I bet there's some people in here today that they think their 85 00:05:02,840 --> 00:05:06,360 life is pretty good. I know if I'm being honest, 86 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,200 sometimes I struggle to get a sense of my need for God. 87 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:17,120 And so my hope is that by looking at Matthew's call by 88 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,400 Jesus that we would see that God, he really is not building a 89 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:26,000 Kingdom based on status and performance, but rather on mercy 90 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,960 and grace. And so if you are in here and 91 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,160 maybe you're like, Nope, I actually, I sense my need. 92 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,200 Maybe you're feeling broken. Maybe there's some difficult 93 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,600 things that you are walking through this morning. 94 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,480 I hope that you would be encouraged because God desires 95 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:47,520 to extend his mercy, his grace, his love to you for whatever it 96 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:49,400 is that you are in and walking through. 97 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,440 And so before we continue, let's let's just pray together and 98 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,440 let's dive into the text. Father, what? 99 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,560 What we are not. Father, would you make us? 100 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:06,000 Would what we have not? Father, would you give us what 101 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,080 we know not? Father, would you please teach 102 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,560 us? And Father, would the words of 103 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,000 my mouth and the meditations of my heart, Father, would it be 104 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:21,400 pleasing and acceptable to you? God, you are our rock, You are 105 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,920 our Redeemer, and we need you. This morning it's in your 106 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,120 beautiful name we pray. Amen. 107 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,480 Hey, so if you are new with us, we've been walking through this 108 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,320 series for the last seven weeks called The Authority of the 109 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,720 King. And so up into this point we 110 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,440 have seen Jesus. He has displayed his authority 111 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,520 over disease, over demons, over even nature. 112 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,760 And so last week, Pastor Will, he walked us through the 113 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,120 beginning of Chapter 9 and we see that Jesus healed A 114 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,920 paralytic man and forgive, forgave him of his sin. 115 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,200 And so that is where we find ourselves today. 116 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:03,160 So first point that we are going to see is the mercy the King of 117 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,960 mercy calls sinners. So looking at verse 9, it says 118 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,160 as Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew 119 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,680 sitting at the text booth and he said to him, follow me, and he 120 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,120 rose and followed him. And so as we look at these 121 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,040 verses, we see Jesus begin to do something that was completely 122 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:27,560 unexpected, just like my experience at the cardiologist. 123 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:29,520 It wasn't what I thought it would be. 124 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,360 Jesus's actions here is not what the people thought he would do. 125 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:38,280 See, because Jesus was a rabbi, he was that means teacher. 126 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:43,920 And so somebody in his position it, they would look after or go 127 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,880 and find people that were the most gifted, right? 128 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,720 So rabbis, they were looking for the most skilled, sort of the 129 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,120 brightest apprentices to follow them because they're following 130 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,160 would say something about them, right? 131 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,720 And so they were looking for the elite, all right. 132 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:03,960 And so to follow a rabbi really was based on being selected. 133 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,240 It was based on it was being earned based on sort of your 134 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,000 skill, All right. And Jesus does the complete 135 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,480 opposite here. In calling Matthew, Jesus wasn't 136 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,800 concerned about his reputation, but rather about what he was 137 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:20,880 going to do in his life to clean up their reputation. 138 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,120 So the first person we see Jesus call is a guy named Matthew. 139 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,600 Matthew. Matthew is a Jewish tax 140 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,360 collector. And so tax collectors are seen 141 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,600 as hated. They are greedy traders because 142 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,720 it is their jobs to collect taxes from their very own people 143 00:08:37,919 --> 00:08:41,039 on behalf of the Roman Empire, the very people that were 144 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:45,520 oppressing them. And so many times these tax 145 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,440 collectors would be stationed along trade routes and people 146 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,360 would come and they would not only tax them, but they would 147 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,400 overtax them. And so in order to make money, 148 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,400 all right, And so these people were seen as greedy. 149 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,720 They would again betray their own people for the sake of 150 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:07,560 wealth, for the sake of, yeah, getting getting rich. 151 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:13,600 And so to society, these tax collectors were despised. 152 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:17,160 They were certainly unclean because of their dealings with 153 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,760 Gentiles. They were unfit for for worship. 154 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,480 And so again, this goes against all eyes, right? 155 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,080 God calling this type of person was certainly not what the 156 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,040 Pharisees or anybody at that time would have thought that 157 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:34,720 Jesus would have called. But God didn't see them in their 158 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,200 circumstances. God didn't see just their 159 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,480 reputation as they were. God saw beyond that. 160 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:45,000 He saw beyond and really not just he didn't just see a cheat, 161 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,680 but he saw somebody who would be changed by his grace, what he 162 00:09:48,680 --> 00:09:52,200 would do in their lives. And so Matthew calls them that 163 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:56,040 word calls means to summon, to invite into sort of a 164 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,440 relationship. And so these were the very 165 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:02,880 people that were outcasts, but Jesus sees them again. 166 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,200 I love that. He said he saw that he saw them 167 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,360 and he invited them. He called them, He said follow 168 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:12,480 me. See, his call showed that sin 169 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,960 didn't exclude any exclude them from God's Kingdom. 170 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,040 It was the very reason that he came. 171 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:23,120 So Jesus is redefining what it means to be called by God 172 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,400 because the Pharisees in the religious elite, they thought, 173 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,960 you know, those who were true to, to God would be those who 174 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,440 were doing all the things they thought the the ones that would, 175 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,520 you know, that were worthy of being followers of God, of Jesus 176 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,960 would be those that were the elite. 177 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:43,280 And so I, I don't know about you, but I remember when I was 178 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,400 young and you know, I was playing kickball or, or 179 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,440 dodgeball. I know I hated to be picked 180 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,840 last. Like I just, you know, I, I, you 181 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,600 know, I'm like, man, I know my arm's not that strong, like I 182 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,360 can't throw it, but please don't I, I don't want to be the last 183 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,600 one picked in sort of that type of environment. 184 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:06,200 Often I was, but nevertheless, right, you know, in in this 185 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,640 situation, right, Matthew being picked last. 186 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,280 Imagine sort of, you know, you're the weak link and the the 187 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,640 person comes up to you says, hey, you know what, you're the 188 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,120 captain now you get to pick the team. 189 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:17,560 You know, that's kind of what we see here. 190 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:21,560 Like Matthew was the last person that anyone would have thought 191 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:23,680 that Jesus would have called to follow him. 192 00:11:23,680 --> 00:11:29,000 But yet Jesus does and again, it is to communicate, to convey, to 193 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:33,360 show us that Jesus Kingdom is not about recruiting the most 194 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,600 impressive. It is about redeeming those that 195 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:42,040 are outcast, redeeming those that are not fit for the the the 196 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:46,000 job. So if you again, if you are 197 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,040 thinking to yourself like I'm not, maybe I'm not the, the the 198 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,920 most eloquent or, or I can't, you know, there's things I can't 199 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,360 do or, or you know, I have insecurities of my own. 200 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:59,000 What whatever those things are, God, you know, when we consider 201 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:04,680 Matthew's story, God certainly would choose someone who the 202 00:12:04,680 --> 00:12:07,400 world despises again, and he does this all throughout 203 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,520 Scripture. We see God delight in choosing 204 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,400 people that the world discards. Again, the world does it prizes 205 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,160 success and status and performance. 206 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,720 And again, we, if we're not careful, we can begin to desire 207 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,880 and to look at people in light of those same, you know, 208 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:30,400 definitions. But you know, he call somebody 209 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,400 who seemed least deserving, and that's what he does in his 210 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,200 mercy. And so again, I love the way 211 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:42,400 first Corinthians 127 it reminds us that God uses the the what 212 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,000 the world considers foolish or weak to shame the strong and the 213 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,200 wise, revealing that his Kingdom is not built on merit or 214 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:54,160 achievement, but on grace alone on grace alone, regardless of 215 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:58,680 what we we've done last year, last month, last night, like he 216 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,680 our past does not qualify us from God's grace. 217 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:07,600 And and we see that in Matthews story again we see Matthew 218 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,640 responding by just following him. 219 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:15,440 He he leaves his tax booth and he immediately follows Jesus. 220 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:19,200 And so, you know, again, I think you know, for us, right, 221 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:23,160 repentance means again, following God, beginning to 222 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:28,440 agree with with God about who we are with about God as it relates 223 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,200 to our sin. And I love again, Matthew's 224 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:35,400 response is immediate, right? There was no tryouts, no resume, 225 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:37,840 no conditions, qualifications, none of that. 226 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:42,240 He just enters life with God, not by his effort, but by God's 227 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,480 calling. And he is just obedient to that. 228 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:51,480 And that term to follow is a it's a present imperative, which 229 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,080 just means continue following, right? 230 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:59,400 And so again, this call to follow was not like a A1 time 231 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:04,480 decision, but it was a lifelong commitment, a lifelong 232 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,680 allegiance to follow, follow Jesus. 233 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,920 And that's important for us because the call for the 234 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:12,960 believer is the same call every single day. 235 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,920 It's to take up our cross and to follow Jesus. 236 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,800 Again, having a moment is is great, but to truly walk with 237 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:24,840 God, it requires a daily recognizing who God is in 238 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:29,680 submitting to his reality. And so you know, the question of 239 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:34,200 whether or not we are following is is not the question is not 240 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,960 whether or not we are following. It is what we are following who 241 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:42,480 or what we are following right. We we all are following someone 242 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,520 somewhere. The question really is, is based 243 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,560 on what we're following, where is it taking us? 244 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,320 I, I was thinking about a couple months ago when we were going to 245 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,680 shop for our kids for the start of the school year, we were 246 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,800 going to go to Once Upon a Child and we were going to go to this 247 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,520 new location. And because we hadn't been there 248 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:04,560 before, so we put it into the GPS and we followed the 249 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,760 directions and it takes us to the middle of nowhere. 250 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,640 And I'm like, there's no what's upon a child. 251 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:12,480 That's why we had never been there, because it didn't exist. 252 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,920 And so, you know, again, the reality is, is like we are 253 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:18,680 following something. And the thing that we're 254 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,080 following, we think is going to lead us to something. 255 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:27,720 That's how sin works. It promises arrival to a 256 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:32,480 destination, but yet it leads to emptiness over and over and over 257 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,080 again. And so again, the question is 258 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,360 again, who am I following? What am I following? 259 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:42,800 Only following Jesus leads to life, only following Jesus least 260 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:44,760 to life. Let's continue on in verse 10 it 261 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:50,400 says and as Jesus reclined at the table in the house, behold, 262 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,600 many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with 263 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:59,720 Jesus and his disciples. I love that Matthew meets Jesus, 264 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,520 gets this invitation to follow him and throws a party, invites 265 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,800 everybody all this tax collectors and friends and he he 266 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,640 throws this party. I thought this was was really 267 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,160 cool. We, we, I want to throw up a 268 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,240 picture. This idea of reclining at the 269 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,960 table was is different than just having somebody over for a meal. 270 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,680 I need you to see these brothers are laying down while they I 271 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,880 like to lay down and eat too. And you know, they're laying 272 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,160 down there. I mean, on one arm they're 273 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:33,680 reaching and and sharing food and there is a very intimate 274 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,520 sort of time like, you know, this, this is a intimate 275 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,840 experience. So to recline at the table in 276 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,960 the 1st century, it's, it's sort of a big deal, right? 277 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,720 It means you can go and take that, that picture down now, you 278 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,480 know, to, to recline at table really does. 279 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,520 It's a sign of friendship, of deep fellowship, of acceptings 280 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,520 of belonging. And so again, Jesus is, you 281 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,560 know, didn't just call him, but he communes with the tax 282 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:07,560 collectors and the sinners. And again, it just shows that 283 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,400 God's, you know, his, his Kingdom is open to the very 284 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,119 people that everyone else had written off. 285 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:18,079 Everyone else had. Again, it showed a love, a care, 286 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:21,839 a concern. Jesus is, you know, he is 287 00:17:21,839 --> 00:17:24,880 fellowshipping with them it there there's a bit of an 288 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,120 agreement when they are together and the Pharisees they see this 289 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:32,240 and they have their like this is not what I thought moment all 290 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:34,440 right, this is not what I thought was going to happen. 291 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:36,680 And how did they respond? They were outraged. 292 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,720 They they in verse 11 it says when the Pharisees saw this, 293 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,600 they said to the disciples notice they didn't go directly 294 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,400 to Jesus right. Why does your teacher eat with 295 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,120 the tax collectors and sinners? Because this was an offense to 296 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:55,200 the Pharisees, Because this was sort of shattering the the 297 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,680 religious culture that they were trying to create. 298 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,360 These people were morally corrupt. 299 00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:03,160 They were jacked up. They were the ones most unlikely 300 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,960 to be used. Why is Jesus communing with 301 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:09,200 them? See, the Pharisees, you know, 302 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,840 they expected that the Messiah would be ones who would 303 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,920 separate, who would maybe crush the sinful and support the 304 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,320 righteous. Their view of holiness means 305 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,840 meant to stay away from the unclean. 306 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,680 But Jesus revealed that true holiness meant moving toward the 307 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,240 broken. He didn't come to protect his 308 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,920 purity from the sinners, but he came to share his mercy with 309 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,040 them. And every person at the table 310 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,640 was undeserving, every single one of them. 311 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,480 And yet every single one of them was invited. 312 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:41,920 That's what the King of Mercy does. 313 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,360 He welcomes the unworthy, the Pharisees. 314 00:18:45,360 --> 00:18:48,520 They wanted a party of the elite, the best of the best, the 315 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,040 cream of the crop. But Jesus wanted his table to to 316 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:56,360 look more like a family reunion. Awkward conversations, messy 317 00:18:56,360 --> 00:19:00,800 people, someone always asking some dumb questions, right? 318 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,160 But that's where his grace shines the brightest. 319 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,840 It is in the middle of the mess. And see the Pharisees, they 320 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:12,400 measured righteousness by sort of a distance from sin, but 321 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,480 Jesus measured it by compassion towards sinners. 322 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,640 Again, the Pharisees, they measured righteousness by 323 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,600 distance from sin, but Jesus measured it by compassion 324 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,240 towards sinners. And they could not imagine a 325 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:33,000 Messiah like this that that would commune with the least of 326 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,480 these. And but that's what he came to 327 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,760 do. And so this again, tension sort 328 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,000 of sets up the the heart of the gospel. 329 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,920 See, Jesus, he is not defiled by imperfect people, but he 330 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:49,200 cleanses them by his presence. The Pharisees couldn't 331 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,160 understand him. So Jesus went on further to 332 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:57,360 explain his mission point #3 the King of mercy cleanses sinners. 333 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,160 Verses 12 and 13. But when he heard it, he said, 334 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:05,560 those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who 335 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:08,600 are sick. Go and learn what this means. 336 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:13,400 I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I came not to 337 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,400 call the righteous, but sinners. See, Jesus continues to. 338 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:21,040 He's explaining his missions to the Pharisees with a clear 339 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,080 analogy of the physician and the sick. 340 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,720 A doctor doesn't, you know, get repulsed or avoid the sick. 341 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,800 He goes to them and that's in the physician is the person who 342 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,720 heals, the one who brings about wholeness and restoration. 343 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:39,400 And the sick is those who are bad off, who are ill, who are in 344 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,760 distress, who are in need. And Jesus says I am the 345 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,280 physician of souls. I came to those for those who 346 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:49,800 know that they are sick guys, remember the the you know the 347 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,760 story that about the cardiologist. 348 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:56,200 Well, when I was at that, when the doctor finally did come in 349 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,840 with my EKG results, he, he was real casual. 350 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:02,520 He asked me a bunch of questions like you got this and this and 351 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,560 this and he like ratted them off real quick. 352 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:05,960 I was like Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope. 353 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,440 And he was like not concerned at all. 354 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,680 And he's like, man, I don't even feel the need to like run any 355 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,080 tests. I'm sure he would have responded 356 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,920 differently had I said yes to all those questions. 357 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,040 But you see, you know, again, those who are sick, the, the 358 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,360 doctor moves toward them. But he's like, man, you're, 359 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,600 you're fine. You know, like I, I hear you've 360 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,200 been running a lot. It's common for runners to, you 361 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:29,080 know, their heart rate to be low. 362 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,640 But you know, so he was not concerned. 363 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,440 And so the Pharisees, you know, they were sitting in the waiting 364 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,400 room kinda like, I'm fine, like I'm good. 365 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,120 I don't really need, like, I'm not in need. 366 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:42,240 But they were everything but. And Jesus as the great 367 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:46,440 physician, he was ready to heal them, but they refused to admit 368 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:51,400 that they were in need. And again, this is back to kind 369 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,680 of the the fact that this can be offensive because most people 370 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,600 are fine admitting that they need a little help. 371 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,120 Most people are fine with admitting they need a little 372 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:03,080 coaching. But the idea that they are sick, 373 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,440 that they are maybe beyond that, like dead in their sin, it can 374 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,080 be hard to swallow. And it certainly was for the 375 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:11,520 Pharisees. See, they thought they were 376 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,520 healthy, they thought they were righteous. 377 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:20,280 They were fine because of their adherence to the law, but Jesus 378 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:25,120 tries to, you know, even extend grace and mercy to them by going 379 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:31,160 to Hosea 6HE quotes Hosea 6/6 and again, they knew they knew 380 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:33,000 the, the, the word. They knew the, the Old 381 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,120 Testament. And so he quotes Hosea 6 says he 382 00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:38,560 says, I desire mercy and not sacrifice. 383 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,400 See, in a Hosea's day, they were keeping all of the rituals, but 384 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:45,640 yet their hearts were far from God. 385 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,840 They performed a lot of religious activity with no 386 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,360 compassion. And that's exactly what the 387 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:55,120 Pharisees were doing. They were keeping the law but 388 00:22:55,120 --> 00:23:00,120 missing God's heart and God isn't he's not impressed by our 389 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:04,520 spiritual checklist, our church attendance, our spiritual 390 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,040 disciplines. Those things matter. 391 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,320 Don't don't mishear me, but without hearts of mercy. 392 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,960 Jesus is saying you've studied, you know all of these things, 393 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,840 but you have missed the point. I love Jesus response. 394 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,520 You know, just real petty like you, you know all of these 395 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:21,880 things. You you, you might have 396 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,880 memorized the tour by that time you were 12, but you missed the 397 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:29,560 whole point of the scriptures. He says go and learn y'all 398 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,880 again, it is it's possible for for us to miss again. 399 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:37,320 It's not again they thought based. 400 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,200 This is what the the Pharisees got right. 401 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:43,960 They got right that Jesus's standard was perfection. 402 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,040 So they were trying to live up to the law. 403 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,240 They thought and they thought that they could obtain it. 404 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,520 They but they got it wrong because they thought they could 405 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,560 obtain it based on how they lived and and didn't need His 406 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:01,760 grace and mercy. Friends, God is not impressed by 407 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:05,000 outward religion if it lacks inward compassion. 408 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,760 He wants a heart that reflects mercy. 409 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,880 The Pharisees, they weren't truly righteous, they just 410 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:16,800 thought they were and so Jesus reminds them in US why he came. 411 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,160 For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners. 412 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:23,080 Again, He is not saying you are righteous. 413 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,280 No, He is actually saying This is why I came. 414 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:29,960 I came to save those who knew that they or who knows that they 415 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,480 are sinners. The Pharisees, again, they did 416 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:36,640 not think that they need it mercy. 417 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,160 They thought they could earn it. They didn't think that they 418 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,960 could that they need it. Grace they thought they could 419 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:46,360 earn based on their performance. And this is the heartbeat of the 420 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:48,560 Gospel. The king of mercy didn't come to 421 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:52,400 congratulate the righteous. He came to rescue the guilty, 422 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,560 and his rescue mission would lead him all the way to the 423 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,440 cross. See, when Jesus called Matthew, 424 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:04,120 he knew what it would cost. The king of mercy would have to 425 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:09,240 bear the penalty of sin so that he could be set free on the 426 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,240 cross. The sinless King took the place 427 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:16,880 of the guilty, and so he was the one who was cast out so we could 428 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,000 be brought in. He was the one who absorbed our 429 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:21,880 sickness so that we could be healed. 430 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:26,280 He was the one who endured rejection so that we could be 431 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,680 treated as the sons and daughters of God. 432 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:34,840 And so in this passage we meet a Savior who turns, who uses mercy 433 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:39,720 to turn the world upside down. He calls the unworthy, He 434 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,040 fellowships with the unclean, He heals the broken with his 435 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,440 presence. He extends mercy to all who need 436 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,560 it. So as we seek to begin to apply 437 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:53,000 this passage to our lives, here's here's a couple things 438 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:55,280 that we can. Here's how we can apply it. 439 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,320 Friends, remember where he found you. 440 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,880 We must not forget where he found us. 441 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,560 Like Matthew, like we were all sitting in our own text booth, 442 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,160 whatever that might be for you of sin and shame. 443 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:14,320 I know for me it was just a very prideful thinking that I could 444 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:19,800 be good enough on my own. Or maybe it was a lifestyle of 445 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,760 sin that just if you know, this is what the good life is. 446 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:29,080 But Jesus, he saw us, he called us and he made us his own. 447 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:34,280 And you know, I love, you know, Matthew's response, even what it 448 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:39,160 says, it says and he rose, right, That that that word rose 449 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,880 is the exact same verb that was used to describe Jesus's 450 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,400 resurrection. There was a resurrection that 451 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,920 happened. There was a new life that was 452 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:53,920 sprung forth when Jesus called Matthew and he responded in 453 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,400 obedience. And so that is again, we're 454 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,800 going to be celebrating A baptism even today. 455 00:26:59,120 --> 00:27:01,320 And, and again, that is what baptism shows. 456 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:05,720 It shows that, you know, when we, when we agree with God about 457 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,320 our sin, when we confess it, when we place our faith in him, 458 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:12,360 the old man is gone, the new has come. 459 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:16,480 And so baptism, when you go under and come up, it symbolizes 460 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:21,160 this reality that has happened. A new there's a new creation, a 461 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,400 new creature is being formed by the Spirit. 462 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:27,400 And so other ways we can apply this. 463 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,560 Believers, let's share the table. 464 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:34,360 Share the table. The mercy we've received should 465 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:39,560 reflect, be reflected in how we treat others, especially the 466 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:45,520 ones that the world overlooks. Also, let us reflect his heart. 467 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,880 If our King desires mercy and not sacrifice, then his Church 468 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:56,880 should be marked by mercy and our words and our actions and 469 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,960 our attitudes. We should reflect His 470 00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:02,120 compassion. We should be friends of sinners, 471 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:06,840 not arrogant, prideful people who judge others because of what 472 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:08,440 they're going through or walking in. 473 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:16,480 It should be our desire to connect imperfect people to our 474 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,760 great Savior, as He has been to us. 475 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:23,520 Should we be to others. See, Matthew begins the story by 476 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,480 sitting alone in a tax booth, and he ends the story sitting at 477 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,400 the table. I love that. 478 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,200 That's what mercy does. It moves us from isolation to 479 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:37,320 invitation. See, my, my heart, when I went 480 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:38,800 to the cardiologist, it was fine. 481 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,320 Y'all, don't be worried. My heart's good. 482 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:44,400 It's pumping fine, all right. But even though it's physically 483 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:48,480 fine, it's spiritually sick. As is the diagnosis for all of 484 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,120 us. Because I know the evil in my 485 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,880 own heart. And we are. 486 00:28:55,200 --> 00:29:00,600 Our hearts are deceitful, they are wicked, they are sick, Yet 487 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,960 the King of mercy, He moves toward the sick and not away 488 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,200 from them. He didn't come for people who 489 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:09,760 think that they are fine. He came so that they could 490 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,360 experience His grace and mercy. And His mercy is still the cure 491 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,640 today. Don't think that you got to 492 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,720 clean yourself up in order to come to Goddess. 493 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,360 It's it's almost like trying to, you know, perform your own 494 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,400 surgery after watching a YouTube video like I'm, he's like, put 495 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:27,960 the scalpel down. No, don't do it. 496 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:31,040 I got you. My mercy. 497 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:33,920 God calls, he calls imperfect people. 498 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,960 And even in our walk with Christ, I want to say this 499 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:40,600 because I, I feel this is important. 500 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,760 You know, even in our walk with Christ, we remain imperfect. 501 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,760 It's often times we, you know, the ones who've been walking 502 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,800 with God, try to maybe hide our imperfections. 503 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,680 Oh, we try to act as if we got it all together. 504 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,160 No, that's not at all. Listen, if you are Christian and 505 00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:00,040 you're still struggling with XI need you to know that's why he 506 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,880 came. Yeah, he he didn't, he didn't 507 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:04,960 abstract you from. You're not going to walk 508 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,160 perfectly with him. You might still be struggling 509 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,600 with X sin for the rest of your life, but he can handle it. 510 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,760 He's more powerful than the sin that you are struggling with. 511 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,200 And so don't think to yourself, well, I again, I need to get rid 512 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:20,760 of this before I can actually be used by God. 513 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,800 Now, of course, this isn't a pass to say, Hey, continue in 514 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,000 your sin. There is a, a way to sort of, 515 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,240 you know, be a Christian and be a hypocrite that is 516 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,160 intentionally trying to live a double life. 517 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:34,920 But that is not to say that you can't struggle with sin. 518 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,000 We are, you know, there is no good people and bad people. 519 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,840 There is bad people in Jesus and we're going to struggle with sin 520 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:46,040 until he comes back. And so again, let us be freed. 521 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,560 You know, like if there is sin that we need to confess, do 522 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,840 confess it. There is power in forgiven or in 523 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:55,920 confession and He works and heals us through that. 524 00:30:56,320 --> 00:31:00,040 But also don't get it twisted that don't think that because 525 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,840 you are struggling with eggs, you are disqualified. 526 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,200 Again, He's not called you because you were ever qualified. 527 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:12,280 You're not qualified, never will be qualified, but He desires to 528 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:20,680 use you. And so again, the King of mercy, 529 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:25,160 he is calling us, and his call is not to the righteous, but 530 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:27,840 it's the sinners. By his grace, Jesus calls 531 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:32,400 sinners not to clean themselves up, but to come as they are. 532 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,240 And one day the King of mercy will sit at an eternal table, 533 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:40,760 the merit supper of the Lamb. And so let's throw our mercy, 534 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,760 throw ourselves upon the mercy of God today. 535 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:52,800 Will you guys pray? Pray with me, King Jesus. 536 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,520 God, I thank you that you are the King of mercy. 537 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:01,520 You are the one who calls God. You are the one who heals. 538 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,080 You are the one who invites us to your table. 539 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,000 God forgive us for the times that we have acted like 540 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:13,000 Pharisees, that we didn't need you. 541 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:19,600 Instead of following your heart, we sought to try to earn 542 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,120 acceptance based on our performance. 543 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:29,920 God make us a people who desire mercy, desire to reflect mercy. 544 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,240 God give us compassion for a broken world. 545 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:40,640 God help us to to know to see our need is great, but to see 546 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:44,960 that our Savior is even greater. Father, I pray for those of us 547 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:49,200 who got it as we have listen, maybe there are sins that have 548 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:51,200 come to mind that have not been confessed. 549 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:53,800 Lord, I do pray that we would find a brother or sister and 550 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:58,160 that we would confess. But God I, I, I pray that that 551 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,600 that, that that would not lead us to shame or to guilt, but it 552 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:05,960 would to just allow us to be throw ourselves upon the mercy 553 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,520 of God, knowing that that is why you came. 554 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:12,240 And that God you, you meet us where we are, but you don't, we 555 00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,000 don't stay there. God you, you change us. 556 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:19,080 God you, you make us more and more like Jesus by the power of 557 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:20,520 the spirit. And so, Father, I pray that we 558 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:24,000 would lean into that and God, I pray that as as a church port 559 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,720 city, God would we be ones who reflect the mercy of God and our 560 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:34,360 relationships with coworkers and friends and neighbors. 561 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,440 Father, would we not be one that look at people's sin and say how 562 00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:41,160 could you or how could they? But God would. 563 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:45,120 We would look upon them with compassion and God that we would 564 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,280 seek to connect them to our Savior. 565 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,240 We love you, we praise you, sing your beautiful name. 566 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:52,920 Amen.