Series No 2
Son of Man – A Friend of Tax Collectors and Sinners
RSV Bible
Jesus, (ben adam) son of man, enjoyed the company of his friends, he was the disciple’s teacher and he called them to be the first missionaries to take out the good news of the coming kingdom. His disciples met ordinary people as well as their rulers, religious leaders and Roman authorities with the kingdom message.
Jesus was popular among the people, but unpopular among the religious Jews especially the Pharisees. Jesus knew what they were saying about him when he said, “The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say “Behold a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds” Matthew 11: 19.
There was wisdom in calling Matthew to be his disciple, Jesus deliberately included Matthew the tax collector, his inclusion must have drawn the outcasts towards Jesus the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It was a turning point in Matthew life when Jesus asked him to follow him, to receive God’s mercy and forgiveness and be a witness to Jesus’ incredible ministry.
Prayer
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Proverbs 9: 10.
Lord, help us to fulfil your call to serve with others in whatever their background, circumstances or situation. Jesus didn’t come to condemn people, but to save people, may we do the same. In Jesus’ name Amen.
God’s wisdom justified by her deeds
On the Sabbath Day Jesus went into a synagogue, amongst the people gathered there was a man who was described as having a withered hand. Someone said to Jesus, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?” In the recorded account it says, “So they might accuse him”
But Jesus in his wisdom justified his deeds saying: “What man of you, if he has one sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? So, it is lawful to do good on the sabbath!” Matthew 12: 9-14
The Pharisees who were present went out of the synagogue and began to collaborate with others to condemn him.
Jesus had observed that they made exceptions on the sabbath day by pulling the sheep from the pit. Jesus the Lord of the sabbath said, ‘that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.’
A friend of mine said, “God, meant resting, not tying people up. Today they (Jews) are not allowed to open their fridge door as the light will come on.”
Prayer
Lord thank you, for the rest we have entered into by knowing your provision of mercy and grace. When I fall into sin that you would lift me out and forgive me. Help me to walk humbly with other Christians not looking to the left or to the right, but to focus on Jesus my redeemer, the way, the truth and the life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God was the stronger partner in his covenant with Israel and he showed mercy in his response when they broke the covenant laws.
The Exodus journey:
Moses entered the camp with the two stone tablets, the commandments were written on them. When he saw the golden calf that they had made in his absence, he was so angry that he threw the stone tablets down breaking them. Afterwards Moses pleaded with God that he wouldn’t remove his presence from them. God in his mercy responded favourably He continued to journey with them.
Exodus 33: 3 “God said, “I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Exodus 34: 8,9, 17. “Moses made haste to bow his head towards the earth and worshipped. And he said, “If now I have found favour in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us, although it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thy inheritance.”
“and the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do; for you have found favour in my sight, and I know you by name.”
Paul wrote in connection with this incident, Romans 9: 14-16. “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So, it depends not upon man’s will or exertion, but upon God’s mercy.” Exodus 33: 19.
Mercy – Forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. (Dictionary)
“I desire mercy not sacrifice.”
Jesus met some of Matthew’s colleges at Matthew’s home and they enjoyed a meal together. Some of them could have been Romans. The Jewish tax collectors were seen as collaborating with the Roman occupation authorities. The Jewish tax collectors were called outcasts. Under law any contact with a Gentile had to be cleansed with ritual washings. Matthew 10: 6. 15: 24
The Pharisees seeing them with Jesus asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard what they had said, he remarked, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9: 10-13
Jesus gave his disciples some homework to search the scriptures and learn for themselves the meaning of ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice’.
Hosea prophesied, “For I desire love not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6: 6.
‘God loves the sinner but hates the sin’ As Paul wrote that God doesn’t condone sin by having mercy towards the sinner. We know that sin is detrimental to us, the product of sin: anger, jealousy, strife, deceit, mistrust, hurt, pain and vengeance and many more effects of sin.
Jesus the physician heals not only the symptoms of sin, but also the root cause which was referred to in Son of man Part 1 When the first Adam’s sin was inherited by all mankind and the consequences resulted in eternal death.
The second Adam Jesus is the epitome of God’s love and mercy, by being the one sacrifice to redeem everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, he is the final sacrifice and whole burnt offering for all sin and its causes. Through faith in Jesus sacrifice God is able to transform our hearts and minds.
Jeremiah’s covenant fulfilled in Jesus, God says, “I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall not teach everyone his fellow or everyone his brother saying; ‘know the Lord’ for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful towards their iniquities and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 7: 10-12. Jeremiah 31: 33, 34.
Accepting Jesus as our Saviour God reveals Jesus to us as the Holy Spirit acts on our faith and grace.
Grace – undeserved giving from God.
Prayer
Almighty God, I repent of all my sin and I ask for your forgiveness. In faith, I look to you Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to me. I give thanks for answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen
God’s mercy and grace working together in practice
Matthew recorded that Jesus (ben adam – son of man) paid his taxes. The temple tax collectors came to Peter and asked him, “Does your teacher pay the tax?” Peter replied, “Yes.” When he arrived home, Jesus knowing all things spoke to Peter about it. He made the point that as their king he wouldn’t pay tribute nor his disciples. However, Jesus didn’t want to cause offence, Jesus son of man, didn’t want to quarrel over tax, the collectors were doing their job. Jesus then asked Peter to use his skill as a fisherman to, “Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for yourself.” Matthew 17: 24-27.
So, it is today, God will call people to ministry with their job skills or their background that will witness their faith in Jesus and his grace.
St James Pottery. I was waiting for Centenary Transfers to arrive by registered post. I was getting anxious as I only had a week to produce the Bye Centenary mug for St Thomas Musberry. I rang the Parcel Post Office in Blackburn and the man took my details. He went to the loading bay where a wagon had just arrived. He spoke to those offloading the parcels giving them the details; as he was speaking my parcel was given to him from the man offloading from the wagon. He rang me immediately he was so surprised and excited. My response, I praised the Lord and I thanked him, and I went and picked up the parcel.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord for Matthew the tax collector and his place in Jesus’ team. Matthew must have brought many people to follow Jesus. May we not discount our jobs or trade as not worthy to be used by God in his church. Bless all who bring blessings to others in the church through their job or skill. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The early Church Christians
In the Acts of the Apostles we read of Tabatha a woman held in honour by Christians for her skill as a seamstress and her acts of kindness, “She was full of good works and acts of charity.” Tabatha fell sick and died. Peter was in a nearby town of Joppa and he was asked to go to Tabatha’s house where she lay dead. Peter reverently asked people to leave the room while he prayed for her, turning to the body he said, “Tabatha rise,” she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Peter gave her his hand and lifted her up. Everyone rejoiced when they saw alive.
God’s mercy in response to her love for others, her Christian family and her neighbour, she was blessed over and above all that she could ask or think. A great miracle when peter prayed for her and she was brought back to life and the Lord was glorified in her Christian witness. Acts 9: 36-41.
Luke the writer of Acts singled out Tabatha for her faithful generosity and kindness and the mercy of God upon her from God in raising her from the dead.
Gentile Cornelius the Centurion was a God-fearing man who prayed to God and gave alms to help the poor. He put into practice what his Jewish friends had shown him in their walk with God. An angel appeared to him and told him to send men to Joppa to the house of Simon the tanner where Peter was staying and bring him to his house at Caesarea. God’s mercy and grace in bringing Cornelius and his household into the kingdom of God. Acts 10
Under grace Peter with the keys of the kingdom opened the door to the Gentiles through Gentile Cornelius.
Prayer
Jesus our Saviour God, thank you, for your life on earth, where you experienced everyday life issues and in doing so, we experience the nearness of God in all our doings. Your presence within us lifting us above our circumstances giving us wisdom, peace and comfort. May we learn more and more to trust in your life experiences on earth. In Jesus’ name Amen.