A MINISTRY OF MERCY
Matthew 9:9-13
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He traveled the region of Galilee and began to call certain men to “follow Him” and to be His Disciples. The first four men that Jesus invited to follow Him were fishermen. Matthew tells us that Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea and He said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people. Shortly thereafter, Jesus called James and John and gave them the same opportunity. All four of those men left everything behind and became Disciples of Christ.
Peter, Andrew, James and John had spent much of their lives casting nets into the sea and drawing in fish, now they would spend the next few years in the presence of their Master learning how to cast a metaphorical net and draw people into the Kingdom of God. Following the ascension of Christ, the Disciples would continue to carry out the task of fishing for people. They were faithful to the task that was assigned to them and an innumerable multitude of people have been brought into the Kingdom as a result of their service.
As they followed Jesus, the Disciples observed His miracles, they heard His message, they learned His methods, and they were taught His motivation, which was the salvation of lost souls and bringing glory to the Father.
One of the most important things that the Disciples learned was the importance of extending mercy to others. In fact, one of the greatest teachings on the subject of mercy is found in our selected text. The Pharisees were Jewish religious leaders who were exceedingly zealous concerning matters pertaining to the Mosaic Law, however, time and again they failed to show mercy to others. For this reason, Jesus instructed them to “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (v13)
The mercy that Jesus mentions in this verse is exemplified in His actions in the preceding verses of this chapter; after healing a man who was paralyzed, Jesus “went on from there, and saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,”. The call of Matthew is a fantastic example of mercy, especially considering the fact that tax collectors were some of the most corrupt and despised people in Jesus’ day and in Jewish society.
After accepting Jesus’ call, Matthew hosted a great feast in his house and invited Jesus, the Disciples and many other tax collectors and sinners to join him. It is fascinating that Matthew began to fish for people the very instant that he surrendered to Jesus. This is a testament to the amazing transformation that Jesus provides in regeneration. Like Matthew, some of the most vibrant and zealous witnesses of Christ are those who have very recently been delivered from a life of sin.
While the Disciples benefitted much from Jesus’ vast scriptural knowledge, they also were able to watch His life and learn from His character. As they traveled with the Savior, the Disciples became more and more like Jesus. As a result, during their ministry after Christ’s ascension, the Apostles extended great mercy just as their Savior had done. It is encouraging to note that these men did not extend mercy at the expense of Gospel truth. Like Jesus, the Disciples had a perfectly balanced ministry; one of both compassion AND truth.
Those of us who have been born again, have been called to follow Jesus and to be His disciples. As such, we should be ever ready to show love, compassion and mercy to everyone that we encounter in this life. I would like for us to journey to Matthew’s home and join Jesus, the Disciples, the tax collectors and sinners and preach on the subject “A Ministry Of Mercy”.
As we have already mentioned, one of the most important responsibilities of a disciple is to go out and “fish for people”, that is, we are to draw them into the Kingdom of God. Tragically, many Christians are having the opposite effect. Rather than drawing people in, they are pushing them away. As we live for Jesus and walk with Him, we should take the steps necessary to ensure that we are involved in a ministry of mercy.
Jesus said in John 12:47, “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world”. Rather than pouring out the deserved wrath condemnation and judgement on lost sinners, the Savior extended grace, mercy and compassion. We are recipients of the mercy of Jesus Christ and it should be our desire to share Him with others who are in desperate need.
There will come a day when Jesus will indeed judge the world. The Lord said in John 5:22, “The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son”. This verse makes it clear that we have not been entrusted with the responsibility of judging others. Instead, we have been assigned the task of extending mercy.
- The events that took place inside Matthew’s home show us several attributes that will be seen in those who are involved in a ministry of mercy. Notice first of all:
I. TO HAVE A MINISTRY OF MERCY WE MUST BE APPEALING
v10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
The tax collectors were the most corrupt and despised people in Jewish society. Most common Jews would never be seen even conversing with a tax collector much less dining with them. These “sinners” in Matthew’s home were certainly not considered to be the most upstanding citizens in the community.
We are not given many details about those who were gathered on this occasion, but there are many other instances throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus where He is seen spending time with tax collectors, adulterers, adulteresses, prostitutes and others who were considered to be the scum of the earth.
It is interesting to note that the tax collectors and sinners gladly accepted Matthew’s invitation and when they arrived and saw Jesus and His Disciples, they did not retreat. There was something appealing about the Savior and those men who followed Him. It is simply fascinating that these outcasts were comfortable enough to recline at the table with the Lord. Furthermore, it is such a beautiful reality that the Savior was comfortable dining with them. As we will learn shortly, this is something that the Pharisees would never have done.
If we follow the example of our Savior and seek to imitate His character, then we will be people who extend mercy to those in need. As a result, we will be people who are appealing to others. Too many times, instead of being appealing and drawing sinners in, Christians are guilty of pushing them away.
There is no question that we should be different, but we are not to be weird or off-putting. We should be separate in character, beliefs and actions, but we cannot be separated (shut off) from the people of this world. It is impossible for us to be witnesses for Christ if we are only ever around other followers of Christ. We cannot be the salt of the earth or the light of the world if we are not out in the world. It is true that we are not of this world, but it is imperative that we are out in this world. In the process, we must be appealing!
It is not enough for us to draw people in, we must also refrain from scaring them off or pushing them away. If the Word of God pushes them away that is fine, but our attitudes and actions should not. This leads us to the fact that:
II. TO HAVE A MINISTRY OF MERCY WE MUST BE APPROACHABLE
v10b behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
I can assure you that the attitudes and actions of the Pharisees and Scribes would have never been appealing to the sinners gathered in Matthew’s home, nor would they have felt comfortable approaching them. However, they were comfortable enough to approach the sinless Son of God and sit down to dine with Him.
I believe that one of the reasons that these “sinners” were comfortable enough to approach Jesus was the mercy that He had extended to Matthew. When Matthew reached out to his associates and friends and explained to them what Jesus had done for him, they were understandably intrigued.
We have all met people who claim to follow Christ, yet they are exceedingly judgmental people who possess a “holier than thou”, self-righteous attitude. Such people are not appealing nor approachable. Furthermore, their attitudes and actions are not just keeping people away from themselves, they are pushing people away from the Savior. (It must be said that lost people are already away from Jesus, and we cannot push them any farther away than they already are. But as His disciples, we have been called to fish for people and this involves drawing them in.) If our Lord and Savior was so approachable that the outcasts of society were comfortable communing with Him, then we should be just as appealing and approachable as He was!
In order for us to be appealing and approachable, we must be people who accept others. Jesus met people where they were and we should do the same. This leads us to the fact that:
III. TO HAVE A MINISTRY OF MERCY WE MUST BE ACCEPTING
v10b behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
Society today has robbed Christians of certain words; words such as accepting, inclusive and equality now carry certain connotations that directly contradict the Scriptures and Christian principles. With that being said, Christians should be the most accepting and inclusive people in the world. What I mean is that we should possess enough love and compassion that we would minister to those whom we may view and the “worst” that society has to offer. If you seek to be involved in a ministry of mercy, this is essential!
It is God who chooses to extend mercy and grace to lost sinners. It is not our place to build walls and erect barriers by possessing the erroneous belief that certain people or communities are unqualified to hear the Gospel. We should never look at an individual or any people group as if they are not worthy of hearing about Jesus.
Too often we have an extremely limited view of God’s saving power. We see certain people and think that they are too vile, too wretched, or too lost to be saved. Never forget that there was a time when you were just as lost as the most wicked person that you know, yet someone had enough mercy to tell you about Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus Himself showed you indescribable and incomparable mercy when He saved your soul.
We must guard against having the mindset of the Pharisees. Far too often we look at certain segments of society and think that even speaking to them would negatively impact our own spirituality. The Bible tells us that we should do the opposite. In fact, the entire life and ministry of Jesus Christ shows us a man who loved the outcasts and the sinners. Time after time in the Gospels we see how He extended grace, mercy and salvation to serial adulterers/adulteresses, fornicators, prostitutes, thieves and even murderers. How dare we treat ANYONE as if they are the scum of the earth when our Savior gave His life to redeem such people.
When we come in contact with someone who is obviously lost, we must be accepting. We must understand where they are, remember where we were and realize that we would be in the same lost condition if it were not for the grace and mercy of God! Every Christian in this place should be ever grateful that Jesus has a ministry of mercy.
It is important for us to be accepting, but we must take it one step further. When I say that we should accept others, I don’t mean that we should simply refrain from treating them harshly; to truly have a ministry of mercy it is required that we show love and compassion to all. This leads us to the fact that:
IV. TO HAVE A MINISTRY OF MERCY WE MUST BE AFFECTIONATE
When the Pharisees saw Jesus and His Disciples enter into Matthew’s home, they said, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (v11)
Much like today, in ancient Israel one of the most intimate actions between a group of people was to fellowship over a meal. This shows us that Jesus and His Disciples were not just polite to the outcasts, they treated them as friends. The people of Jesus’ generation said of Him, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ (Matthew 11:19). Jesus was not a gluttonous man or a drunkard, but He was and is a “friend of sinners”. Each and every one of His followers should be as well.
Many times, new Christians begin their walk with Christ with immense compassion for others. They have great mercy and want everyone they encounter to receive the salvation that they have experienced. Tragically, after spending time with the “religious” crowd, many become hardhearted, judgmental, legalistic and severely lacking in the area of mercy.
If we are to have a ministry of mercy, we must be affectionate towards sinners. We must extend genuine love and compassion. No matter where a person is, what they have done, or what they are currently doing, we should offer them a smile, a handshake, a hug, and a kind word.
A drunkard, an addict, a habitual criminal, an adulterer, a homosexual, or a transvestite should be shown the same kindness by Christ’s people that they would offer the saintliest old lady in the church. When we extend this sort of kindness, in a sense we earn the right to share the Gospel with them. Always remember that the lost are not the enemy, they are the mission field!
To have a ministry of mercy, we must be appealing, approachable, accepting, and affectionate. It is possible to do these things without compromising the truth of God’s Word; furthermore it is necessary! This leads us to the fact that:
V. TO HAVE A MINISTRY OF MERCY WE MUST BE AUTHENTIC
v11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Many times in His confrontations with the Pharisees, Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy. Though they presented themselves as being zealous and devoted to God’s Law, they were inauthentic pretenders. Tragically, there are many people who profess to be Christians in our day who are no different. Some are so judgmental and filled with condemnation that they push people away from Christ. Others are so liberal and compromising that they draw people in but fail to give them what they truly need, and that is gospel truth!
The word “authentic” is defined as “being actually and exactly what is claimed. Authentic implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact. (Source: Merrium Webster’s Dictionary)
It is imperative that we are authentic disciples of Christ. Those who are authentic will love and accept the outcasts of society, but at the same time they will love them enough to tell them the truth about their sin.
Truth without mercy is evidence of legalism not authentic Christianity; on the other hand, mercy without truth is a defining mark of liberalism. Like Jesus and His Disciples, we must have a well-balanced approach to evangelism and Christian ministry as a whole. Our motto should be “no condemnation, no compromising”! It is not our place to judge or condemn others; however, if we truly love them, if we genuinely desire to show them mercy, then we cannot and will not compromise the truth of God’s Word. This means that we can be appealing, approachable, accepting, and affectionate towards the lost without endorsing their sinful lifestyle. We can all agree that sometimes the truth hurts, especially Biblical truth. But if we desire to have a ministry of mercy, we must be authentic and willing to tell others the whole gospel truth even if it hurts!
This gathering in Matthew’s home shows us the amazing mercy, love and compassion of the Lord Jesus. Those who were present on that occasion were considered to be the worst of the worst, yet Jesus and His Disciples reclined at the table with them and treated them as friends. We are not told what happened to that crowd after this feast, but I am sure that some of the were impacted eternally by the mercy that they received from Christ and His followers.
It is my prayer that the lost people in our area will be impacted eternally by Jesus. While He is the answer that they need, He has chosen to use us in this process. May we look to the example found inside Matthew’s home and ensure that we are appealing, approachable, accepting, affectionate, and authentic. These attributes are essential if we are to be involved in “A Ministry Of Mercy”.
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