RBBH (River Boulevard Baptist Hospital)
Joke: A fellow walked into a doctor’s office. The receptionist asked him what he had.
He said, "Shingles."
She took down his name, address, medical insurance number and told him to have a seat.
A few minutes later a nurse’s aid came out. She asked him what he had.
He said, "Shingles."
So she took down his height, weight, a complete medical history and told him to wait in the examining room.
Ten minutes later a nurse came in. She asked him what he had.
He said, "Shingles."
So she gave him a blood test, a blood pressure test, an electrocardiogram. She told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor.
Fifteen minutes later the doctor came in. The doctor asked him what he had.
He said, "Shingles."
The doctor examined him and found nothing. He asked, "Where are the shingles?"
He said, "Outside in the truck. Where do you want them?"
Matt. 9:12 “When He heard this, Jesus replied, Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”
Have any of you seen the movie “Patch Adams”? Robin Williams plays Patch Adams. Patch’s desire is to be a doctor. He begins his internship at a university hospital. There are doctors there who are treating diseases. They see patients. But Patch treats people. He sees hurting people. He shows compassion and mercy.
In Matt 9:9, we read: “As Jesus was going down the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax collection booth.”
Tax collectors had a reputation for being crooked agents. They were considered the enemy. They were Jews who worked for the Roman government, collecting taxes. They took a commission on the taxes they collected. And what a commission! They overcharged the people and pocketed the difference. The Jews hated tax collectors. They considered them cheaters and traitors. On the social scale, tax collectors were at the bottom. They were barred from worshiping in the synagogue. They had no social or religious life. They had few friends. When everyone else saw Matthew, they saw a tax collector.
But, when Jesus saw Matthew, he was a man, a man needing a healing touch. Jesus showed compassion on Matthew. He said “Follow me Matthew. If you look back in the book of Matthew to the events leading up to this story, you will see Jesus’ ministry up to this point. He had called some disciples. He was preaching and teaching about God. He was healing people, of “every kind of sickness and disease”. Jesus had healed epileptics, the demon-possessed, lepers, and a paralyzed man. Jesus had healed Peter’s mother in law. Matt 8:16 states “He healed all the sick.” The news about Jesus had spread. Jesus’ ministry was well underway BEFORE He called Matthew. Why Matthew? Jesus had compassion on Matthew. He knew with the right touch, there was hope for Matthew.
Matthew got up immediately and followed Jesus. He left everything-great wealth and power. Without hesitation, he arose and followed Jesus. Matthew was hungry for healing for his wounded heart. That night, Jesus and disciples went to Matthew’s house for a dinner party. All of Matthew’s friends were there. There were fellow tax collectors, drinking buddies, prostitutes. The New Living Bible describes these guests as “many other notorious sinners.”
The Pharisees were watching Jesus. They followed and hounded him like new reporters do people these days. The Pharisees saw Jesus heal a paralyzed man. They heard His teachings. And that very day, they saw Jesus ask an outcast to be one of his disciples. They thought they were the righteous ones. Yet, Jesus asked someone like Matthew to be a disciple. The Pharisees trailed Jesus all the way to Matthew’s house. They asked the disciples “Why does YOUR teacher eat with Tax collectors and sinners?” They were stating, “What kind of person is He anyway? Just look at the people he hangs out with-the scum of the earth. And HE’S your teacher? Religious people don’t associate with likes of them. We don’t!”
But no one was beyond Jesus’ compassion, his grace, his mercy. Jesus reached out to the hurting people. He reached out to hurting people like Zacchaeus. In fact, Jesus asked to go to Zac’s house, didn’t he? It wouldn’t be surprising if it wasn’t His idea to go to Matthew’s house, too. “Matthew, let’s have dinner at your house tonight. I want to meet your friends.” Jesus cared about people that no one else cared about. But oftentimes we are like the Pharisees, aren’t we? We are a bit more cautious and much more selective. Jesus heard the Pharisees’ question. I am sure they wanted him too. People do that, don’t they? We ask questions like that, hoping that the person we are talking about will hear our words, hear our disapproval and our disgust. But Jesus didn’t’ need to hear their words. He knew what was in their hearts. He also knew the pain that was in Matthew’s heart. Jesus said “Healthy people don’t need a doctor-sick people do’
Jesus saw hurting people. He saw people in pain, needing healing. Jesus met people at their point of need. We always find him in the Scriptures seeking out those in pain, don’t’ we? Whether it was physical, emotional or spiritual pain, Jesus was there to help. Jesus was a physician that made House calls. He anxiously sought them out.
Folks, this world needs more Christians like that. The world needs more Christians who are not afraid to be seen around the tax collector & sinners. The world needs more Christians who are not afraid to sit in the house of someone like Matthew-reaching out to the hurting and those in need of salvation. Christ emphasized the importance of this work to His followers. In verse.13, he states “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” I want compassionate service, not religious rituals and religious acts. I desire compassionate mercy. This is the kind of servants I desire. This is the kind of service I value. Jesus told Pharisees “Your church attendance and worship are meaningless to me until you look at all people with mercy and compassion.”
Have you ever been in the hospital? I haven’t much, but I have been with Darlene during her hospital visits. One time, she was in the hospital for 15 days. She got little sleep. She was constantly interrupted for tests or treatments-day and night. Just about time she would finally drift off to sleep, the door would fly open. The lights would come on. Some nurse would appear, wanting to test this, or get her to swallow that, or stick her with something. Have you ever been there? Imagine a hospital where they just go though motions. They turn the lights on and wake you up regularly. But they never take any test. They never give you any treatment. They are just going through the motions.
Let’s not forget that the church is called to be spiritual physicians. We are to be full of compassion. We are to be a hospital for the wounded-River Boulevard Baptist Hospital. There are Matthews all over Sugar Creek, Independence, and Kansas City. Hurting people come in all races and all social classes. Rich people have hurts and pains. Poor people have hurts and pains. They experience the pains of losing a loved one, the pains of divorce. Many are suffering financial pains. Some need counseling and direction. Many have marital or family issues. Someone called me this week, in pain from a family issue. This person was hurting deeply and needed words of comfort, a healing touch. There are those experiencing emotional hurts or loneliness. Some are going through the pain of a wrong lifestyle. Many are going through the pain of sin. The list goes on and on, doesn’t it? Hurting people in every class, every race, & every neighborhood.
I was excited when we were contacted by this group desiring to use our gymnasium! Isn’t God good? He brought us a mission field right at our doorstep! I’ve been reaching out to them, getting to know them. I have visited several members when they were in the hospital. There are wounded, hurting people in that group. There are people in all walks of life, all social classes. There are people in need of a healing touch of some kind. One teen lost a toe a couple months ago in a mowing accident. There are those with cancer or who have lost loved ones. There are lonely people, too. Some have asked me to visit a friend or a relative who are going through illness or some type of pain. Some in this group are seeking church fellowship. Several are hungry for the Word of God. They are asking questions! There are Matthews in that group.
There are Matthews in your own Neighborhood. There are Zacchaeus’s. and Bartimaeus’s in your neighborhood, in your school, in your workplace. Are you being a spiritual doctor to those around you? Are you showing compassion in action?
Jesus adds “For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough,” Darlene met a friend whose husband is a pastor of a large church in Tennessee. He has been a pastor for many, many years. One Sunday, as he was giving the invitation call, the Holy Spirit spoke to him. He realized that, like the Pharisees, he had just been going through the motions. He had never had asked Christ to forgive his sins. He had never accepted him as Savior. He fell down at the altar in front of his whole congregation and accepted Jesus! He made a profession of faith in front of his large church. His wife said that it was an unusual, but very moving service. He was rebaptized the following week. This man realized that religious acts do not save, only confession and repentance through Christ Jesus brings salvation. The Bible states that if we say we are without sins, we are deceiving ourselves. Romans 3:23 reads “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”This pastor realized that despite his good works and service, he was going to Hell without Christ’s saving power.
Jesus saw in Matthew a soul that was sick and dying, a soul in need of his saving power. Are you in need of Christ’s saving power today? If you are a believer, have you ever introduced anyone to the Great Physician, Jesus Christ?” There is no wound that He can not heal. Ps 147:3 “He heals the broken in spirit and binds up their wounds.”
Jesus said “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
Jesus asks us today: "Is there a doctor in the house?"
PRAYER
With all heads bowed and all eyes closed in prayer:
If you know someone who is going through pain, a wounded heart today, pray for that person right now. If you know of someone in need of salvation, pray for that person. Ask Christ to make you a spiritual doctor to the Matthews in your world. Maybe you are the one in need of healing, bring your need to the Great Physician.
If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior and are in need of salvation, come today. Perhaps you have been to church your entire life, but never have made a profession of faith. You are just going through the motions. Ask Christ to forgive you of your sins. Jesus came to earth for the same reason a physician goes into practice- to make those who are sick, well. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, come The Great Physician’s desire is to make you whole.
