JESUS CAME TO CALL SINNERS

Matthew 9:1-17

Key Verse 9:13

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Read verses 1-2.  Who was brought to Jesus and what was his condition?  Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven”; what do you think this man’s ‘sins’ were?  Why did Jesus say, “Take heart, son?”  Why did he say, “Your sins are forgiven” and not, “You are healed”?

Read verse 3-8.  Why did some of the teachers of the law criticize Jesus in their hearts?  Why did Jesus call their thoughts “evil?” What did he say to them?  How is it that healing this man showed Jesus’ authority to forgive sins?  

Read verses 9-13. Where did Jesus find Matthew?  Why were tax collectors classed with “sinners?”  What was Jesus’ invitation and Matthew’s response?

Read verses 10-13 again. Where did Jesus go for dinner?  Who criticized him and why?  What was Jesus’ response to their criticism?  Who did Jesus consider sick? (13b)  Why?  What does ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’ mean?

Read verses 14-17. What question did John’s disciples ask?  Why?  Why did Jesus say, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?  The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast,”?

What does the ‘patch’ and ‘new wine’ symbolize?  Who or what is the ‘old garment’ and ‘old wine skin’?  Why do you put ‘new wine’ into a ‘new wine skin’ and not an ‘old wine skin’?  

Think about the paralytic, Matthew the tax collector and John’s disciples.  How are they different?  How are they the same?  What is Jesus trying to teach us from today’s passage?

JESUS CAME TO CALL SINNERS

Matthew 9:1-17

Key Verse 9:13

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Read verses 1-2.  Who was brought to Jesus and what was his condition?  Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven”; what do you think this man’s ‘sins’ were?  Why did Jesus say, “Take heart, son?”  Why did he say, “Your sins are forgiven” and not, “You are healed”?

Verse 1-2, “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.  Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’”

A paralytic was brought to Jesus.  We don’t know how this man came to be a paralytic, it could have been an accident or he could have been born with it or he could have caught some disease or sickness that impaired his motor skills.  If he was born this way, then he knew nothing else and would expect the help of others ‘naturally’.  If he became paralyzed because he ‘fell out of a tree’ or some other way (disease or sickness), then it must have been difficult for him because in the past took care of himself, but now he needed the help of others.   This must have weighed him down.

What we do know is that this man needed the help of others, including ‘some men’ who brought him to Jesus.  A paralyzed man, especially at this time was almost completely helpless and could do nothing on his own.  There were no safety networks or disability payments for such a person, so he needed the help of family and friends.  He was completely dependent on others’ generosity and compassion on him.

Like all men, this man was a ‘sinner’.  But this man’s sins were not the same as other people, who could use their bodies to sin.  This man’s sins had to be sins of the ‘mind’.  Man was created to be ‘more than a conqueror’; to be fruitful and multiply; but this man was ‘stuck’ on his mat and could do nothing for himself.  God created man in His image, but this man was not living up to the image God had placed in him.  There is a story of a man who was born with no arms and he was introduced to Pope John Paul in 1987 when the Pope visited Los Angeles.  This man’s name is Tony Melendez.  He played the guitar with his two feet for the Pope.  Mr. Melendez’s guitar playing inspired so many people.  Even though he had no arms, he could still use the rest of his body to praise God and serve God.  

This paralytic man on the other hand did not use what gifts he still had to encourage and live a fruitful life; instead he let others do everything for him.  

Jesus told this man ‘Take heart, son’, because he had lost his heart.  Perhaps he knew that he should live up to God’s calling on his life and was aware that he did not.  Perhaps he felt that this condition was because of his sin.  At this time terrible conditions were considered punishment from God.  Perhaps he believed what he was told.  Perhaps he was a terrible sinner in the past and he knew that he deserved being paralyzed.

Obviously, Jesus knew that this man needed to be told, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ more than to be told, ‘You are healed.’  In other places of the Bible Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” But this time Jesus does not say this, instead He said, ‘Your sins are forgiven’.  This shows that this man needed to hear these words.  This man needed to know that he was forgiven.  

Read verse 3-8.  Why did some of the teachers of the law criticize Jesus in their hearts?  Why did Jesus call their thoughts “evil?” What did he say to them?  How is it that healing this man showed Jesus’ authority to forgive sins?  

Verses 3-8, “At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, ‘This fellow is blaspheming!’  Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....’  Then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ And the man got up and went home.  When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.”

The teachers of the law thought Jesus was blaspheming when He told the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’  As they understood it, only God could forgive men sins.  Men did not have the authority to do so.  Technically this was true.

Even though the teachers of the law were technically correct that only God could forgive a man his sins, Jesus called the thoughts of the teachers of the law ‘evil’.  To Jesus their thoughts were evil.  To Jesus withholding forgiveness was ‘evil’.  This reveals that Jesus wants us to forgive one another.  The Bible clearly tells us that we should not ‘judge’ one another, but the Bible no where tells us not to forgive one another, instead the Bible teaches us to forgive one another.  Forgiveness is the beginning of being restored.  Without forgiveness we cannot be restored in our relationships either with God or men.

Jesus asked them, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?”  Obviously, neither of these is humanly possible.  In reality both are impossible, but to Jesus neither of them is impossible and by healing this man, Jesus revealed that He also has authority to forgive men their sins.  Only in Jesus can a man be healed and only in Jesus can a man be truly forgiven.  In addition, now that Jesus has paid the price, we also can truly forgive our neighbor.

Read verses 9-13. Where did Jesus find Matthew?  Why were tax collectors classed with “sinners?”  What was Jesus’ invitation and Matthew’s response?

Verses 9-13, “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. ‘Follow Me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.  While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Tax collectors were considered sinners because they had betrayed their people and their nation in order to make money.

Read verses 10-13 again. Where did Jesus go for dinner?  Who criticized him and why?  What was Jesus’ response to their criticism?  Who did Jesus consider sick? (13b)  Why?  What does ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’ mean?

Verses 10-13, “While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples.  When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?’  On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”

Jesus went to Matthew’s house for dinner.

The Pharisees criticized Jesus and His disciples.  They did so because Jesus appeared to be condoning the lifestyle of the tax collectors and other public sinners, by eating with them.  In their eyes Jesus should have stayed far away from them.

Jesus considered sinners to be those who were sick and need of a doctor.  Spiritually speaking sinners are those whose spirits are ‘sick’ and are not ‘healthy’.

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice” reveals God’s desire to save mankind from their sin sickness.  Without God’s mercy, men cannot be made healthy and right with God.  No amount of sacrifice will help a man to be made healthy.  Mercy is God’s solution to man’s fundamental problem of sin.  The sacrificial system reveals God’s mercy.  Just as an innocent lamb was killed to atone for man’s sins, in reality, the Lamb of God (Jesus) atones for man’s sins.  Man did not deserve Jesus.  Man did not earn their salvation.  Jesus is God’s free gift to mankind to atone for man’s sins. 

Read verses 14-17. What question did John’s disciples ask?  Why?  Why did Jesus say, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?  The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast,”?

Verses 14-17, “Then John's disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’  Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?  The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.  ‘No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.  Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.’”

John’s disciples asked this question because they thought that Jesus’ disciples were not ‘spiritual’ enough.  The disciples did not behave like they did.  Maybe they thought that Jesus’ disciples lacked the spiritual discipline to be ‘qualified’ as true disciples of ‘the Way’.  Maybe they also felt it was unfair that they had to fast, when Jesus’ disciples did not have to.

Jesus pointed out that fasting was a discipline in order to draw close to God and to have a better relationship with Him.  He pointed out how absurd it was for the disciples to have to fast in order to draw close, when He was already with them.  Fasting is not a spiritual discipline or a way to lose weight; it is to draw closer to God.  But Jesus was already with them.  Prayer is not for the sake of prayer.  Reading our Bible is not for the sake of reading the Bible.  All spiritual disciplines are to help us to draw close to God.

What does the ‘patch’ and ‘new wine’ symbolize?  Who or what is the ‘old garment’ and ‘old wine skin’?  Why do you put ‘new wine’ into a ‘new wine skin’ and not an ‘old wine skin’?  

The ‘patch’ and ‘new wine’ represent that which is new.  It represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It represents the Word of God.

The ‘old garment’ and ‘old wine skin’ represent the old ways of the Pharisees and their rigid thoughts.  They could not accept Jesus as their Messiah, because of their unbending thoughts.  In this part of the passage Jesus is teaching that as Christians we need to have new minds.  The Gospel is living and dynamic, not fixed and static.  Most people are ‘set’ in their ways and do not like change.  But Jesus challenges us to be ‘new’ people.  

Think about the paralytic, Matthew the tax collector and John’s disciples.  How are they different?  How are they the same?  What is Jesus trying to teach us from today’s passage?

The paralytic was a helpless kind of sinner.  He could not help himself at all.  Matthew was an able sinner.   John’s disciples were ‘self-righteous’ sinners.  Each was different, but they all had one point in common, they were all sinners before God.  “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Jesus is teaching that He came to call all people to repentance and to restore their relationship with God.  No one is too weak, no one is good, and no one is righteous, not even one.

JESUS CAME TO CALL SINNERS

Matthew 9:1-17

Key Verse 9:13

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

  In this passage Jesus tells us clearly His purpose in coming to this world.  Jesus came to call sinners. Sin is the real problem of mankind. We have no solution for the sin problem.  But Jesus does. Jesus has authority to forgive our sins.  Moreover, Jesus gives us new life with purpose. Jesus can transform us, making our lives dynamic and powerful.  Furthermore, Jesus’ ministry of forgiveness and mercy cannot be served properly by legalistic systems.  Today let’s accept Jesus’ forgiveness and Jesus’ call to follow Him.  

First, Jesus said, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” (1-2).  

 Jesus had done a great work by driving out demons in the region of the Gadarenes, but the people there instead of celebrating the wonderful work Jesus had done, blinded and deceived, they asked Jesus to leave. So Jesus stepped into a boat, and crossed over to Capernaum, His own town (1). There, Jesus was welcomed and many came to him for help.  It is said that a prophet is not honored in His own home town, but that is only partly true.  The actual saying is, “A prophet is not honored in His own home, unless they are needed.”  Have any of you ever received a phone call from a friend who only calls you when they need something from you, but the rest of the time never call?  Personally, I have never called Msn. Isaac to say, “Hi Msn. Isaac who are you?  How is the message preparation going?  Would you like to go and have Sushi with me?  No, I never do that.  Instead, when I call Msn. Isaac it always goes something like this, “Umm…  Msn. Isaac.  How are you?  I’m sorry to bother you. I was wondering…  Do you have an electric drill I can borrow?  I wonder if the only time that the phone rings in Msn. Isaac’s house is when someone needs something from him--either that or to complain to him.   

 Look at verse 2a. “Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat.” Most likely this man was a quadriplegic–a man who did not have the use of any limbs. We can only imagine how he became that way. Once, he may have been a high school student who excelled in academics and football. But on the way home from a drinking party, he crashed his car into a tree and broke his neck. His body was paralyzed from the neck down for life. Also, his psyche was shocked. Self-condemnation and fatalistic thoughts tortured his soul. Modern medicine can cure many illnesses. However, paralysis is still incurable. There was no hope anywhere in the world. But there was hope in Jesus. Jesus had already begun to heal every disease and sickness among people (4:23). Some men brought the paralyzed man to Jesus.  

 Verse 2b begins, “When Jesus saw their faith...” Jesus saw their faith. They had faith that Jesus could heal the paralyzed man. They did not say anything. But their actions of faith spoke louder than words. They brought their friend to Jesus to be healed. Jesus was pleased by their faith. Jesus was willing to help them. Jesus blesses the helpless through those who have faith.  If our students don’t have faith, we need to have faith.  If our students look helpless and hopeless, we need to bring them to Jesus fully believing that Jesus can heal them.  Now some torture themselves with guilt when they try to bring students to Jesus and the student instead of being healed, turns around and high tails it out of there.  This is not what I am talking about.  How can Jesus heal someone if they are trying to run away from Him?  It’s impossible.  What I am talking about are those students who never seem to change, but never seem to leave either.  They are so powerless, they don’t even have the strength to leave, even though they might want to.  There is a reason why they remain.  It’s because they are totally powerless or it could be because they need something.  That type of student we should not have a sense of burden about.  That type of person we should be the most happy about, and have the most faith for, because they are a captured audience and Jesus can heal that person. 

 Look at verse 2b. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’” Jesus knew the heart of the paralyzed man. Jesus is concerned about the heart, while man is often concerned about outward appearance. This man had lost heart; he had fallen into depression over his situation. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly ten percent of all Americans suffer from clinical depression at some point during the year. We may take depression lightly, especially in a person who looks strong. But Jesus ministered to this man’s depressed heart as of first importance. When Jesus said, “Take heart, son,” His powerful and loving words melted the man’s depression and planted new and living hope. Jesus expressed great affection for the man by calling him “son.” Jesus saw him as a dear and precious human being. Jesus is tender and compassionate, especially to the broken-hearted.  

 Jesus did not say, “Your paralysis is healed.” Jesus said, “...your sins are forgiven.” Everyone thought that this man’s problem was paralysis. But Jesus thought sin was the most urgent problem. We must learn that our real problem is not caused by someone else or by our situation, but by our sin. Sin-sickness paralyzes our souls.  

 Why did Jesus point out this man’s sin problem? It was not to make him more depressed. It was to forgive him. Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” At that very moment, the man’s burden of sin was taken away. He became a child of God. Several weeks ago, we learned about the Centurion Cornelius.  He was an amazing guy.  He loved the Jewish people and even built their synagogue with his own money.  He prayed for the people and gave gifts to the poor.  He was so amazing that even God had to confess, “All that you are doing has come up to Me as a memorial offering.”  But even though this Centurion lived an exemplary life, he was not a child of God.  It was not until he received the forgiveness of his sins that he could became a true child of Abraham.  Receiving the forgiveness of our sins is not a small matter.  The forgiveness of our sins is the whole point.  From now on, God would look upon this paralytic with pleasure, bless him with mercies ever new, and love him tenderly until he entered the kingdom of God.  

Second, Jesus proves His authority to forgive sins (3-8).  

 Jesus words of forgiveness brought new life to a paralyzed man. And yet strangely the same words evoked a very different response from the teachers of the law. Look at verse 3. “At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, ‘This fellow is blaspheming!’” When they heard Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven,” they flipped out.  They couldn’t believe their ears.  So they said, “This fellow Jesus is blaspheming!”  To them there was only one who could forgive sins and that was God.  They believed this because they clearly understood that when we sin, it is against God ultimately to whom we have sinned.  No one can pardon you except the one to whom your have wronged.  Humanly it makes perfect sense.   

      For instance, if I forgot my wife’s birthday and forgot to get her flowers and take her to a romantic dinner, and instead go out with my precious coworkers Msn. Jacob Chang and go and play basketball instead, can Msn. Jacob then turn around and say to me, “Take heart, Terry; your sins are forgiven.”  Do you think that I can then go home to my lovely wife and there will be no problem?  Do you think I will even be able to get into the house?  Of course not!  Then how could Jesus dare to say such a thing?  It wasn’t against Him that this man sinned, but against God the Father.  So it was completely understandable why they thought that Jesus was blaspheming, it was God’s domain to forgive, not this dusty, unemployed carpenter from Galilee. 

      But what did Jesus say to them?  Look at verse 4, “Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, ‘Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?”  To Jesus these thoughts of theirs that only God can forgive men, is an evil idea.  Such thoughts were not just incorrect, such thoughts were evil.  In other words, the thought that only God can forgive sins is an evil thought.  God is not the only one who can forgive sins.  We too must forgive one another.  Isn’t it a strange thing that we have a natural tendency to want to judge others, but never to forgive others?  But this never helps anyone.

 Now Jesus’ painful rebuke was not to condemn the Pharisees, He was as ready to forgive them as much as He was ready to forgive the paralytic or any of us.  And to help them repent Jesus explained more deeply what He meant.  Look at verse 5. Jesus said, “Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’” The religious leaders must have thought it was easier to say “your sins are forgiven,” for it is not verifiable. They were used to using empty words. However, Jesus never used empty words. When Jesus said, “your sins are forgiven,” He knew He must go to the cross and die for this man. Jesus had to pay the price to forgive this man. To truly forgive others, there is a real cost that must be paid.  The real reason that the teachers of the law thought Jesus was blaspheming was honestly because they were not ready to pay the cost to help someone receive true sin-forgiveness in Jesus.  We don’t forgive others, because the cost we must bear to help that person to truly receive sin-forgiveness is more than we are willing to pay.  At the very least, to forgive others costs us our pride.  But often times it is much more than that. 

 Finally, in order to help the teachers of the law to repent, Jesus demonstrated His power. Look at verses 6-7. “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins....’ Then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ And the man got up and went home.” Jesus’ point is crystal clear. Jesus has authority on earth to forgive sins. If Jesus says that our sins are forgiven, they are forgiven. The only reason that anyone can ever forgive another is because Jesus died on the cross.  He has the authority to forgive us and He wants to forgive us.   As His children we must forgive one another.  That is why Jesus taught His disciples, “Forgive one another.”  Not because they themselves could, but because Jesus could, because He paid the price and now has the authority to forgive.  May God help us to learn to forgive one another, so that we may be restored to our Father in Heaven and to one another.

Third, Jesus says to Matthew, “Follow Me” (9-13).  

 Look at verse 9. “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow Me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.” As a tax collector, Matthew collaborated with the Romans to collect taxes from Jews. His fellow Jews hated him. Still, tax collectors were men of ability. They could read and write, and had skill with numbers. But they used their ability to get rich at the cost of their suffering people. They can be compared to some bank CEOs who take government bailout money and give themselves huge bonuses even though their company is going bankrupt. They get a bonus, while many others are losing their homes, why don’t the homeowners get a bonus from the government for not paying their obligations?  Matthew had decided to be a tax collector, thinking that money would make him happy. However, money did not make him happy. Pursuing money, only made him selfish. All of his relationships with people were broken. No one wanted to be his friend. Matthew was lonely and fatalistic inwardly.  

 When Jesus saw Matthew, He knew everything about him. No one liked Matthew, but Jesus liked him. Jesus was not at all fatalistic about Matthew. Jesus saw him with great hope. Jesus believed he would be healed from his selfishness. Jesus believed he would use his great ability for the glory of God. Jesus believed that Matthew would stop being a selfish tax collector and instead become a world renowned author who exhorts others to repent and turn to God. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” it was packed and loaded with Jesus’ hope, faith and love for Matthew and Matthew knew it. Jesus was accepting Matthew as a disciple, one of His closest followers and even Jesus’ friend. From now on in following Jesus, Matthew was not going to learn about the tax code, he would learn from Jesus and grow to be like Him. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” Matthew could taste the love in Jesus’ words. He could immediately get up and follow Jesus. As he stepped away from the tax booth, which had become like a prison cell for him, his burden of sin lifted. Freedom, peace and joy come into his soul.  

 When Jesus called Matthew, Jesus was setting Himself up to be criticized. It was unacceptable in that society for a Jewish religious leader to have close contact with a tax collector. Yet Jesus called Matthew to follow Him. Jesus loved Matthew first. Then, love for Jesus began to grow in Matthew’s heart. Soon, after Matthew realized that Jesus truly loved him, love overflowed from Matthew and Matthew had a desire to give generously to Jesus and to others. He wanted to do something for Jesus.  When Matthew looked at Jesus and he looked at His disciples, they looked a little skinny.  They looked hungry.  And Matthew remembered that his house was stocked with gourmet food. So Matthew invited them all for a delicious dinner, sparing no expense. Normally, Jesus disciples only had a few heads of grain to eat as they traveled from here to there while Jesus was healing and preaching the Gospel.  But this time, they struck gold.  In front of them was thick, juicy New York Steak, and stacks of tangy ribs and plate after plate of Sushi.  There was great joy in the house.  Perhaps disciples were rejoicing in their hearts, saying “Thank God for rich, repentant sinners!”   

      Jesus was there, and the fruit of repentance was flowing from Matthew’s heart. Matthew’s several friends, who were also tax collectors, and their lady associates joined the party. Soon the house was full and laughter from inside was spilling out into the streets. Jesus is truly Immanuel, God with us. Jesus brings the joy of heaven to the hearts and houses of sinners.  

 When the Pharisees heard the sound of joyful laughter, they immediately thought something was wrong; someone was having too much fun. They approached Jesus’ disciples and said, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” They thought Jesus lacked spiritual discernment. They thought Jesus was not strict enough with the company He kept. They were implying that Jesus was a sinner and that He was with sinners because He liked to sin. They did not understand Jesus at all. Jesus had to die on the cross to save men from their sins. Jesus hated sin more than anyone else did. But Jesus loved sinners. Jesus accepted sinners as they were and had fellowship with them. Jesus ate with sinners and laughed with sinners. Jesus never thought He would be contaminated by sinners. Rather, Jesus was sure that sinners would be healed and cleansed by being with Him.  Let me ask a question how can we help people meet Jesus if we are sitting in front of our computer?  How can we help others if we never go to them?  It’s impossible. 

 How did Jesus answer the Pharisees? Look at verse 12. “On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.’” Jesus was sorry to hear the Pharisees legalistic words. Legalism prevented them from understanding and having compassion on other human beings. But Jesus did not give up on them. Jesus taught them basic human compassion. Sick people need a doctor. Sinners need a Savior. As a human being, our first response toward a sick person, with physical or spiritual sickness, should be to show compassion and to bring healing.  

 It seems that the Pharisees totally ignored Jesus’ teaching on compassion. But Jesus did not give up. Look at verse 13. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Based on Hosea 6:6, Jesus taught them the heart of God. God desires mercy. God wants men to acknowledge Him as God and acknowledge themselves as sinners and receive His mercy. God delights in extending mercy toward helpless sinners. God gave us the law to lead us to His mercy. God wants us to experience His forgiveness and His love and to grow in mercy. God did not practice legalistic justice toward sinners.  If He did, all mankind would be judged and condemned. Instead, God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son Jesus as a ransom sacrifice for our sins. Let’s acknowledge our need and ask God for mercy. And in turn extend mercy to others. 

Fourth, new wine into new wineskins (14-17).  

 Look at verse 14. “Then John’s disciples came and asked Him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’” They probably felt sorry that Jesus’ disciples were enjoying New York steak, while they were fasting. Look at verse 15. “Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while He is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.’” Jesus taught John’s disciples not to become ritualistic and the real reason for fasting.  As Christian’s we have many practices and rituals that we follow.  We come to Sunday worship service and we sing songs together.  We pray, we spend time in His Word and some even fast.   But why do we do these things?  It is not because God wants us to starve ourselves occasionally.  Or He likes for us to dress up and gather together in one place or even to hear us sing.  We do all these things for one purpose.  We do it all in order to draw close to God; to strengthen our relationship with Him; to spend time with Him.  Jesus was teaching John’s disciples the reason for why we do the things we do. 

      For John’s disciples fasting was becoming their source of pride and their mark of their spiritual maturity.  But they really missed the point why they did these things, it is to meet Jesus more personally.  I pray God would help us all to grow in our spiritual disciplines, not as a sign of our spiritual maturity or to feed our pride, but in order to meet Jesus personally.  I pray that God would help us to understand why it is important that we get up early and spend time with Him in prayer and His Word.   

 To further explain that His gospel ministry did not fit into the legalistic structure of Judaism, Jesus used two parables. Look at verses 16-17. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” The Gospel is like new wine. It has power and it needs room to expand and grow. It cannot be contained by brittle old wineskins. In the same way, Jesus’ Gospel ministry was life-giving. It was the expression of God’s boundless mercy. Those who receive it must be free from legalism to follow the person of Jesus with trust and love. They must serve others with God’s mercy and love.  Not burdening others, but helping others to find the joy and blessedness found only in Jesus, that is life to the full. 

 Today we learn that Jesus has authority on earth to forgive sins. We learn that God is merciful and He wants to help us in our time of need. We do not have to remain in the paralysis of sin. Let’s come to Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Then we can follow Jesus and practice mercy toward all people. We also learn that Jesus blesses helpless people through the faith of others. Let’s pray for the healing of all spiritual paralytics on our campuses through our faith in Jesus.