A Calling Is In Order

So I was reading through Matthew 9 a couple of weeks ago, and there is a ton of stuff in there. There are five specific healing stories (including one instance of raising someone from the dead!), a lesson on fasting, and a declaration from Jesus in verse 6 that He has the authority on earth to forgive sins. A huge statement, and one that serves to show that Jesus' work is not one of a snake oil salesman but of the divine. I'm reminded of Gandalf's quote in The Lord of the Rings: "Do not take me for some conjurer of cheap tricks." What is Jesus saying here? "I'm the real deal." Again...a pretty dense chapter.

Lots of people like to say Jesus was "a good teacher." Yet his teachings frequently defy a logical or even rational explanation. Others say he was a healer. While this is certainly true, it's vital to recognize how often Jesus said things like "your faith has made you well." Jesus tied the physical maladies of Judea directly to a corresponding spiritual ailment, a condition that was curable not by any earthly remedy but by a transformation of the spirit, even more dynamic and astounding than the very visible healings taking place wherever Jesus went. Nowhere is this clearer than in verses 9-13 and the closing verses 35-38.

In verse 9, Jesus meets a man named Matthew (sound familiar?) who happens to be a tax collector. Most of you have heard it plenty of times before, but tax collectors in those times were pretty much the most despised people around. They cheated people, had no loyalty and were generally just not to be respected or trusted. But Jesus, as He often did, turns the social order on its head by telling Matthew to follow Him. Which Matthew does. There's not a ton of detail to this story, but I like to think that Matthew followed because he was stunned to see a popular local figure - and a religious one at that - taking the time to interact with him. Nice lesson for churches of today that love to isolate themselves from the community around them. (Calling #1)

Jesus ends up going to Matthew's house for dinner, and Matthew invites all his tax collector friends (because again, who else would hang out with tax collectors except other tax collectors?) and some other characters who are apparently of a less than savory nature. And the religious leaders can't comprehend this. Why would this man who claims to be God be wasting time with the dregs of society? And Jesus answers with one of my favorite lines in Scripture:

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (Matt. 9:12)

Jesus knows He doesn't have a long time on the earth. He doesn't need to spend time on those who have their lives together. It's those people who have a lack, a void, a sickness in their lives who need Him. And of course, as verse 13 drives home, He is not talking about physical ailments but the spiritually dying. But the broader point that the modern church can't afford to miss is this:

There are a lot of sick people out there.

At the end of this chapter, we see that Jesus is traveling through "all the towns and villages", and that He is healing "every disease and sickness." And He issues a challenge to His followers: there aren't enough workers to reach all of these people who are hurting and need Him. Jesus, whose vision is always in the present and the future simultaneously, is stating the purpose of the church for years to come. (Calling #2)

So a calling of one kind or the other is in order: For the non-believer, Jesus is calling you to "dine with Him." Recognize Him for who He is. Ask questions, interact, and begin to understand. For the believer, Jesus is calling us to the "harvest." Go out among our family, friends, communities and nations, and let them know that there is someone who longs to heal their brokenness, their hurts, and their bitterness. A calling for each of us - an encouraging thought.

God bless, and have a great weekend!