22010.304 You Need a Savior!

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ he said to him. So he got up and followed him. As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said, ‘Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. Go and learn what this saying means: “I want mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” —Matthew 9:9–3

Jesus’ ministry was and is directed toward all who realize they have a need.

It is important that each one of realize that we all are in the same condition apart from Christ: needy. There are no exceptions. Jesus came seeking to save the lost. And each one of us is lost without Him.

Luke records these words spoken by Jesus:

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” —Luke 19:10

The religious leaders thought it beneath them to associate with anyone they considered to be a “sinner”. Blind to the folly of their religious pride, they could not accept the fact that Jesus not only reached out to but welcomed those they believed to be beneath them. No one had greater zeal than they for the form of godliness.

We are all on level ground at the foot of the cross. There was and is no one righteous, not even one. We must be aware that pride is extremely dangerous. Pride never goes unpunished. A person who believes they are superior to others will eventually experience a downfall.

The Old Testament tells us:

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” —Proverbs 16:18

“Before destruction the heart of a person is proud, but humility comes before honor.” —Proverbs 18:12

Matthew, having received the mercy of God, now wants his friends to know of this salvation as well. By opening his home, he provides an opportunity for his associates to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. True grace is not content to sit alone and eat the morsels of its goodness; it invites others to its limitless bounty. Matthew did what he could. He opened his home and provided hospitality out of his own means.

Luke records the incident as follows:

“Then Levi gave a great banquet in his house for Jesus, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them.” —Luke 5:29

Matthew knew his friends needed a Savior!

Become More

“Sin is the sickness of the soul. It is deforming, weakening, disturbing, wasting, and killing, but Jesus Christ is the great Physician of souls. Wise and good people should be like physicians to everyone around them; Christ was so. Souls that are sick with sin need this Physician, for their disease is dangerous; nature will not help itself. No mortal can help us; we have such need of Christ that we are eternally ruined without Him.” —Matthew Henry

Further Reflections

“The essence of sin is pride. The heart of sin is independence and the core of sin is demanding my own way instead of God’s.” —Pat Singleterry

“To show what true religion consists in: not in external observances, but in doing all the good we can to the bodies and souls of others in righteousness and peace.” —Matthew Henry

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *