Called Out of Order: Embracing Sinners and Discipleship

Jesus calls Matthew from a tax booth and then goes to dinner with “tax collectors and sinners,” and the text breaks the tidy lines the Pharisees expected. The gospel of Matthew itself plays with order, grouping teachings in one place and healings in another, so the timeline a reader assumes is not always the way Matthew lays it out. That looseness of sequence becomes a parable in real time: God likes to work “out of order.” A broken vending machine, a courtroom outburst, even Star Wars starting at episode four all become small parables of how human beings want one kind of order while Jesus chooses another.

The Pharisees anticipate a Messiah who joins their ranks and validates their system. Jesus answers their question by sitting down at the wrong table and by quoting the right scripture: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Hosea’s voice says the same thing with different words, “steadfast love… the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The point lands hard. God wants love and the knowing of God more than polished religion or gatekeeping that keeps the hurting outside.

The Great Commission still stands, but its steps run in this Jesus-order: sit at the wrong table, call the right people, then teach and baptize those the Father draws. The call to discipleship comes “out of order” too. A name heard in a focused dream, threads of binding love tugging a heart to connect people to God, a return to church after realizing that judging someone’s identity is not Christian obedience, and a midwestern night breeze that felt like peace all mark the Spirit’s work. John 3:16 still says “everyone.” So the church does not judge. The church introduces Jesus and lets God do his work.

The question the story keeps pressing is simple. Who is the listener in this scene? Pharisee, bystander, sinner, or tax collector? Confession sounds like Matthew: a life of comfort that needs to be left when Jesus says, “Follow me.” Leaving the booth may come by steps, but the direction is clear. Jesus is the physician, and the sick are the ones he came to call. Mercy is the order of his kingdom.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus runs on “out of order” mercy [21:46] Jesus refuses the neat lines of religious respectability by eating with tax collectors and sinners. That table says more than a speech about who belongs in the kingdom. Mercy takes the front seat and resets what holiness looks like in the neighborhood. The church looks most like Jesus when the guest list looks wrong to the self-assured. [21:46]
• 2. Discipleship leaves the tax booth [33:10] Matthew stands up and walks out when Jesus says, “Follow me.” The call does not wait for a fully sorted life or a perfect plan, it interrupts the plan a person already has. Real following always puts comfort on the altar and lets Jesus redraw the budget, the calendar, and the future. Some leave fast, some in steps, but the direction is the same. [33:10]
• 3. Judgment blocks mercy’s work [26:54] “Do not judge” is not soft talk, it is Jesus’ hard boundary that keeps pride out of the driver’s seat. Judgment turns a neighbor into a project and misses the image of God standing in front of a person. Introducing Jesus and trusting the Spirit does the deep work that condemnation never could. John 3:16 still means everyone. [26:54]
• 4. The Spirit steadies and sends [28:30] Baptism seals a person with the Spirit, and quiet moments of unexplainable peace often confirm what Scripture promises. Those touches are not the finish line, they are the wind at a person’s back when the next faithful step feels heavy. Calling often shows up as a nudge that will not let go until obedience takes shape. Peace and push come from the same Spirit. [28:30]
• 5. Hosea teaches love over ritual [34:21] “Steadfast love” and “the knowledge of God” outrun sacrifices and offerings. Ritual without mercy can polish the outside while starving the heart of God. Learning God’s character produces the kind of life that systems cannot manufacture. Where love leads, true worship follows. [34:21]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [15:45] - Scripture: Physician for the sick
• [18:25] - Out of order theme
• [20:46] - How Matthew orders his Gospel
• [21:46] - Jesus eats with sinners
• [22:40] - The call of Steven
• [23:29] - Threads of binding love
• [26:32] - Do not judge
• [26:54] - Pride Month and John 3:16
• [28:30] - Baptism and the Spirit's seal
• [30:58] - Seminary candidacy and next steps
• [31:47] - Who are you in this story
• [32:47] - Naming the tax collector today
• [34:21] - Mercy not sacrifice from Hosea
• [35:08] - Prayer for calling

1. In Matthew 9:9-13, what specific actions did Jesus take that surprised the Pharisees, and why did they object?
2. How does Jesus’ quote of Hosea 6:6 (“I desire mercy, not sacrifice”) directly challenge the Pharisees’ priorities?
3. What examples from the sermon illustrated how God works “out of order” compared to human expectations? [21:46]
4. According to the sermon, how does the Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s life often feel or look? [28:30]

1. Why do you think Jesus chose to quote Hosea 6:6 (“steadfast love… the knowledge of God”) instead of another Old Testament passage when addressing the Pharisees?
2. The sermon suggests that “judgment blocks mercy’s work.” How might judging others prevent us from reflecting God’s love as described in John 3:16?
3. What does it mean for discipleship to “leave the tax booth” in practical terms, and why might this process happen “in steps” for some people? [33:10]
4. How does the idea of God working “out of order” redefine what holiness or faithfulness looks like in everyday life?

1. Where in your life do you feel most comfortable or “in order” right now? How might God be calling you to step into a situation that feels “out of order” to show mercy?
2. The sermon mentions that judgment turns neighbors into “projects.” When have you caught yourself judging someone’s choices or identity instead of seeing them as someone God loves? What would it look like to replace judgment with curiosity or compassion? [26:54]
3. Reflect on a time when you felt the Holy Spirit’s “nudge” or peace. How did that experience shape your next steps, and what might it look like to trust those promptings more deeply? [28:30]
4. If Jesus were to walk into your workplace, social circle, or neighborhood today, which “table” (group of people) do you think he would sit at? How could you join him there?
5. The sermon asks, “Who are you in this story—Pharisee, tax collector, sinner, or bystander?” What is one way your current habits or attitudes might align with the Pharisees’ focus on “order,” and how could you shift toward mercy instead? [32:24]
6. What “tax booth” (comfort, security, or routine) is hardest for you to leave behind if Jesus said, “Follow me”? What practical step could you take this week to move toward that call? [33:10]