IF YOU MET JESUS, PART 3: MATTHEW: YOU ARE NOT TOO FAR GONE FOR GOD

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Sees the Tax Booth

Matthew sat counting coins when shadow fell across his ledger. Jesus didn’t ask for receipts or demand explanations. “Follow me,” He said. Tax collectors froze. Religious leaders scoffed. But Matthew stood, leaving behind the life that defined him. No penance required. No probationary period. Just three syllables that split his story into before and after. [39:51]

Jesus didn’t recruit the qualified—He qualified the called. Matthew’s hands still smelled like Roman silver. His reputation still reeked of betrayal. Yet Christ’s invitation bypassed performance reviews and plunged straight into grace. Transformation began not with self-improvement, but with proximity to the One who makes all things new.

You’ve rehearsed speeches to negotiate with God: “When I fix ___, then I’ll follow.” But His call comes mid-mess, mid-failure, mid-weakness. What if today you stopped bargaining and simply stood up? Where is Jesus inviting you to walk away from the “booth” you’ve built your identity around?

“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.”
(Matthew 9:9, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal what He sees when He looks at you—not your failures, but His chosen follower.
Challenge: Write down one lie you believe about needing to “clean up first” before following Jesus. Rip it up.

Day 2: Scandal at Matthew’s Table

Dishes clattered as Matthew’s guests elbowed for seats. Tax collectors leaned toward Jesus, sleeves stained with greed. “Disreputable sinners,” the Pharisees hissed, clutching their prayer shawls. Jesus didn’t scold the rowdy or reassure the religious. He stayed, chewing bread with those deemed unworthy. [54:06]

Jesus redefined belonging. The table wasn’t a reward for good behavior but a triage center for broken hearts. By feasting with outcasts, He declared God’s kingdom isn’t earned through moral résumés. The Pharisees measured holiness by distance from sin; Jesus measured it by proximity to the sinner.

Many of us still separate people into “us” and “them.” Who makes you uncomfortable? The coworker with crude jokes? The relative who votes opposite? Jesus calls you to pull up a chair, not to approve sin but to offer His presence. When did you last share a meal with someone outside your spiritual comfort zone?

“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.”
(Matthew 9:10, ESV)

Prayer: Confess any judgment toward “them” in your life. Ask for eyes to see others as Jesus does.
Challenge: Invite someone unlikely to church or coffee this week—no strings attached.

Day 3: Medicine for the Sick

Pharisees spat the question like bad wine: “Why eat with scum?” Jesus didn’t flinch. “The healthy don’t need a doctor.” He named their hidden sickness: self-righteousness. The tax collectors knew they were broken. The religious crowd? They’d dressed wounds with duty and called it healing. [01:01:19]

Jesus’ mission wasn’t to curate a gallery of saints but to run a hospital for rebels. Churches crumble when we demand pre-sanctified lives. Grace thrives when we admit our infections—pride, lust, greed—and let Christ disinfect us daily. The cross levels all patients: none walk in whole.

You’ve likely hidden symptoms to fit in. What sin are you downplaying as a “flaw”? What brokenness needs His scalpel? And who needs you to stop pretending you’re healthy? Jesus says, “Bring your sick, your limping, your fevered—I’ll triage them all.” When did you last confess weakness to a trusted believer?

“And when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.’”
(Matthew 9:12, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for being your doctor, not your critic.
Challenge: Text a friend: “I’m struggling with ___. Pray for me?”

Day 4: Socks for the Street

Bob’s bare feet chilled the pavement as the homeless man pocketed his socks. No sermon. No conditions. Just fabric meeting skin—a sacrament of practical love. Jesus built His church with such moments: tax collectors turned disciples, sinners turned family, pride turned to underwear donations. [01:10:04]

God’s kingdom advances through scandalous generosity. The Pharisees withheld approval until people “deserved” it. Jesus handed out belonging like bread. When we give without demanding change, we mirror His heart. Matthew’s friends didn’t transform overnight—but around that table, they tasted grace.

What’s your “socks”? A listening ear? Groceries? Babysitting? You’ll never argue someone into the kingdom, but you can serve them into curiosity about the King. Who needs tangible proof of God’s love today? What’s one item or act you can offer without strings?

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
(Romans 5:8, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person needing hands-on love this week.
Challenge: Buy socks, snacks, or hygiene items. Keep them in your car to give when prompted.

Day 5: From Levi to Legacy

Matthew’s quill scratched across parchment, writing his gospel. The traitor became a theologian. The thief became a chronicler of Christ’s grace. Jesus didn’t force him back to “Levi”—He baptized Matthew’s broken past into a platform for redemption. [55:33]

God never wastes a story. Matthew’s former greed became attention to detail in documenting parables. His isolation as a tax collector fueled compassion for outsiders. Jesus doesn’t erase our past; He redeems our pain to heal others. Your mess becomes your message when surrendered.

What chapter of your life feels too shameful for God’s use? That addiction? That divorce? That secret? Jesus specializes in turning traitors into teachers. What if your worst failure became someone else’s lifeline? Who needs to hear, “If He saved me, He’ll save you”?

“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(Matthew 9:13, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for rewriting your story. Ask courage to share it.
Challenge: Share one sentence of your testimony with someone this week: “Before Jesus, I ___. Now, I ___.”

Sermon Summary

A familiar story unfolds of a person who leaves a religious heritage to chase wealth and pleasure, only to meet an unexpected invitation. The man, once known by a name tied to priestly duty, abandons his tribe and becomes a tax collector, one of the most despised figures in his society. Society excludes him, labels him dishonest, and treats him as a traitor. Yet a simple call to follow flips the script. The call does not demand visible repentance or perfected behavior first. Instead, it extends belonging in the midst of mess.

The narrative highlights a central truth: divine love does not hinge on human merit. Grace arrives while people remain broken, and that arrival provokes real transformation. The example of inviting an outcast to dine demonstrates that relationship, not moral inspection, initiates change. Religious insiders complain at the proximity of mercy to those they deem unworthy, exposing how easy it is to mistake religious performance for righteousness. The contrast reveals that every human heart stands in need of the same redeeming mercy.

This account reframes what church should be: a healing place, not a museum of the already neat. When a community treats itself like a hospital, the injured and ashamed find care before correction. Practical application follows plainly. The call goes out to remain with those far from faith, to invest time and life with them until new habits and affections form. Simple acts of generosity and shared life embody the invitation that shifts trajectories. The story presses for a posture of welcome, persistent presence, and holy discomfort toward exclusion. It insists that transformation flows from being loved into, not from cleaning up to qualify.

Ultimately the narrative issues two relentless commands. Keep showing up among the marginalized. Invite them into shared life and worship. Those two practices replicate the same posture that once moved outsiders into belonging and, over time, into renewed character and devotion.

Key Takeaways

1. Grace precedes personal change and growth Divine love arrives while people remain broken, not after they achieve moral fitness. That initial reception heals shame and loosens defensive efforts to earn acceptance. Receiving grace reorients desires and provides the motivation and power for genuine change, rooted in belonging rather than obligation. Transformation flows from being loved in the mess. [34:25]
2. Invitation, not merit, starts transformation A simple call to follow trumps proofs of reform as the engine of conversion. Belonging creates the context in which new life and habits form, because relationship changes identity more than rules ever will. Extending an honest invitation exposes the illusion that people must first repair themselves to be welcomed. The first step is connection, not certification. [50:59]
3. Church should act like hospitals Communities of faith must prioritize care over curation and healing over judgment. A hospital treats wounds without first interrogating causes; likewise, church must offer refuge to the broken and then bring restorative help. When the gathered body practices mercy first, it honors the pattern of welcome seen in scripture and dismantles barriers to belonging. Hospitality becomes a spiritual medicine. [64:59]
4. Remain with the lost patiently Longterm presence among outsiders fosters formation that quick fixes cannot produce. Cutting relationships too soon often robs seekers of the relational soil they need to grow. Steady companionship models the patience of grace and gives time for Jesus to form new affections and choices. Investment, not isolation, wins hearts over years. [67:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:57] - Dark places and looking up
[34:04] - The central idea on grace
[38:49] - Introducing Matthew, the tax collector
[39:31] - Reading Matthew chapter nine
[42:48] - Why tax collectors were despised
[50:59] - Jesus issues an invitation, follow me
[54:06] - Matthew hosts a controversial dinner
[61:19] - Love shown while people were sinners
[64:59] - Church as a hospital for sinners
[67:34] - Practical call to remain with outsiders
[71:43] - Prayer and closing challenge
[72:37] - Go be the church and invite them

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 9:9-13 (ESV)
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Observation Questions

What specific action did Jesus take when he saw Matthew at the tax booth, and how did Matthew respond?
How did the Pharisees react to Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, and what question did they ask his disciples? [59:41]
What metaphor does Jesus use to explain his mission in verse 12, and who does he compare himself to?
According to the sermon, what practical example was given about how churches should treat people who are "messy" or struggling? [06:31]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose to eat with tax collectors and sinners instead of avoiding them? What does this reveal about his priorities?
The Pharisees accused Jesus of associating with "scum." How might their definition of righteousness differ from Jesus’ definition? [59:58]
Jesus says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (v. 13). How does this statement challenge religious traditions that focus on rules or rituals over relationships?
The sermon describes the church as a "hospital." What does this metaphor imply about how believers should interact with people who are far from God? [01:04:59]

Application Questions

Grace is described as something that comes before personal change. How might this truth shift the way you approach someone in your life who feels unworthy of love or acceptance?
Jesus’ invitation to Matthew was simple: “Follow me.” What is one practical way you could extend a similar invitation to someone who feels excluded or judged? [50:59]
The church is compared to a hospital. What specific changes could your community make to ensure people feel cared for before being corrected?
The sermon emphasizes “remaining with the lost patiently.” Who in your life needs long-term relational investment, and how can you commit to walking with them even if change is slow? [01:07:34]
Reflect on a time when you felt like an outsider. How can that experience help you empathize with those who feel unwelcome in religious spaces today?
What habits or attitudes might you need to let go of to avoid acting like the Pharisees, who prioritized appearances over mercy? [01:00:53]
The story of Bob giving socks to a homeless person was shared. What small, tangible act of generosity could you do this week to show love to someone society overlooks? [01:10:04]

Sermon Clips

Sick people need doctors and that's what churches should be. And when we love people like that, you don't need to change for god to love you. You don't need to change to experience that type of love. You don't need to clean up your act before going to the hospital. You come dirty, bleeding, broken, vomit, and all. And when you go up and you show there, they're gonna love on you. They're gonna help heal you. [01:06:41] (31 seconds) #ChurchIsHospital

And if you're thinking, well, you know what? One day, I will get my act together. One day, I'll stop drinking. One day, I'll stop using women or men for sex. One day, I'll stop my porn addiction. One day, I'll stop misbehaving and misbelieving. One day, I can maybe get rid of those ethical gray areas in my life. One day, I will clean up my life, then and only then I will come back to god. But the problem with that day is it never comes. [00:34:50] (34 seconds) #StopWaitingToCleanUp

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