No Longer Unwanted

Although deeply despised and unwanted by everyone, everyone else, guess what? Jesus wanted Matthew. Hear what I said? Jesus. No one wanted Matthew, but Jesus wanted Matthew. This sin sinner of all sinners. What is interesting here is that a student or or a disciple of a rabbi, Jesus was a rabbi, a disciple had to go through a rigorous sort of process or application to become a follower. In other words, only the smartest and the best the best are picked and asked to come follow me by a rabbi. [00:54:58] (44 seconds)  #JesusWantedMatthew

Here's the thing. I hope and pray that the series has helped you to see that that no one, and I mean no one, is beyond the reach of God's grace. When you feel abandoned, rejected, and even unwanted by the world, by your friends, and maybe even your own family, Know that there is god who will never leave you or forsake you. That's a promise that we we have in the scripture, in the bible. [00:37:37] (31 seconds)  #GraceForEveryone

here's what I'll what I say to to all of you. Try him. My my daughter has a T shirt that says, try god. How about that? Try god. Because if you try everything else and nothing is going right for you, try god. Try Jesus. What what am I trying to say? You can be the outers, most fringe of the society, and Jesus and guess what? He will still accept you when you confess and commit. He's not gonna turn you away. [00:58:01] (37 seconds)  #TryJesus

By the way, Matthew probably had his friends over because he was trying to show them to whom his new allegiance belonged to. Not his wealth, not his power, not his position, not his money, but not none of that. But his new allegiance belongs to Jesus Christ. And when the religious leaders complain to Jesus, what what does Jesus say? The way he responds, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. He knows how to put people in in their place, doesn't he? [00:56:31] (39 seconds)  #JesusCallsSinners

I say this is remarkable because Jesus did not have to touch the man. He could've just spoken a word or thought a thought. K? That would have been sufficient, but he did reach out and touch the man, breaking the social and the religious norm of the day of staying away from lepers. You're not supposed to go near one. But here Jesus reaches out and touches him. And you know what? He did it out of compassion. He did it out of kindness. [00:45:02] (33 seconds)  #TouchOfCompassion

But Matthew was still a tax collector, still working in his tax booth, still sinning when Jesus called him. And the rest is history. When called, Matthew immediately stops everything he does, whatever he was doing, and went with Jesus. What's happening here? Well, I think Jesus saw in Matthew that which no one else saw and picked him or picked him up, so to speak. So then Matthew throws Jesus a big feast, a great banquet with many other tax collectors. And when when the religious leaders see this, they scoff at Jesus for attending a sinner's party. [00:55:42] (49 seconds)  #TaxCollectorTurnedDisciple

Or is it tucked away in in closet somewhere that nobody knows that we're even Christians? Or do people actually see that we are of Christ that that that they see faith in us? Is it visible to the world? Anyway, you know, that was more than what he came seeking for, more than what he anticipated or hoped for, but praise god, all because his friends, before their own needs, considered the need of this man who could not walk. [00:49:33] (34 seconds)  #FaithOnDisplay

But more than that, he consider Matthew part of his family. Yeah. Family. Well, usually, how do I know this? Usually, this kind of party celebration with meals involve people that you're close with, like like family. So by Jesus attending this, he's saying, yes. I am part of the family. You're part of the family. We're together now. Look. The the hope that brings brings us is that anyone can come to Jesus no matter the past, no matter your background, no matter your messed up life. [00:57:19] (41 seconds)  #FamilyInChrist