Walking with Jesus: A Journey of Transformation

One of the direct results of following Jesus Christ and meaning walking with Christ, living in close proximity with Christ is that his heart becomes our heart. His mind becomes our mind. And one of the things that we do is the things that Jesus Christ desires, all of a sudden his desires become our desires. [00:36:36] (19 seconds) Edit Clip


And so when Jesus invites us to walk with him, he invites us to his side. He invites us into close proximity. And here's why. Because he knows something that we do know physically. But it's also true spiritually. That the more time we spend with Jesus, the more like Jesus we're going to become. [00:39:43] (21 seconds) Edit Clip


It's an incredible thought to know that Jesus knows who we are. Jesus knows what we've done. And despite who we are, what we've done, no matter what you think about yourself, Jesus Christ invites all of us to follow him. Who's grateful for that? Amen. I love that, man. [00:45:57] (18 seconds) Edit Clip


And so the religious elite over here, somehow, I don't know how they're there. I don't know if they're outside Matthew's house. As you know, Jesus, Matthew's like, well, I'm not invited to parties like that. Jesus is like, you'll be invited. You're going to be invited to this one because you host. [00:52:49] (23 seconds) Edit Clip


jesus is a bad man amen he's like you hosting you paying for it you want to know why because matthew had money i mean think about it so i don't know somehow the pharisees and sadducees are there and we read this in matthew 2 verse 15 later levi invited jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners that's pretty incredible by the way there were many of this kind among jesus's followers all of them were sinners and disreputable sinners but here's what that says in verse 16 but when the teachers of religious law who were pharisees next three words spending time close proximity and notice the classifications not just with the sinners but with the tax collectors and other sinners i told you tax collectors they were they were the scum man they were the bottom of the barrel they asked his disciples why does he eat with such scum and here's the deal man the more you really slow down and soak in this passage of scripture the more encouraged you and i should be first of all you say well why why why would this encourage me well one of the things that encourages me about this passage is you know jesus christ's love for you is not swayed by the opinions of others yeah simon peter you don't know what he's done do you not understand what he's done to us to our families what he's done to our community jesus wasn't swayed by that [00:53:12] (106 seconds) Edit Clip


sometimes i hate hate hate first of all i refuse to play in any christian sports leagues back in the day right i mean you know we we have a church league in us in a we have a softball team which we've won the championship how many years in a row three times three years in a row are we going to a fourth pete right now i don't even know what a fourth pete's called but that thing right i don't like christian leagues i don't like hanging out with christians amen but anyway i don't even know what i'm talking about but anyway we're going to go for a four pete um you get all these pharisees in this pharisaical mind and and i'm so glad that jesus's opinions about people his love for people isn't swayed by the opinions of others because sometimes you know when christians post we're our worst enemies you know christians be careful because sometimes we post some of the stupidest stuff really it's okay for lost people to act like lost people yeah there's [00:55:00] (70 seconds) Edit Clip


they don't know what we know you didn't know what you now know thank god he's patient and long -suffering amen and by the way we can be compassionate without compromising our convictions to show love for people every matthew every levi is welcome to this church i don't care if they follow a donkey an elephant eventually we want them to follow the lamb that's our goal [00:56:10] (37 seconds) Edit Clip


see some of you were the person that all of a sudden you got invited to church like i can't go to church you don't i got so much shame i got so much guilt i got so much junk goal in my past god church the god stuff is for good people this passage says for whosoever will may come he's a good good father amen and jesus looked at simon peter when he said yes i do he says i know who he is i know what he's done and i've come to love the world and my father sent me here not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved amen jesus made it very clear who we came for as he's talking to those pharisees that day in verse 17 it says this when jesus heard this he told them healthy people don't need a doctor in other words church isn't for the sanctified healthy people don't need a doctor sick people do if you're sick and you know it say amen if you committed at least one sin in your life raise your hand if the person next to you is more jacked up than you raise both hands and judge them amen jesus said this he's like sick people listen healthy people don't need a doctor sick people do i have not come to call those who think they're righteous they think they're righteous but they're not self -righteousness is not the righteousness of god here's who he says i didn't come to call those who think they're righteous but those who know they're sinners jesus is like i can't do a thing with people who think they got their act together i can't do a thing with people who think in their own righteousness they're going to please god i can't do anything with them but show me somebody who knows that they're broken somebody who knows that their sin has separated them from the father show me somebody who knows that they've sinned and they're lost and they'll realize they'll need their need of a savior that person [00:57:05] (135 seconds) Edit Clip


that's not encouraging but what encourages me in the text is what jesus didn't say you know what jesus didn't say he didn't say hey matt matthew i'm gonna invite you to follow me but wait a minute i need you to change before you come by my side he didn't say that hey matthew i i'm inviting you to follow me but wait wait wait wait wait you need to stop doing what you're doing before you're doing what you're doing what you're doing what you're doing what you're doing matthew i want you to to i'm inviting you to follow me wait wait hold on you need to give that up first before you come by my side he didn't say that matthew matthew matthew matthew [00:59:42] (58 seconds) Edit Clip


I'm going to invite you to follow me. Wait, wait, wait, hold on. I need to know that you're fully surrendered and dedicated to this before you take your first step. That's not what Jesus said. Amen. [01:00:47] (14 seconds) Edit Clip


Just like this walk, as we walk with Jesus, when we're in close proximity to God, Jesus is like, hey man, let's go. Let's just walk. Let's just talk about it. Let's spend time together. Let's spend quantity and quality time together. You see, the more we spend time together, my heart will become your heart. My thoughts will become your thoughts. My desires will become your desires. [01:01:33] (24 seconds) Edit Clip