Good morning all!
Father, I pray that we learn more and more of Your love and mercy. Let us grow through the experiences of life so that we might represent Your kingdom and Your precepts. Use us Lord to be Your conduit on earth so others might know the power of Your love and the strength of Your salvation, Amen. You ever ask your kids that question once they’ve experienced a difficult situation, what did we learn from this?
Matthew 9
Mat 9:10 KJV – And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
And the day came where Jesus sat down to eat with MANY that used deception in everyday life, straight up sinners and His disciples…sounds like an intimate group.
Mat 9:11 KJV – And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
And when good ole fashion church folk saw this, they asked His disciplined ones, Why does your Master hang out with those kind of folk?
Mat 9:12 KJV – But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
But Jesus HEARD the heart of the religious folk and said, when your fine you don’t need a doctor but when you’re sick you do.
Mat 9:13 KJV – But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
As for you, why don’t you go and learn why the scriptures say, I desire mercy and NOT sacrifice; for I am NOT come for the righteous, BUT for the sinner to change.
Bottom line
Here’s what we fail to see at times and need to learn, Jesus sole purpose was to save people…He did NOT come for the righteous. This is why only disciples can follow the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, we are the ones that discipline ourselves to help the sinner even if it comes at our own expense…that’s the discipline. The true disciple of Christ doesn’t choose how to respond to the publican and the sinner, the religious folk ask why? Why should I? What will people think? How will others treat me? Those are not the questions of a disciple of Jesus Christ. What’s a good question?
Jhn 6:68 NIV – Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Who shall we follow? Jesus and Jesus alone has the words of eternal LIFE. Disciples follow the words of Christ, that is, they live them. If I told you let’s meet for lunch at 12:00 today and then don’t show up, would you say I had discipline? No, I didn’t come!! Sometimes we confuse following God’s word with how we treat people, sometimes we think we’re doing God’s work by ignoring or rejecting certain folks…you know? Publicans sinners. That’s when Jesus comes along and says go and LEARN what it means to have MERCY because I don’t want your sacrifice if it means you’re NOT going to forgive the sinner. Now according to the words of Jesus Christ mercy is learned, how?
Psa 119:71 CSB – It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn your statutes. You and I learn His statutes…His established nature or response. What is His established nature?
Isa 16:5 KJV – And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. The very thing we all need…mercy…is the very thing our King rests comfortably on which is also seated in truth. I think we just starting to learn what the mercy of God means, what He really expects versus the foolishness we might have been taught growing up. And did you notice how King David learned God’s statutes? It was GOOD for me to be afflicted. Does anyone believe that? Well…it is the word of God, maybe that’s why He’s seated in it…it ain’t going NO where. You mean the difficult things we face in this life has divine purpose? He’s actually teaching us what matters most in life. Call me crazy but that sounds like a good Dad to me, right?
Heb 12:7 NLT – As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? Listen, divine discipline…correction…change in your life…will come in the most unusual ways. And what do you suppose this affliction taught us?
Isa 50:4 KJV – The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. My tongue has learned something, what did it learn? Hmm…perhaps words? And if your Father sits on a throne of mercy, what might our words sound like? I love you…I forgive you…
Point to Ponder
What have we learned? Eph 4:31 NLT – Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. All is all…the power of the tongue…speak words of mercy only!
Let’s all live what we learned today, In Him Phil
Faith – Family – Friends