Savior of Sinners

by

There are none righteous outside the redemptive work of Christ. Jesus died for those who discern their unworthiness and desperate need for him. It is the poor in spirit that are more likely to perceive their need for a Savior and depend on God alone (not their own righteousness). Paul taught, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – (8) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:6-8).” It was characteristic of Jesus’ ministry to been seen having fellowship and seeking out those considered low-class in society and deemed unclean to the religious leaders and elites. Some examples were:

  • He went among lepers and touched them for their healing (Mt 8:1-4, Lk 17:11-19).
  • He intervened in a public execution of a prostitute by exposing the accuser’s hypocrisy (Jn 8:3-11).
  • He associated with Samaritans to whom the Jews considered half-breeds as they were also more lax in their understanding of ritual cleanness (Jn 4:1-45).
  • He chose disciples that made up a band of societal riffraff composed of a bunch of smelly fishermen and a despised tax collector.

He imitated his Father in how he chose his servants, which was a radical departure in how men identify and judge value in people. We naturally focus on person’s physical features and socio-economic standing as the gold standard for worth in society. Contrastively, God does not judge by outward appearance. A couple of the kingdom principles are in view:

  • The first shall be last and the last shall be first.
  • He who humbles himself will be exalted, but he exalts himself will be humbled.
  • Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.

God commissions the outcast and marginalized of society (cf. Judges 6:11-18) and uses them for his glory. Paul says, “But God choose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God choose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28) God choose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God (1 Cor 1:27-29).’”

In our focus text, we witness a display of God’s election with his encounter with Levi (Matthew) who is sitting at his booth collecting taxes for merchandise of international commerce between Syria and Egypt. The Bible states that Jesus calls him to discipleship and Levi leaves his lucrative business and trusted God to provide for him. Here are some other observations from this text about Jesus that should serve a guide in how we engage those in the lost world with the heart of God:

  1. Jesus deliberately enters close proximity with sinners. Levi leaves his entire livelihood to answer the call in following Jesus. It appears that such conversion made Levi so happy, he held a great feast to honor Jesus and invites his tax collecting associates (some among them were probably non-believers). Pharisees attended as well. Jesus associated with the ungodly but did not (a) become a sinner in doing so, and (b) join them in a lifestyle of sin. His goal was to reach that which was lost. To do so, he had to seek them out like a shepherd searching for one sheep that roamed off the reservation (cf. Mt 18:10-14, Lk 15:3-7).
  2. People with a disposition of a Pharisee will criticizes gospel grace and kindness. The text states that the Pharisees grumbled at Jesus disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Their superiority complex blinded them to their own spiritual poverty. In the Gospel of John, they rejected the healing of the blind man by Jesus who responds to them in this way, “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. (40) Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things and said to him, ‘Are we also blind?’ (41) Jesus said to them, if you were blind you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains (Jn 9:39-41).” From a Pharisee perspective they considered it to be impure to dine with people whom they considered riffraff, scum…….or simply not like them. Further, society of that time viewed tax collectors as traitors and extortionists of their nation.
  3. Jesus is the cure to our spiritual disease. Jesus endeavored to have close contact with non-believers, like a physician who meets sick people in an exam room (in close proximity) and talk with them, evaluate them, and prescribe appropriate healthcare. I good physician is led by compassion for his or her patient in their sickness regardless of whether they became sick beyond what they could control or bought illness on themselves by poor habits or decisions. The medicine Jesus provide us is the gospel in a needle injected straight into the heart.
  4. Jesus came to seeks lost people to lead them to repentance. Remember, his ministry started with these words, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” The Pharisees believed they were righteous before God. Jesus teaches a parable about the “Pharisee and Tax Collector” praying in the temple reveals their prideful heart condition (Lk 18:9-14). The key is that none is righteous before a Holy God (Rom 3:9-20). We desperately need Jesus.

Jesus has come and offered forgiveness of sins through repentance for all. He did so by leaving the security and glory of his heavenly home by coming down to be in close proximity with sinners on the guilty side of heaven. The Father clothed his Son with our humanity so that he could identify with our human condition and weaknesses that he could be the perfect Advocate for us, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (2) He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 Jn 2:1-2).” We as Christians are to imitate our Savior attitude and disposition in the gospel work. We are redeemed people without heaven-issued courtroom gavels. We appear to the lost not as symbols of God’s judgement and wrath…………..but rather as beneficiaries of his abounding grace and kindness.

Closing Contemplative Question: As a Christian, do you associate with those undervalued in society? Do you have friends and associates that are non-believers? A Christian is to have a heart for the lost. We should endeavor to have some proximity with people different from us that interaction and fellowship is possible. We are not called to gather only (like a tribe) with Christians in a cult-like fashion. Light’s purpose for its existence is to shine in the darkness. Like Christ, we are to (as led by the Spirit) be among those who are different from us in order that the light of the Gospel shine through us to them (cf. 1 Cor 5:9-13).

Blessings,

Dr. Price

www.springoflivingwaters.com