August 31, 2003, Lesson: Matthew 9.9-13

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INTRODUCTION:

While in Door County, Helga and I went to the production of the American Folklore Theater, "Ya! Ya! You Betcha".

It was a series of Norwegian stories interspersed with Ole and Lena stories.

1. Ole and Lena attended a play. They really liked the first act, but never got to see the second act. The program said that the action took place 3 days later.

2. Ole and Sven were celebrating. What are you celebrating, Ole, was asked? We finished the puzzle in 51 days. 51 Days, that is a long time. Well the box said 3 to 5 years.

There is a kind of logic to Ole and Lena stories.

1. There is a logic to Christianity.

1. Christianity is logical.

2. It appeals not only to the person emotionally, but also intellectually.

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MAIN BODY:

1. Matthew Levi is a logical person

1. One day he is sitting in his booth busy collecting taxes, counting his money, and dreaming about what he is going to do with his income.

2. A person comes along and says, "Follow me."

3. Matthew turns to his associate, says "I am retiring," gets up and follows Jesus.

2. Matthew does more than follow.

1. He invites Jesus, some friends and comrades and puts on a big dinner.

2. This leads to helping us understand the logic of it all.

3. Matthew knows whom he is following.

A simple device attached to your telephone helps you to identify who is calling.

You see the phone number and then you decide if you will answer or not.

You have the latitude to evaluate

You have the freedom to choose

The phone rang and a child went to answer it.

Looking at the caller id device he saw the number and the name of the caller.

He was startled and a little afraid and ran to get his mother.

"Mother, Mother," he cried out, "Jesus is calling!"

Well it wasn't Jesus it was Jesus who was calling to speak to Mom.

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4. When we receive a call how do we know who it is?

1. Certainly we must exercise a bit of caution.

My grandmother Edith, used to tell story about grandfather James.

It happened in the back country of Tennessee in the 1930's

It seem that they had been waiting for a long time to cross a bridge that was under repair.

Grandfather grew impatient and he thought that he knew of another way to cross the stream.

He turned around and started to take a different route.

Other drivers believing that he knew where he was going followed him.

Well, they all got to the end of the road and there was no way to cross the stream.

Incidentally, not only was grandfather rather frustrated, but so were the people who followed him.

2. Jesus also has a type of Caller ID. How does it work?

1. What kind of a person is he?

2. What does he teach?

3. How does he act with other people?

4. What does he do with his life?

5. What does the name Jesus represent?

3. So the question that we ought to seriously ask ourselves is: "Who are we following?"

1. I am not following Moses.

2. I am not following one of the prophets.

3. I am not following one of the disciples, or the disciple of a disciple.

4. I am following Jesus.

4. But you can't follow if you don't recognize, don't know!

REMEMBER, IT'S ALL IN THE KNOWING ⁽¹⁾

A minister, a missionary, and an old lady arrived at the gate of heaven. To their surprise they did not find Peter there, but another person. Though the person was different, the question was one all had anticipated and were eager to answer, "Why should I allow you to enter heaven?"

The minister replied, "Well, I was in the ministry more than forty years, I planted churches, evangelized and wrote a number of books and pamphlets."

The person then asked, "But do you know Jesus?

Somewhat irritated the minister answered, "Would I have done all these things if I had not known Him?"

The missionary was then asked, "Why should I allow you to enter heaven?"

The missionary sighed, "For years I worked among a Stone Age tribe. Through my ministry the whole tribe was converted. I taught the people to read, did translation work, treated their sick."

"But do you know Jesus?"

"Could anyone have achieved this without knowing Him?" the missionary replied adamantly.

Finally, the same question was posed to the lady: "Why should I allow you to enter heaven?"

Her achievements were not that impressive. She went to church, read her Bible, prayed, and helped in her own little way wherever she could.

"But do you know Jesus?" the gatekeeper at last enquired.

Suddenly a radiant smile flashed across her face, "Yes, of course, Lord! I recognized You right away!"

5. Why should we follow?

1. The answer to this question is to be found in the home of Matthew.

¹⁰And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. ¹¹When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" ¹²But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners," (Matthew 9:9-13, NRSVA).

2. First of all Jesus is inclusive.

1. No one is shut-out.

2. It doesn't make any difference who or what you are.

Jonathan Kramer, Ph.D. and Diane Dunaway Kramer. Losing the Weight of the World relates the following story ⁽²⁾

Some people have a tremendous sense of connection that comes naturally to them. Such people may not even think in spiritual terms or may even scoff when others praise their kindness. Such a woman was Diane's mother, Audrey.

Audrey never saw anyone or any living thing as truly separate from herself. She couldn't stand in a line at a theater for more than five minutes without getting to know the people both in front and in back of her, and sometimes others along the line as well, since others so often responded to her friendliness...Her activities were so broad and varied that her friendships were global, and she could have a telephone call from any of hundreds of people with whom she kept in touch.

Another of Audrey's great talents and joys was cooking. One Thanksgiving, she was supervising our family and friends in an elaborate preparation of the dinner when the phone rang, and Audrey picked it up.

From her side of the conversation, we could tell that whoever it was, was in a different time zone, had two children, had an Afghan hound that wouldn't stay in the yard, and was planning a vacation to Naples in May.

With the phone cradled between her shoulder and chin, Audrey continued stirring and tasting and directing all of us in mime fashion as the conversation went on.

Each of us began putting together hints and guessing who the caller might be-It's got to be that woman who had the Afghan and moved to Cleveland, one of us guessed.

No. It's that Italian family she met last year. They were going to Naples, another offered.

No, it's just Aunt Doris. They were thinking about getting a new dog, someone else ventured.

An hour later, when the conversation wound down and ended with Audrey giving her address, we were all even more puzzled.

So who was it? we chorused when she hung up, all of us wondering who'd made the right guess. Someone we know?

Oh, that? Audrey said, surprised by our question. Oh, that was just a wrong number.

Audrey left no one out!

3. Secondly Jesus demonstrates the quality of relationship.

1. He does not qualify the benefits of his relationship.

2. Neither does he quantify them.

3. They are applied equally to all people.

4. Thirdly, He is the great physician.

1. He has come to help and to heal.

2. Those who are well have no need of a physician.

1. Wellness is not being well.

2. Wellness is a state of mind that sees nor feels need.

3. To avail one's self of the benefits that Jesus offers it is necessary to acknowledge one's need.

4. We are in need of the physician of the soul.

3. Another phrase that Jesus uses has a similar meaning.

4. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.

1. The righteous are not the righteous.

2. The righteous of whom Jesus speaks are those who have come to believe that they are righteous without him.

3. But then who wants to admit to being a sinner?

4. The leaders who were outside critiquing Jesus eating with sinners were not sinners.

5. We are sinners.

Where are the Sinners ⁽³⁾

In the early part of this century, a novelist researching a book about life in a certain New England town visited the local cemetery as part of his investigations. The writer noted with interest that nearly every tombstone from that era bore a final epitaph. Unfailingly, these were words of praise for the departed with references such as "kind," "generous," "upstanding," loving" and "faithful" appearing again and again.

This prompted the researcher to ask, "I wonder where they buried the sinners?"

The sinner is at the heart of Christianity. No one is as competent in the matter of Christianity as the sinner. No one, unless it is the saint.

5. Thirdly he desires mercy and not sacrifice.

1. The Pharisees placed a great deal of emphases on eating with the right people.

2. They had developed a system which saw to their own needs without feeling too guilty about the unmet needs of others who were not of their tribe.

3. They had an uncanny ability to avoid demonstrating mercy.

4. They were great for their display of sacrifice.

6. What is the end result of following?

1. It is also in the story.

2. Those on the outside remained on the outside.

3. Those on the inside became part of the movement that led to life.

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CONCLUSION

1. In the 19th century there was a whole genre of Wild West stories. One of them was about an old cattle rancher who discovered that a young cowhand had been caught in the act of rustling a cow.

2. Here is Matthew’s story.    

   1. Where do you at this moment see your self

   2. What do you need to do to be a better self?

   3. There is one who is waiting to help you.

   4. Give him the opportunity.

1. Author Unknown

2. Jonathan Kramer, Ph.D. and Diane Dunaway Kramer. Losing the Weight of the World (New York: Berkley Books, 1997), 248.

3. Peguy (the epigraph to Graham Greene's The Heart of the Matter (New York: Viking Press, 1948).

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