June 12, 2023

Today’s Reading: Matt. 9:9-13

Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 2:1-26, John 7:1-13

Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Have you ever  played the game, Follow the Leader? If you’re not familiar, you get in a single file line and the person in the front is the “leader.” The leader takes the line wherever (and however) he or she wants to go. If someone following the leader doesn’t execute a convincing enough T-Rex walk, or isn’t able to balance on the rail that the leader took them on, that player is out. In our reading today, Jesus tells Matthew to follow Him. Matthew was a tax collector. That meant he was Jewish, but was in the employ of the Roman government. If that weren’t bad enough, tax collectors’ wages came from the money they collected from their countrymen. Let’s just say that most of the tax collectors gave in to the temptation to extort a little extra money to line their own pockets…you could say that Matthew, like most tax collectors in those days, was following the idols of money, success, and status. But then Jesus said, “Follow me.” Matthew left his tax booth and his former way of life behind…and he followed Jesus. 

When Jesus was in the house, a few verses later, the Pharisees saw Jesus with tax collectors and public sinners. It’s at that point that Jesus draws the powerful distinction between those who are well and have no need of a physician—and the sick, who absolutely need health and healing. Jesus makes the very same distinction when He quotes Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Jesus is not impressed with the righteous behavior of the Pharisees. Their “sacrifice” of living extra-holy lives resulted in them thinking that they didn’t even really need God all that much. They’re certainly the ones who thought they had no need of a Physician. But the tax collectors? Those labeled publicly as “sinners?” They’re the ones with whom Jesus dines. They know that their own righteousness will not cut it with God. They know that they have nothing to offer God, but they come to know that Jesus is not only a Physician for them, but a friend. He calls the sin-sick to find life in Him. In a word, He invites them to follow Him. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Praise, Lord, for him whose Gospel Your human life declared, who, worldly gain forsaking, Your path of suff’ring shared. From all unrighteous mammon, O raise our eyes anew that we in our vocation may rise and follow You. Amen. LSB 518:25

-Pastor Dustin Beck is Pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Warda Texas.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.

Study Christ’s words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.