Young People's Group

REACHING OUT TO SINNERS

by Pastor Mitch
January 27, 2008

Observing How The Lord Jesus Ministered

One of the ways to follow the Lord Jesus is to observe carefully His example. When He was on this earth, He was the epitome of how one should live and minister. He not only taught and preached the truth, He also lived out the truth. When the Lord Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, he was meant to observe what He did and to emulate Him. One of the first things that Matthew learnt was how to reach out.

The Lord’s Examples In Reaching Sinners

Matthew held a feast in honour of the Lord Jesus and he invited his colleagues. How did He reach out to this group of people who were considered dreadful sinners?

1. Taking Time To Be With Sinners

“Behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples” 
Matthew 9:10

The Lord Jesus took time to be with the tax collectors and sinners. He was unafraid of being with them and having a meal with them. These sinners were greatly despised and looked down upon by the Jewish leaders and the Jewish populace. Yet, the Lord Jesus sought to minister to them and the disciples also learnt to do this.

2. Having A Right Perspective Of Sinners

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” 
Matthew 9:12

The Lord Jesus considered sinners as spiritually sick. Because sin had plagued so much a part of their lives, they were unable to “cure” themselves. They were badly in need of a spiritual physician who could help them. The Lord Jesus was that “doctor”.

3. Showing Mercy To Sinners

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'” 
Matthew 9:13a

The Lord was trying to teach the Pharisees that the true keeping of the law was to show mercy. It was not just keeping rites like giving sacrifices to God that mattered. It was to show mercy to people in great need like these sinners. Let’s learn this too.

4. Seeking To Call Sinners To Repentance

“For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” 
Matthew 9:13b

Ultimately, the Lord’s mission on this earth was to call sinners to repent from their sins. These people needed to repent. They needed to seek the Lord for repentance. Young people, let’s never despise those who are considered dreadful sinners. Let’s seek to reach out to them and to point them to the Lord’s call for sinners to repent.

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