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Intermediate Sunday School Lesson 54 : THE MINISTRY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Text: Matthew 9:9-13
12 February 2023

THE CALL OF THE TWELVE

1. We do not have a complete list of the Call of all the Twelve Apostles

2. We have a few of them:

a) Andrew and Peter John 1; Luke 5
b) James and John Matthew 4
c) Philip and Nathanael John 1

THE CALL OF MATTHEW

9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Matthew 9:9-13

THE TAX-COLLECTORS OF ROME

1. Taxes imposed by Rome

a) Common practice of conquerors
b) Conquered nations had to pay tribute and taxes
c) Life was harder because of the taxes

2. Tax Collectors

a) They were hated by many
b) They were seen as Roman collaborators
c) They often added extras to benefit themselves

MATTHEW THE TAX COLLECTOR

1. The Lord Jesus called (invited) Matthew to follow Him

2. Matthew responded appropriately:

a) He gave up his job
b) He followed the Lord Jesus without hesitation

3. A farewell feast of Matthew

a) His guests
i) Fellow tax-collectors
ii) Sinners (people of ill-repute)
b) The Disciples of the Lord
c) The Lord Jesus Himself

THE REACTION OF THE PHARISEES

1. They spoke to the Disciples of the Lord

2. Their query

“Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Matthew 9:11

 

a) They were not invited
b) They would not attend even if they were invited
c) This was a typical approach of the Pharisees
d) They shunned sinful people
e) They were self-righteous

THE ANSWER OF THE LORD JESUS

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Matthew 9:12-13

1. Instructive

a) Those who are well do not need a physician
b) The sick need a physician
c) The Lord was that Physician
d) Matthew and others were spiritually unwell
i) They needed to be healed
ii) They needed to be restored

2. Inspirational

a) To abandon the self-righteous approach
b) To apprise the needs of the sick and sinful
c) To appreciate the ministry of the Lord Jesus
d) To adopt His approach