"And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
The actions of the Pharisees mentioned in this lesson, are reflected by far too many who represent today's "church".
Over the centuries taking the message to the sinners, (That method of teaching practiced by Jesus.), has sadly morphed into a system within which the "church" membership all come together two or three times a week and sit waiting for the lost to suddenly appear.
It is the duty of a member of Christ's Church to "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matt. 28:19-20) There is no direction in this commandment to go and sit anywhere, we are clearly to GO and teach, not SIT and teach.
The Pharisees, spoken of in this lesson, condemned Jesus for mixing with, and preaching to, "sinners". The "church" today also broadly condemns those who step away from their comfortable little "church" circle and dare go where the "sinners" actually are.
Jesus warned us about becoming complacent when He sent a message to the Church at Laodicea, "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:14-16)
Its time for Christians to step away from the security of the little self-righteous niches that have falsely come to be called the Churches and take on the duty that was laid on us by Jesus Himself.
Its past time to GO where the lost are and teach the good news of the grace of God to all who will listen.~
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