Our paragraph topic is: (The call of Matthew) Part 4.
Jesus has spoken directly to the Pharisees. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones who need healing. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones that are suffering. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones who are sick. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones that are lost. They are the ones who need to be restored. Now he gives the Pharisees further instructions to help them understand the why of his actions. He tells them, "Go, and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice."
Christ is giving the Pharisees an opportunity to understand him. He is opening the door to wisdom and allowing them to peek in and see wisdom through the knowledge of his words. This passage comes from the Old Testament Bible where God spoke through the prophet Osee (Hosea) about the sins of Israel. Now Christ is repeating those words to the Pharisees to help them understand the nature of God. Christ is telling the Pharisees that God wants mercy and not a cold obedience to the Law. He wants his people to understand that he is a forgiving God and not a God that exacts strict justice upon his people. He wants love instead of a cold obedience to precepts. He wants a relationship with his people instead of a distant friendship.
Stone the adulterers. Crucify the blasphemers. Burn the possessed. Exact strict justice in the name of God. These are the sentences brought by the Chief priests and the Pharisees. These are their understandings of what the Law required. Yet mercy was not present. Mercy did not exist. Mercy did not have a place in the justice of the Law. God wanted mercy and mercy was not present.
Here we are at the crossroads today, living in a society that knows itself and lives for itself. Our God is the judge and the jury of our actions. He has set the rules in place and will judge our actions by the intentions of our hearts. He desires mercy. Yet he is the judge. He desires mercy Yet the rules cannot be changed. He desires mercy. And we continue to live our lives as though the rules do not exist. We live our lives as though the rules are made by society and not by God. We live our lives as though the rules are made by society and we should therefore live by those rules instead. So society tells us that greed is OK. Society tells us that lust is OK. Society tells us that selfishness is OK. Society tells us that fornication is OK. Society tell us that sin is OK. Society tells us that all the things against God is OK because he does not punish us. Yet he desires mercy and the rules are already set.
Judgment at death is final and the final judgement is coming soon. God desires mercy but he also must judge. He has given us all the opportunity to know him. He has given us all the opportunity to love him. He has prepared a banquet in our honor and waits for us to attend. He has created lavish gifts for our coming and waits for us to attend. God loves us but he must judge. He desires to show us mercy but we reject it. How long do we expect to live without God's mercy?
Jesus has spoken directly to the Pharisees. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones who need healing. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones that are suffering. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones who are sick. He told them that he socializes with sinners and publicans because they are the ones that are lost. They are the ones who need to be restored. Now he gives the Pharisees further instructions to help them understand the why of his actions. He tells them, "Go, and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice."
Christ is giving the Pharisees an opportunity to understand him. He is opening the door to wisdom and allowing them to peek in and see wisdom through the knowledge of his words. This passage comes from the Old Testament Bible where God spoke through the prophet Osee (Hosea) about the sins of Israel. Now Christ is repeating those words to the Pharisees to help them understand the nature of God. Christ is telling the Pharisees that God wants mercy and not a cold obedience to the Law. He wants his people to understand that he is a forgiving God and not a God that exacts strict justice upon his people. He wants love instead of a cold obedience to precepts. He wants a relationship with his people instead of a distant friendship.
Stone the adulterers. Crucify the blasphemers. Burn the possessed. Exact strict justice in the name of God. These are the sentences brought by the Chief priests and the Pharisees. These are their understandings of what the Law required. Yet mercy was not present. Mercy did not exist. Mercy did not have a place in the justice of the Law. God wanted mercy and mercy was not present.
Here we are at the crossroads today, living in a society that knows itself and lives for itself. Our God is the judge and the jury of our actions. He has set the rules in place and will judge our actions by the intentions of our hearts. He desires mercy. Yet he is the judge. He desires mercy Yet the rules cannot be changed. He desires mercy. And we continue to live our lives as though the rules do not exist. We live our lives as though the rules are made by society and not by God. We live our lives as though the rules are made by society and we should therefore live by those rules instead. So society tells us that greed is OK. Society tells us that lust is OK. Society tells us that selfishness is OK. Society tells us that fornication is OK. Society tell us that sin is OK. Society tells us that all the things against God is OK because he does not punish us. Yet he desires mercy and the rules are already set.
Judgment at death is final and the final judgement is coming soon. God desires mercy but he also must judge. He has given us all the opportunity to know him. He has given us all the opportunity to love him. He has prepared a banquet in our honor and waits for us to attend. He has created lavish gifts for our coming and waits for us to attend. God loves us but he must judge. He desires to show us mercy but we reject it. How long do we expect to live without God's mercy?
