Let’s Have A Party

Matthew tells about the day he met Jesus. He was sitting at his tax booth collecting taxes like he did every day when Jesus and his disciples came by.  Jesus walks up to him and says, “Follow me.” Matthew didn’t know why Jesus picked him, but there was something about his voice, or about his command that Matthew could not refuse. So he got up from his seat and went with Jesus. He left his tax booth, his livelihood and followed Jesus, resting his life upon whatever security came with those two words, “Follow me.” But that was enough for Matthew.

Not long after his calling Matthew wanted to introduce Jesus to his friends. Matthew didn’t have many friends because he had been a hated tax collector who had cheated the citizens of Capernum for many years. The only friends he had were tax collectors and sinners. Matthew thought that Jesus could do for his motley friends what he had done for him. He tells Jesus his plan, and to his surprise Jesus thinks it is a good idea. Matthew throws a big dinner party. Jesus, the other disciples and Matthew’s tax collector friends all show up. Those tax collectors were a rough bunch. Their language was a bit salty, but Jesus was not surprised. No doubt these men felt comfortable in the company of Jesus.

Before long some uninvited guests showed up. The Pharisees dropped by to see what Jesus is doing in the home of Matthew, the hated tax collector. Even worse they discovered that the house was full of many undesirable tax collectors and sinners. They questioned the disciples asking, “What’s going on here that your teacher is eating with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus knew what the Pharisees were up to so he answers their question. He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the ones who are sick.” He went on to tell them the reason he came to a sinful world. “I did not come to call the righteous, but to call sinners.”

Wasn't it too bad that the self righteous Pharisees did not consider themselves among the sinners? The story ends here, but I would like to believe that because of what those tax collectors saw and heard at Matthew’s dinner party a good many of them also became followers of Jesus. Matthew brought those men into the presence of the Savior, the one who came to save sinners like them and like us. We can do the same thing Matthew did. We can invite Jesus to occasions where our lost friends are. We can introduce them to Jesus. Jesus came to meet sinners right where they are in life. If we are Christians our task, the most important thing we can do, is to bring our lost friends to Jesus.