HELL IS A REAL PLACE

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date October 27, 2024
Text: Matthew 7:13,14 Luke 16: 19-31
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

Hell is a real place!. For several hundred years, the low, swampy area was occupied mostly by the Potawatomi tribe. Later in the early 19th century, it was the most unpleasant part of a trail between Lansing and Dexter, MI. It was a point on the route taken by traders going between the Huron River and the Grand River. It still exits today 20 miles North West of Ann Arbor.

What a place to live! I wouldn’t want to live there just because of the name. They sponsor a 10 mile race every year called the “Run Thru Hell” race, and you get a T-shirt that says “ I Ran Thru Hell.” The name came about probably because of some German travelers in 1830. When the stagecoach stopped there one sunny afternoon one said to the other, “So schon und hell!” roughly translated as, “ So beautiful and bright!” Their comments were overheard by some locals and the name stuck. Some think that after Michigan gained statehood, George Reeves who began the first trading post there was asked what he thought the town he helped settle should be called, and replied, “I don’t care, you can name it Hell for all I care. At any rate the name became official on October 13, 1841.

Now this isn’t the real place of course that we want to talk about this morning. This time of year—Halloween—it would seem that most people treat anything to do with death, or demons or hell as something like Santa Claus. It’s fun to use all the symbols and icons that portray the season.

However, there was an article in the Los Angeles Times a few years ago written by a Korean American journalist Connie Kang, entitled, “Next stop the Pearly Gates…or Hell?” she states from a George Barna survey, that an overwhelming majority of Americans continue to believe that there is life after death and that heaven and hell exist. But only one-half of 1% said they were hell-bound. These are the people who think that they want to be with other people like themselves in hell, where they will just enjoy themselves sitting around eating and drinking so to speak. This of course is a false picture of what hell is like. The Bible doesn’t depict anything at all enjoyable. You would think if you believed in hell, you wouldn’t want to be there. The survey found that 71 % of Americans believe in hell. Nearly 4 out of 10 (39%) believe hell is “a state of eternal separation from God’s presence,” while nearly one-third (32% believe it is “an actual place of torment and suffering where people’s souls go after death.” Only 13% believe hell is just a symbol of an “unknown bad outcome after death.”

For every American who actually believes he is going to hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to heaven.

This optimism stands in stark contrast to Christ’s words in our text. (Matt. 7:13,14) “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Bible clearly teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3;23) Sin separates us from a relationship with God. (Is. 59:2) God is so holy that he cannot allow sin into his presence. (Hab. 1:13)

Because we are sinners, we must have our sin taken care of before we can enter into God’s presence. We can’t do anything ourselves to become holy enough or good enough for heaven. We cannot enter heaven just as we are, but we can come to Jesus Christ, just as we are, and place our faith and trust in Him, who paid the price of our sin, which is death; if we receive this salvation.

There is a question asked by Randy Alcorn in his book called: HEAVEN “ — “IS HEAVEN OUR DEFAULT DESTINATION…OR IS HELL?” Most people today understand immediately what the implication of this question is. However if you haven’t used a computer very much or at all, you may not have understood what is meant by “default.” The dictionary gives definitions that are well known, like if you default on a payment or something similar. This means you do nothing, or very little. Your action taken wasn’t sufficient. Understood in this way the default position is automatic. There will be some action taken by the opposing party. Now apply this (like with a computer—it brings up something automatically on your hard drive.) When applied to heaven or hell; everyone does not go automatically to heaven, even though to hear what is said at a lot of funerals, or the assumptions made in movies or even general conversation you would think so.

· Heaven is not our default destination

· HELL IS!

No one goes to heaven automatically. Hell will have people in it who have not received God’s free gift of redemption. (The price was paid in full by his son Jesus.) but we must receive this new life by accepting this gift so that our names are recorded in “the book of Life” (Rev. 20:12-15)

In spite of the fact that the Bible clearly teaches that there is a heaven, that all people do not automatically go there, and that there is a literal place of punishment called hell or hades in Greek, many pastors and theologians do not like to preach and teach that unbelievers are destined for a literal place of torment, fire, and sulfur (the KJV & RSV says brimstone, an old English word meaning sulfur.) There are many verses in the book of Revelation which state this. It is where we get the expression — “fire and brimstone preaching. “

Over the years it has become commonplace for theologians to question the Biblical doctrine of hell. The truth is that published doubts about the reality of Hell began in the 1800s and have continued throughout the 20th century up to this century. Even the late great Charles Haddon Spurgeon, spoke about this problem. In 1865 he said, “There is a deep-seated unbelief among Christians just now, about the eternity of future punishment…there is a suspicion that sin is not, after all, so bad a thing as we have dreamed. There is an apology, or a lurking wish to apologize to sinners…but I am afraid it is the old nature in us putting on…charity, which thus leads us to discredit a fact which is as certain as the happiness of believers.”

Today the problem isn’t any better, and it isn’t just the liberal theologians who ignore this biblical truth. So-called evangelical pastors and theologians have a hard time reconciling hell and punishment with the love of God.

Is “fire and brimstone” preaching just an expression?

The doctrine of hell has driven many people away from Christianity. One man said that he would not want to be in heaven with a God who sends people to hell. His preference was to be in hell so that he could live in defiance of such a God. If such a God exists,” he complained, “He is the devil” Comments like that are blasphemy to the committed Christian who believes the Bible.

To some the punishment of hell does not fit the crime. Yes, all men do some evil and a few do great evils, but nothing that anyone has ever done can justify eternal torment. And to think that millions of good people will be in hell simply because they have not received Christ, (as the Bible affirms) strains credulity. Unbelievers think it’s like capital punishment for a traffic violation.

I want to remind us again that hell was not created for people but for Satan and the fallen angels. They are the ones who will be the tormented, not the tormentors. The suffering of hell will be given out by God, not by Satan and his demons. God will also include in that punishment, those who reject the salvation He has provided. The rejection of Jesus Christ is what merits the punishment of hell.

However, I’m sure that you have heard many times, as I have, that God wouldn’t send anyone to hell. It just doesn’t fit what we know about God—who is LOVE. Some people believe that ultimately everyone will be saved and go to heaven. Others say: that Jesus never spoke about heaven or hell, he was just concerned about how we live on earth. Of course, this comment is totally one of ignorance because Jesus spoke much about both and in fact, he spoke more about hell than heaven.

The classic answer to the question about a loving God sending people to hell is: “God doesn’t send anyone to hell, we send ourselves there when we refuse to accept His son Jesus Christ who as the substitute for our sins, and receive Him as Savior and Lord of our lives, and when we insist on living a life of rebellion and disobedience to Him.” That of course is a true statement and might help sometimes to answer someone. Other times it doesn’t do much good.

We must share this idea, that God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. The Bible says that He is not willing that anyone should perish. but because of His justice, He must condemn unbelievers to hell. Jesus explained this in Matthew 25:41 where he told about the sheep and the goats, that those on his left (the goats) were told; “depart from me, you who are cursed into ETERNAL FIRE prepared for the devil and his angels.”

This aspect of hell, eternal fire is what people don’t like to hear about, and particularly in recent days the gospel is frequently given with no mention of it. I understand this, and I myself have talked to people about the Love of God when telling what Christ has done for us, but there must be a time when we do explain the consequences of not accepting Christ. Here I believe we have all failed at some time or another. We must share Biblical truth with love though. People need to know that the wages, or salary—the payment for sin—is DEATH. (Rom. 6:23) That is; spiritual death. It isn’t the end, and you just die, and nothing afterward. The Bible teaches everlasting punishment in a literal hell. However, it doesn’t do any good to do what some new Christians have done with their friends and family. They just blurt out—“you’re going to hell unless you repent.”

It is the Holy Spirit that will “convict the world (people) of sin.” It is only the Holy Spirit that will make the reality of hell understood. It is horrible and we must let people know that there Is indeed punishment for rejecting Christ. The fire is literal, but not like we understand fire. The Bible communicates to us in a way that we can understand. Since we understand how fire burns and hurts, we know that pain is involved. But what is hard to understand, and therefore theologians try to explain it away, is that the fire is eternal and can not be put out. That it doesn’t consume those who are cast there. Because when we think in human finite terms we think, how is it possible that fire won’t burn someone up and they are totally gone? Unbelievers will have different bodies someday too, or else it will be just their soul and spirit, the very essence of who we are that will suffer pain. The use of the word fire is to help us understand that this will be a painful punishment and it won’t ever stop.

The descriptions which are familiar to most of us and make it clear what hell is like would be;

“fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:42) Have you ever been in such pain, that you grind your teeth? Rarely do we suffer like that, but in order for us to understand how serious this is, the Bible explains it this way.

Fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 20:10)

Lake of fire is used 5 times in Rev. 20:15, 21:8. This is the second death, after the judgment.

What is the bottomless pit? The abyss is used 9 times; it refers to the lower regions as the abode of demons, out of which they can be let loose at times.

· Gehenna is used 12 times; Aramaic, a dialect of Hebrew is Gehinnom –the Valley of Hinnom, or dump. Where children were burned with fire as sacrifices to Molech one of the pagan gods In the Old Testament. (I Kings 23:10), and (Jeremiah 7:31)

Jesus mentioned the reality of hell many times. In Matt. 23:33, He called the Pharisees a brood of snakes, and said, how will you escape being condemned to hell?

He talked about outer darkness. Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30. He said that the “subjects of the kingdom:

(the unbelieving Jews) will be cast into outer darkness, and here it is again, “… there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

· Hell is a place of torment (Luke 16:23, 28) also called Hades.)

· Matt. 5:22—- anyone who calls his brother “fool” will be in danger of the fire of hell. .

· Matt. 18:8,9 speaks of eternal fire, and the fire of hell.

· Matt. 13:42; 50—fiery furnace, and gnashing of teeth.

· Mark 9:44, 48—where the worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.

The specified duration of hell has also been watered down by many today. By those who preach part of the gospel, but refuse to accept the clear teaching about hell. You see, there is no need for “good news” –that we can be saved because, without hell, there is nothing to be saved from.

It is eternal and everlasting, just as life with Christ is eternal and everlasting.

Matt. 25:46 –it is an everlasting punishment.

Mark 25:46—It is eternal condemnation

Heb 6:2—It is eternal judgment

Matt 18:8,9—eternal fire.

Mark 9:43-49—unquenchable fire.

II Thess. 1:9—everlasting or eternal destruction

Now it is here that some theologians and pastors preach that if something is destroyed it can’t go on forever. But the word destruction does not mean annihilation. This same word is used in Matthew 9:17; Luke 15:4 and John 6:12,17. In none of those instances does it mean “to pass out of existence.”

Robert Morey writes, “There isn’t a single instance in the New Testament where this Greek word apollumi, means annihilation in the strict sense of the word. Greek lexicons define it as “to be delivered up to eternal misery.

It is true that the Greek word which is usually translated as eternal, does not by definition mean eternal (like we usually think of it). It specifically refers to an “age or “eon”, a specific period of time. However, it is clear that in New Testament usage it is sometimes used to refer to an eternal amount of time. Rev. 20:10 speaks of Satan, the beast, and the false prophet being cast into the lake of fire and being tormented day and night forever and ever.

It is clear that these three are not “extinguished” by being cast into the lake of fire. Why would the fate of the unsaved be any different (Rev. 20:14,15).

The most convincing evidence for the eternality of Hell is Matt.25:46. “Then they (the wicked) will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” In this verse, the exact same Greek word is used to refer to the destiny of the wicked and the righteous. If the wicked are only tormented for an “age,” and then are totally annihilated, then the righteous will only experience life in heaven for an age also. If believers will be in heaven forever, and they will, unbelievers will be in hell forever.

Our other text that Carol read is Luke 16:19-31

About the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus was a beggar that sat outside of the rich man’s house. But when they both died, the rich man was in hell and complained about the heat and cried out to Abraham to send Lazarus to give him just a little bit of water for his tongue. This can’t be done, because of the Casim between them. Then the rich man begs to let him go back from the dead to warn his brothers. He is told that they have Moses and the prophets to warn them. And “even if someone comes back from the dead they still will not believe.”

It is still true today, that even when people are told about the realities of hell they won’t believe it.

Jonathan Edwards, that great 18th-century preacher said that the reason we find hell so offensive is because of our insensitivity to sin. It seems that the greatness of sin is determined by the greatness of the One against whom it is committed, (and that is God.)

It is only the Holy Spirit that can convict people of their sin, and bring them to repentance. In Edwards’s great sermon: “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” he couldn’t finish his sermon, because of the noise of weeping, as people were clinging to the posts that held up the roof of the sanctuary— because they felt the power of the Holy Spirit and it felt like they were sliding into hell.

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then sent her husband to the front of the battle so he would be killed, so he committed murder. Nevertheless, when the prophet Nathan pointed out his sin, he said; “against you and you alone, oh God have I sinned.”

If we understand that, we might understand better that God has no choice but to condemn us to a hell of eternal punishment if we continually reject His son Jesus Christ, and want to live our lives without Him. He will say to us then someday, Okay—have it your way—you cannot spend eternity with me. Depart from me, I never knew you!

The important thing is for us to come to Jesus, just as we are—sinners. We can be assured because of what we read in the Bible that there is a literal hell that is for the Devil and his angels, and for all those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their savior. But we can also be assured that we do not have to go there if we receive Jesus. If you have never been assured that you have this kind of relationship with the Lord, you can come to him this morning. Do not leave this sanctuary without knowing for certain that you have eternal life.

Name of sermon in caps first

THE FIELDS ARE WHITE READY FOR HARVEST BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date October 20, 2024
Text Matthew 9:16-38
Pastor Paul Lehmann

In `Matthew chapter 9, last week we saw Jesus sitting down to eat at a table with tax collectors and sinners. The scene is set in a bustling marketplace in Capernaum, a town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted meats fills the air as merchants call out to passersby, trying to sell their goods.

Among those gathered around the table with Jesus are Matthew, also known as Levi, a tax collector who left everything to follow Jesus, and other individuals who were considered outcasts by society. They had come to be in the scene after hearing about Jesus’ teachings and witnessing His miracles. Despite the disapproving glances from the religious leaders and the whispers of the crowd, Jesus welcomed these individuals with open arms, showing them love and acceptance.

As they sat together sharing a meal, Jesus used the opportunity to teach a valuable lesson about the new way of life He was bringing. He spoke of not putting new wine into old wineskins, illustrating the need for a fresh perspective and openness to His teachings. The imagery of the wineskins bursting if filled with new wine was a powerful metaphor for the transformative power of Jesus’ message and the need for hearts and minds to be renewed to receive it fully.

What is Matthew 9:16-17 about?

When we look at this verse, we see that Jesus is using the metaphor of new wine and new wineskins to teach us a valuable lesson about growth and change. We need to be open to new ways of thinking and living as we experience growth or spiritual transformation, just as new wine ferments and expands, requiring a new, flexible container like a wineskin that can stretch and adapt.

Imagine pouring fresh, bubbling wine into an old wineskin that is rigid and brittle – it would burst and spill out, wasting the precious contents. Similarly, if we try to contain the new things that God is doing in our lives with our old, rigid ways of thinking or living, we risk missing out on the blessings and opportunities that come with growth and change. Jesus is reminding us to be open to new possibilities and not be constrained by our old habits or beliefs.

So, as you reflect on this verse, consider what new things God may be doing in your life. Are you willing to let go of old ways that no longer serve you and make room for the new? Your growth and transformation may require a willingness to embrace change and adapt to the new things that God has in store for you, just as new wine needs new wineskins.

These verses from Matthew 9:16-17 are part of a larger dialogue where Jesus responds to questions about fasting. He uses two vivid metaphors to illustrate his point: a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins.

In the first metaphor, Jesus speaks of the impracticality of placing new, unshrunk cloth on an old garment. The new cloth will shrink, causing the tear to worsen, highlighting the incompatibility of the new with the old. Similarly, in the second metaphor, new wine must be put into fresh wineskins as the fermentation process requires flexibility. Old wineskins, being rigid, would burst, ruining both the wine and the container.

These metaphors echo the theme of renewal and transformation found in other biblical passages. For instance, 2 Corinthians 5:17 emphasizes that in Christ, we become a new creation, shedding the old ways. Ezekiel 36:26 speaks of God giving us a new heart and spirit, replacing the old, hardened one.

Today, these verses challenge us to embrace new ways of thinking and living as followers of Christ. They urge us to let go of outdated habits and mindsets that are incompatible with a life transformed by Jesus.

To illustrate this point, imagine trying to run the latest software on an old, outdated computer. The system would struggle and fail, much like trying to live a new life in Christ while clinging to old ways. If a man is trying to overcome an addiction by embracing a new community and lifestyle further illustrates the need to let go of the past for true transformation.

Jesus’ metaphors in Matthew 9:16-17 call us to wholeheartedly accept the new life He offers, leaving behind the old ways that hinder our growth. This passage encourages us to be open to God’s transformative work in our lives, trusting that His ways are superior to our own.

Imagine your work habits—sometimes, sticking with old ways doesn’t cut it for new challenges. Jesus talked about new wine in old wineskins; it bursts, right? Just like outdated methods at the office can hold you back. Open your heart to new ways of experiencing faith, like upgrading your tools for efficiency in your job or spending quality time with family. Are you ready to let God’s fresh power transform your life and renew your spirit?

We’ve been talking the last few weeks about the greatness of Jesus Christ and the miracles he has performed. As we continue to look through chapter 9 we see him again performing healing miracles, and even raising a girl from the dead.

In verse 18 a leader of the synagogue came to Jesus about his daughter who was sick, and while he was gone she died. He came out of desperation. A faith that was hopeful. Nothing else had worked for him When Jesus got to the house where the flute players and mourners were there, they “laughed” and mocked Jesus when he told them to leave, she was just “sleeping.” But they left and Jesus healed her and raised her up to life.

The woman with the issue of blood crept up behind Jesus in the crowd and touched the hem of His cloak Some might think like the commentator William Barclay, that hopeful persistent, dogged type of faith.

We have in the Old Testament Elisha took Elijah’s mantle in 2 Kings 2:9the mantle that had fallen from him and struck the water, it divided and he crossed over.

Then in Acts 5:14-16 (NIV) people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by, so that they might be healed

. Then again in Acts 19:11-12 we read: “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out from them.

Today we must pick up the mantle of God’s power. We may cry out; “where are the miracles today?

We have to be about the work God calls us to do. He has given each of us spiritual gifts and a work to do. For him and his healing power flows through us as we do the work How many miracles in the book of Acts was surrounded by prayer?

Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer

The elders at Antioch were praying and fasting and the Spirit spoke.

Paul and Silas probably prayed every night at midnight—one night they were in jail

While Paul preached the Spirit fell.

The power of the routine is that God meets us at appointed times and in these appointed ways. If we are not there doing the work we will not see the miracle God has planned. If you long to see the interruption of our plans by the Spirit, we need to be faithful to the plans we have made. All of us are called to share the word (preach the word), make disciples and honor God with the work of our hands.

Paul said in Col. 3:17; 23-25 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

How can we reclaim the mantle of Elijah? The mantle represents a passionate pursuit of the Lord himself—not power, not influence, not even integrity. Let us strip away all the garments of selfish ambition and modern thinking, and take up the mantle and strike the river that blocks our way. The shadow of Peter and the handkerchief of Paul for us is only possible as we allow the Lord to build us in his image, and we submit and surrender our complete being to him, and obey him and submerge ourselves in the truth and power of the Spirit, and give ourselves to the poser of prayer.

As Jesus moved about surrendered to the will of the Father, in obedience to the call and mission of establishing the kingdom on earth, doing all the miracles we read about and then some. He did this with love and compassion. Sometimes that is lacking in what we do. May we ask for this in our ministry, in order to accomplish all the Lord is asking and expects from us.

At the end of this chapter in verses 37 and 38 we read about the waiting harvest.

Here is one of the most characteristic things that Jesus ever said. When he and the orthodox religious leaders of his day looked on the crowd of ordinary men and women, they saw them in quite different ways. The Pharisees saw the common people as chaff to be destroyed and burned up; He saw them as a harvest to be reaped and to be saved. The Pharisees in their pride looked for the destruction of sinners; Jesus in his love died for the salvation of sinners.

But here also is one of the great Christ truths and one of the supreme Christian challenges. That harvest will never be reaped unless thee are reapers to reap it. It is one of the great basic truths of our faith and life that Jesus Christ needs US. —BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. He wants people to hear the good news of the gospel. He is not willing that anyone should perish. He doesn’t want to send anyone to hell in spite of the fact that some people believe that. ( People send themselves to hell when they refuse to put their faith and trust in Jesus as their Savior.) But they won’t hear the gospel, unless we tell them. “Both across the street, and around the world.”

Even if we say, okay—I’ll just pray for more workers. Very good , especially to go overseas. But prayer is not enough. A person might say, “I will pray for the coming of Christ’s Kingdom every day.” But in this case especially, prayer without works is dead.

Martin Luther had a friend who felt about the faith like Luter did. He said he would stay back at the monastery and uphold Luther’s hands in prayer, and Martin Luther would do all the work to bring about the Reformation. So they began that way. Then one night back at the monastery, he had a dream. He saw the world as a huge corn field, and there was Martin Luther trying to harvest it all by himself –a lone reaper… .He woke up and saw the truth in a flash, I need to help Martin. So he left the monastery and went out to help with the harvest.

So it is with us.. It is not enough to pray. It is not enough to give our money. Christ wants everyone of us to be involved with the harvest—praying and giving and GOING.

If the harvest of people will ever be accomplished, we must be committed to be one of the reapers.

WHEN JESUS CALLS US, OUR FAITH IS ON THE LINE

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date October 13, 2024
Text Matthew 9:1-13
Pastor Paul Lehmann

Listen to live audio here

In these chapters, Matthew assembles a collection of miracle stories designed to demonstrate that Jesus is, indeed, the Messiah and that he works by God’s power. They also emphasize his commitment to restoring those who are in need of repentance and a new life. Beginning in verse 1 of chapter 9 until verse 8 we see the connection of forgiveness of our sins and healing. In this passage, the details of this account don’t mention the details as we read about in Mark and Luke. In those accounts friends of the paralyzed man tried to get him to Jesus who was teaching in a crowded room where he was teaching, back in his “home town” Capernaum. You may be thinking, I thought he was from Nazareth. Well yes, that is where he grew up after his birth in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph returned there, but after he started his ministry, “he did very few miracles there, because of their lack of faith” in him. On the other hand, he did his first miracle at the wedding feast in Capernaum, and they responded to him so it became the base location for his ministry.

So now: JESUS HEALS A PARLYTIIC. MATTHEW 9:1-8

He is in someone’s home where he is staying, according to Mark 2; and because of the crowd, the men carrying the paralytic couldn’t get in the house so they went up the outside staircase to the flat roof and dug through the clay tiles, so they could lower him down in front of Jesus. Seeing this faith demonstrated by his friends, Jesus said to the paralyzed man “Take heart, your sins are forgiven. “

Sometimes our healing today may depend on whether we confess our sins or not. This man didn’t confess his sins, but he needed Jesus. I believe because it was before the cross, he was healed because of the faith of his friends. For us, we must confess our sins. (I John 1;9)

My dad had Multiple myeloma (bone cancer) was in severe pain and wasn’t expected to live much longer. We were in graduate school at Nyack, NY the Fall of 1966. We didn’t know about this, but my sister told me that my dad gave her a list of people to call and ask them to forgive him. I knew that he needed to ask my sister for forgiveness, because he tried to keep her from going to Pentecostal church meetings in Akron, Ohio. I also knew that he had bitterness against his sister (my Aunt Reva) for not being fair with the distribution of inheritance. So she was on the list. My surprise was, that my sister told me there were about 20 names on the list. She called them all, and I think some were surprised that he felt that way. But after this, he began to get better, and the Lord touched him, and he lived 4 more years. I believe there is still a connection between forgiveness of sin and healing for us today.

(9:1-8). Jesus inspired controversy by first saying, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you” (v. 2), even though the man had neither confessed his sins nor asked for forgiveness. The scribes were offended at Jesus’ apparent blasphemy—his assumption of God’s prerogative to forgive sins. Jesus, however, validated his actions by healing the man. But unlike the paralytic, we must confess our sins to be restored in our relationship with God.

That story leads naturally into the next, in which Jesus again offends Jewish leaders and performs more dramatic healings that validate his ministry.

After the healing of the paralytic, we see that this was immediately prior to when in :

MATTHEW 9:9. JESUS CALLS MATTHEW

Verse 9 As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.

“As Jesus passed by from there.” This phrase serves as a transition from the story of the healing of the paralytic (9:2-8) to the story of the call of Matthew (9:9-13). Verse 9:1 spoke of Jesus coming “to his own town,” which Matthew earlier identified as Capernaum (4:13). Mark also locates the healing of the paralytic in Capernaum (Mark 2:1), and we can assume that the events of this account take place in that town. Capernaum is located astride the highway from Damascus to Jerusalem on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee and is therefore a major commercial center.

Jesus “saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office” Since Capernaum is located on a major highway, Matthew may be serving as a customs agent, collecting duties on goods in transit. He does not ask to follow Jesus, nor does he repent or ask forgiveness. Jesus’ call to Matthew is as shocking as his earlier claim to forgive sins (9:2), and demonstrates that God loves and wants to redeem every person.

When Jesus said “Follow me,” Jesus is calling Matthew in much the same way that he called Simon and Andrew (4:18-22). He tells them to follow, and they follow.

However, the call of Matthew differs from the call of the fishermen, because Matthew is a tax collector. Fishing is an honorable profession; tax collecting is not. The Romans contract with local people to collect taxes, and the collectors extort excess taxes for personal profit, enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens. They are thus held in great contempt, are barred from the synagogue, and are considered the moral equivalent of robbers and murderers (Barclay, pages 337-338).

“He got up and followed him.” To follow Jesus, Matthew must abandon his lucrative job, knowing that he can never regain it. By so doing, he also cuts himself off from his old network of friends. To obey Jesus’ command, therefore, requires Matthew’s absolute commitment. It is a remarkable act of faith.

Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 give the tax collector’s name as Levi, while this Gospel says that it is Matthew. We do not know if they are the same person, but it seems likely that they are. In lists of apostles’ names, we find Matthew but not Levi (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13).

Early Christians suggested that Matthew is the writer of this Gospel,

MATTHEW 9:10-13. JESUS EATS WITH SINNERS

10 It happened as he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 13 But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

“It happened as he sat in the house” (v. 10a). Luke places the dinner in Levi’s house (Luke 5:29), but Matthew describes it only as “the house.” The “many tax collectors and sinners” that are present seem to confirm that it is Matthew’s house because they would constitute a natural guest list for the newly converted tax collector. It seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Matthew invites Jesus and all his friends to a great feast at his house.

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (v. 11b). Some translations call them “lowlife” or scum. The Pharisees are offended. Sharing a meal, especially in a public setting, implies acceptance—even approval. The Pharisees complain to the disciples rather than to Jesus. Perhaps they are afraid to engage Jesus directly—or more probably they have chosen not to enter the house and are reduced to asking their question of disciples who are within reach.

“Sinners” could mean nearly anything, but in this context probably refers to people who fail to observe Jewish food laws, concerns for ritual purity, and the like.

Jesus, however, overhears the question and responds, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (vv. 12-13). The Incarnation ( that is, God, coming to earth in the form of the God-man Jesus the Messiah) is for the benefit of those who need it. The irony is that the Pharisees need the Incarnation as much as anyone, but their religious pride causes them to miss it.

The Pharisees might have responded very differently to this dinner. They too champion hospitality–but only to the righteous poor. They also champion distancing oneself from sinners.

The Old Testament emphasized that Israelites must separate themselves from pagan tribes. The Talmud taught, “Associate not with the wicked man, even if you can learn from him.” Psalm 1 blesses those who “do not take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers.” The Psalmist asks for vindication, because “I hate the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked” (Psalm 26:5). Paul says, “Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

There is much wisdom here. Bad company corrupts! One bad apple spoils the barrel! Bad company is the devil’s net! You can’t run with dogs without getting fleas! These old proverbs reflect the truth that the company we keep makes a difference in our lives.

My wife and I taught our children to choose their friends carefully—not for social standing but for character. However, it is also true that our daughter Karen, had a positive influence on a boy of questionable character—so much so that we believe that God put her in touch with him during her Sophomore year in high school here in the States. Also, our son Eric, in his Junior year in high school, a group of kids wanted him to join them in playing the game Dungeons and Dragons. He refused, believing it was an Occultic game that was influenced by Satan. It is not easy to know when to avoid evildoers and when to mingle with them for the sake of the kingdom.

In looking at this text, we will do well to remember that the Pharisees have a point about evildoers. Their concern is not without merit. They are upholding wisdom that has been gained painfully through the centuries. They do not want evil companions, and they do not honor evil people with their presence. For us today, the problem with not separating from old companions is that too often new Christians are not filled with the Holy Spirit, and haven’t been discipled. Therefore, they are vulnerable to backslide and fall into the sins of those they are trying to reach.

It is only as we keep this perspective that Jesus’ actions take on real force. Jesus reaches out to the lost at great personal risk (actions like this will cost him his life, after all), in the hope of saving people who do not seem worth saving. We should be glad for that! Otherwise, who could hope to be saved? The key is to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit before we attempt to witness to “old “ companions.

“But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’” (v. 13a). The Pharisees’ question to the disciples (v. 11) constituted an indirect challenge to Jesus. Jesus responds by telling them to “go and learn,” implying that their understanding of scripture is defective—that they have failed to dig into the depths of the prophets.

The quotation is from Hosea 6:6. “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice” is a Jewish idiom meaning, “I desire mercy more than sacrifice.” The word sacrifice here stands for obedience to Torah law–the ultimate sign of one’s devotion to God. However, Jesus quotes the prophet Hosea to note that God prefers mercy to a slavish devotion to the requirement for sacrifices.

In his appeal for mercy, Jesus highlights God’s love for the undeserving. Ritual purity, while important, is less important than love of God and love of neighbor.

“for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (v. 13b). These are categories that Pharisees use —–righteous and sinners as categories to pigeonhole people. Pharisees number themselves among the righteous, of course, and that is how most people see them. They are sinners too, but cannot see that, because they “tithe mint, dill, and cumin” observing the law even in its smallest details (23:23). The problem is that they neglect “the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith” (23:23). The verse from Hosea highlights the fact that temple sacrifice requires less of the person than does mercy. Sacrifice can be done routinely—even mechanically—with no involvement of the heart. A person can sacrifice at the temple in a perfunctory manner that has little effect on day-to-day life. Mercy, however, quickly becomes an affair of the heart, involving a human face—a human story. Elsewhere in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (22:37-40). Sacrifice is a way of expressing devotion to God—of keeping the first great commandment. Mercy is a way of expressing both love of neighbor and devotion to God—of keeping both great commandments.

The fact that Christians are no longer subject to the Jewish sacrificial system does not make us immune from Pharisaic error. P.T. Forsyth a Scottish theologian warns, “It is possible to be so active in the service of Christ as to forget to love him.” It is certainly possible to be so active in the service of Christ as to forget to love our neighbor.

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661

Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org

OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”

Nobleton Community Church
Date October 6, 2024
Text: Proverbs 3:56
Guest Speaker Shawn Cullen

Listen to live audio here

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.