Jesus Came for Sinners

In one paragraph

This message centered on Matthew 9:9-13 and the question of whether God can use broken people. The preacher walked through the calling of Matthew the tax collector and Jesus' sharp response to the Pharisees who looked down on sinners. A video testimony from a man who walked through addiction, a fatal car accident, and a slow path to faith set the tone before the passage was opened. The service...

Read together

1. Matthew 9:9-13 the primary text, read aloud and expounded through the sermon
2. Luke 18 (parable of the Pharisee and tax collector) read aloud as illustration of self-righteousness versus humility before God
3. John 3:16-17 quoted at the close as a sending verse about God's love and salvation, not condemnation

Talk about it

1. The man in the video said he was certain he had crossed a line with God and could never come back. Have you ever felt that way, or known someone who did? What do you think kept him from turning to God sooner?
2. Pastor Blake pointed out that Matthew left his tax booth immediately, with no apparent hesitation. What do you think made it possible for Matthew to walk away from everything so quickly, and what makes that kind of response hard for us?
3. Pastor Blake quoted D.T. Niles: 'Christianity is just one beggar telling another where he found bread.' What does that picture do to the way you think about sharing your faith with someone?
4. In the parable from Luke 18, the Pharisee and the tax collector both showed up at the temple to pray, but Jesus said only one of them went home justified. What is it about the tax collector's prayer that made the difference, and how does that challenge the way we pray?
5. Pastor Blake said our scars from the past can be a bridge to someone else in their brokenness, rather than something to sweep under the rug. When do you think sharing those scars helps, and when might it not be the right moment?