Wednesday 30 November 2016

Eating with the sinners AGAIN! - Mercy rather than sacrifice

There is this thing of intimate relationship and eating ... 

... mixing with the wrong people for the right reasons ...

Look at Him!

As Jesus was meeting with the ordinary people and sinners in His usual manner, the law-loving Pharisees saw it. They said to the disciples, Why does He associate and mix with greedy tax collectors 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. Mat 9:12-13

Food is only for the hungry

Jesus was saying that those who esteem themselves worthy and just by working the the law for self-righteousness do not need Him. As so-called experts in the law and the scriptures, they should rather go and find out what it means that He came to call the sinners and not the self-righteousness.

What makes you understand?

The key is in the word "repentance".

The Greek word metanoia means to change one's mind, to be with understanding. Remember my post on paranoia or metanoia?

Why?

Because those engulfed and embracing the law have deaf ears and blind eyes. They can not see that they are needing a Saviour. They refuse to hear the soothing words of the One Who love with an undying, unquenchable love. One Who gives without asking in return, unmerited, unrestricted, unlimited and uninfluenced.

But sinners and dirt bags and extortionists, the sick and unworthy and hopeless ... they know that they can not make it on their own. 

They know they need a Saviour. They can be called! They can be called to be with understanding, understanding Himself!

The heart-desire

Jesus was quoting from scripture, Hosea 6:6 speaking of the unfaithful nation he had called saying: "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

God's intention was always relationship. Yet, the people he called constantly chose rules and laws and someone (high priest) instead to engage on their behalf. 

In Deuteronomy 5:27 when Abba was so exited to meet with the people He had called they responded to Moses saying: "Go thou near, and hear all that יהוה our Elohim shall say: and speak thou unto us all that יהוה our Elohim shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it."

We will hear and we WILL DO IT!

How arrogant!

How self-righteousness!

They chose rules and sacrifices instead.

We can do it! (sic)

Throughout the journey of the old covenant we see these stiff-necked people not even being able to come close to the standards they themselves preferred, the very standards they requested of God to give so that they could hear and DO.

They ever so often end up doing the standards and sacrifices of the pagans, worshiping their idols (worthless objects), marrying their women and incorporating their customs mixing it up with their own.

See the shadow?

James Clark says that the whole sacrificial system was intended only to point out the infinite mercy of God to fallen man, in his redemption by the blood of the new covenant. That today we should not rest in the sacrifices, but look for the mercy and salvation prefigured by them.

What is Jesus saying?

He is saying that He would so much rather (desperately) desire for us to receive His mercy, the mercy He extended on the cross, to have intimacy with Him instead of us giving Him our sacrifices, of whatever nature they may be.

Filthy rags ...

Why not respond to His open invitation to come to Him?

Why not receive the overabundance of His riches?
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