tprim23

The Prophecy Revealed In Matthew

Lesson Twenty Three: by Christina Farris

Have you ever shared a meal or spent time with someone that someone did not approve of? Have you ever taken time to eat a
meal or have supper with someone not necessarily in your click of friends? Well Jesus did. Jesus a teacher of the law of God,
and yet those who should of known the law of God and been friends of Jesus criticized him for eating with sinners. Take a look.

Matthew 9:9-13 KJV
(9) And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto
him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
(10) And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him
and his disciples.
(11) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
(12) But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
(13) 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.

Matthew a tax collector, a person of wealth when he meet Jesus followed Him. One has to think how are people of the IRS
treated. Well in general they are not well looked upon. However God loves all people even those who collects taxes. However
one has to consider this is that what was taught in the Old Testament about hospitality. Did God attend for us to stay away from
the heathens. Of course not. However Christ was putting the Pharisees in their place. They of all people should of known the
law. However they acted like snobs. How can you reach the lost if you never socialize with the lost? How can you reach the
sinners if you can never meet with them. God desire has always been to share His love with all people. Let us examine scripture
to back this up.

Leviticus 19:33-34 KJV
(33) And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
(34) But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye
were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

God sometimes takes strangers to show us what God’s word says because we refuse to listen. Abraham had friends among those
who worship idols. Yet he himself only worshipped God. After all he lived in the Canaanite land. However this land was
promised by God to Him. Matthew a tax collect worked for Rome. However at the time the Israel was owned by the Roman
government. Yet Israel treated Roman’s and those who worked for them with distain because of the fact they possessed their
land. However throughout History even when Israel was in Egypt they were allowed to live in peace with those in opposition to
their faith. However one could not command people to share in the religious traditions of the land. In fact the meal Matthew had
with Jesus was just a regular meal, not a religious meal. What Christ shared was customary of the law of the land not of religious
law.

Psalms 14:2-6 KJV
(2) The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
(3) They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
(4) Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.
(5) There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.
(6) Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

If all our hands are dirty, then why do we treat others with distain. However there is a reason to say no to someone, because
their religious laws are different, or traditions of observance is different, however if they will heed to the observance to the
custom of the law are they not allowed to live among you.