The Need for Godly Repentance | Matthew 9:9-13

Transcript

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Bible and turn to uh Matthew chapter 9. I titled this message The Need for Godly Repentance. The Need for Godly Repentance. If you don't have a Bible, we should have a couple Bibles in each pew and encourage you to get a Bible and follow along. It's uh always great to read the word and follow along as we as we as you hear the word. It just speaks to us and just jokingly say that it makes the makes the service go by faster when you follow along, but it but it really does. I mean it really does. As you keep up and see, and it just goes by and you get to hearing God's word. So I encourage you. Turn to Matthew chapter 9, and we'll begin uh yeah, read Matthew chapter 9, we'll begin reading verse 9. It says, Jesus passed forth uh from forth thence, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of customs and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meet at the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? And look at Jesus' response in verses 12 and 13. He says, But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. Then he says in verse 13, But go ye and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice. He says, For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Let's go, Lord, murder prayer. Heavenly Father, we just humble Bible for you. Again, Lord, thank you for the day and for the opportunity to be here to worship you in spirit and in truth. And I pray, Lord, that we truly understand what it means to repent, uh, to have a godly repentance, that you're satisfied with, that it's uh more than just saying we're sorry, that we we truly mean it from the heart, that we've offended you and uh and that we would repent and turn from our sins and that you would just be with us. And uh again, Lord, we just pray for the lost that are here, that they would understand the message, understand how much they're loved, that Jesus paid their sin debt, uh, and that bridge is there, but they must repent of their sins and call upon you to be saved. And I pray uh for that decision to be made today. Any other decision needs to be made, whether it be baptism, church membership, forgiving someone, uh, whatever it may be that we're dealing with, Lord, I just pray we turn it over to you to have your will done. We we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for your Holy Spirit. I pray, Father, we'll always be yielding to Him. And I pray, Lord, we live a life to glorify you. Again, we love and we praise you. We ask forgiveness of sins and we ask us all in Jesus' name. Amen. So, how important is repentance to God? Think about it. How important is it that we repent to God? Well, it's the utmost because if there's no repentance, there can never be no salvation. Because that's what's so wrong with our world today, saying that really there's no sin in the world, basically. What our world kind of wants to teach, that everything's okay as long as it's all about love or whatever it might be, that it's all good. Well, if there is no sin and you're not convicted by your sin, there will never be repentance. Without repentance, there will never be salvation. You'll never be saved. Don't you turn to Luke? Keep your place here. We're gonna get to the message in just a minute, but I want you to talk about understand what how important repentance is. Turn to Luke chapter 13. I want you to read these verses for yourself. Just a couple verses, but don't you read them for yourself and really hear and see what God is saying, what Jesus is saying in Luke chapter 13. People were saying like different levels of sinners and why things happened to people because they were sinners. And let's just read verse 1, and they were present at the seasons. Some told some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, and Jesus answering said to them, Suppose ye that the Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? People will think that. Well, man, that family's going through some bad tragedy. Boy, they must be some really bad sinners. People will think those things. And they thought it during Jesus' day. These Galileans were persecuted and sacrificed because of, and they thought, well, he must have been really bad. But look what Jesus says in verse 3. He says, I tell you, nay, no, but except ye, talking about you, us, repent, ye shall likewise perish. There has to be repentance for salvation. Turn over a couple pages, maybe one page, turn to Luke 15, verse 10. Talking about finding what's lost. And he says in verse 10, I look at verse 8, we'll see the little parable. It says, Either what what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she loses the one, doth not light a candle and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it? And when she had found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the peace which I had lost. Then verse 10, Jesus doing this teaching, he says, Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Think about that. How amazing is that? And how important is repentance to God. We must. We have to repent because we're all sinners. We must repent to ever receive salvation, and we should repent daily to be in fellowship with God, because after we're saved, we will in this flesh, we will sin. But you know, God wants all people to come to repentance. Once you read it for yourself, turn to 2 Peter. 2 Peter chapter 3. All about repentance and the importance of it. It's not just for a few, it's just not for the really sinful. It's for all of us. 2 Peter chapter 3, look in verse 9. It says the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness. Because people will say, Well, it's been 2,000 years since Jesus came back and all the different things. But he said, Don't think of it like that. He says, But is long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish. What's it say? But that all should come to repentance. That's why I truly believe Jesus Christ has not come back, has not raptured his church out, because he's long-suffering, as the word says, and he wants people to be saved. He wants people to repent and call upon him and be saved before it's eternally too late, that all should come to repentance. And I want us to look at a verse that describes the person that has godly repentance and the person that isn't willing to repent. So turn to Proverbs chapter 28. We're going to see a it's a Proverbs that talks about those that are willing to repent and those that are willing or are not willing to repent. In Proverbs chapter 28. Because repentance is more than just feeling sorry for bad actions. It's uh but telling God you're sorry. That you truly from your heart say, Lord, I'm sorry I've done this. That's it's that's telling, confessing your sin. You're asking God to forgive us for sin, and repentance means to turn from. To turn from. It can't be like you stole something, say, God, I'm sorry I got caught, and I'll never do it again. And like five minutes later, you go steal something again. Guess what? That's not true repentance. You didn't mean it from your heart. You were just upset or sad because you got caught. We ought to confess our sins to God and repent, to turn from and grow. But Proverbs 28, it says in verse 13, it says, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper. See, so many people want to try to cover things up and say, well, God didn't see this, or people haven't seen this. God always sees, he knows. He says, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper. Look what it says. But whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy. That is godly repentance. You confess it and you turn from, you forsake it. You forsake that. You turn from the evil and you go to the good and you keep walking with the good. Keep being in the light, as Jesus would say. Look what it says in verse 13. He says, Happy as a man that feareth always. Fear of what? Fear of disappointing God. That we don't want to let him down. We want to be an example to lead others to Christ. He says, but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. Because when we're convicted and we don't yield that convicting power, guess what? The Holy Spirit may be pounding on your heart to ask for forgiveness, and you won't do it. And guess what? It's super loud. This is say today. And you don't do it. And tomorrow you're still in your, you're still in your sinful condition, you're still where you're at, you're out of fellowship with God, whatever it may be, and you're not doing what God would have you do. And guess what? At night gets lighter and gets lighter and gets lighter, and that sin in your life will begin to snowball, and things will get worse and worse and worse. We're going to see that today in this story because we look at this, the story we just looked at, those that were eating with Christ had confessed and forsaken their sins, and they were following Jesus, and they were enjoying fellowship, a fellowship with and a meal with Christ. But the Pharisees were there, uh they were the ones that had to harden heart, as we see in Proverbs, and be leading to mischief. And not only will that mischief turn to this what we think is small, sinful things, it will become pure evil. You'll be so consumed with yourself and pride and arrogance where you want to lift yourself up and forsaking the things of God. And these were the people that were supposed to be understanding who Jesus was. They had the word. They were religious people. Religion will not save anybody. Great example, that's the Pharisees and the scribes and all the things of our world today. Religion will not save anybody. It's only through the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. It's John 14, 6. And it's so true. But we must repent of our sins because we have a broken relationship with God. And that's what Jesus told Nicodemus. You must be born again. You must be born again. So I wants to see and understand what the Bible is telling us, what this story is with Jesus and these and these sinners that have repented and how upset the Pharisees were. Because it's uh because people will refuse to acknowledge their sin. And what happens, you end up in like a world that we have today. Where people, well the majority, it's unbelievable, the majority of people in our nation today are okay with homosexual marriage. I mean, just think about that for a second. It's an abomination in the eyes of God, but the majority of people in our country, even some Christian people, say it's okay. And so we just see that God's standard doesn't change, and he's the one that sets the standard for what sin is, but man wants to keep lowering it and lowering it and lowering it. So we are in a world full of people that need to have godly repentance. Godly repentance. So there's three points today as we get to the message. We're gonna look at one of the first chances of repentance that's recorded for us in the Bible. The first chance for a man to be to repent and have his life totally changed. And the second one is Jesus' first and last message on repentance. Jesus' first and last message on repentance. And then thirdly, there's still hope if we repent. So let's look at the first chance of repentance. Turn to Genesis chapter 4. All the way back to Genesis, the very first book. It's an amazing story about two brothers. Cain and Abel. And how God's going to give Cain the opportunity to repent, but he won't take it. Genesis chapter 4, and verse 1 says, Adam knew that Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain and said, I have begotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of the sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. One raised cattle, one raised vegetables. Nothing wrong with that. But in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought forth fruit of the ground and offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought the first things of his flock and the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering. And look up verse 5. It says, But unto Cain and his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth or angry, and his countenance fell. So they come to God with an offering, and God says, Abel, yours is good. Cain, yours is not. And so who does Cain get mad at? It's like the world today. Who do they get mad at? They get mad at God. Saying, oh, here you are. You got a man up her saying the homosexual marriage is wrong. Well, and they get mad at me, and guess what? They get even madder at God. Because God sets the standard. It's his rules, it's his world, it's his righteousness. And so Cain gets mad at God, the creator of all things, including himself. He created Cain. And Cain knew right from wrong. There's no doubt about it. Abel did. He brought the sacrifice of his right. So don't ever make an excuse in your mind that I just didn't know. Well, that will never float with God. I'll never fly with God. It will not. We know. And that's why the world today wants us to say that all these simple things are okay. When we know in our heart we know what God's word says, it's not okay. So don't ever compromise your faith saying, well, it's okay. It's not okay. It's not okay. They need to repent. Just like we see here, Cain had the opportunity to repent. Because it says in verse 6, and the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wrong? Why are you angry? And why is we counting as fallen? So he questions. So you ask yourself, God, that's what the Holy Spirit does for us. Why are you so upset? What's going on? And it says, God tells him, He says, If thou doest well, shall the not, shall thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. See what sin does? When we don't yield to the Holy Spirit, we're going to see what happens. It was snowball. He gets mad at God, refuses God's offer to repent, to bring the right sacrifice that God would accept. But instead, what happens? Look in verse 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother. And it came to pass where in the field, and Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him. Goes from being angry at God to killing his brother and what his brother do? Nothing. But brought a sacrifice to God. And why does the world hate us today? Because we'll stand up and tell people the truth. And the world hates us. Jesus said, The world will hate you. And they do. Don't think for a second that the world loves us. They hate us. They want to see us just like Cain did to Abel. Be quiet, be killed, be silenced. But we are to stand upon his truth and present his truth out of a love for people to be saved. And then God again speaks to Cain in verse 9, the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And we see what he does. He kills him, then he lies. And he said, I know not. And that famous line, Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. So we see that God's all-knowing. Where was Abel? Abel shows up in the presence of God, and God's like, if you look at God like, well, he didn't know well, he knew exactly because Abel's probably standing right beside God when he's talking to Cain. He says, Where are your brother? Where's your brother? That's how obvious sin is to God. And that's how foolish we can be thinking we can ever trick God that God doesn't see. You just killed a man. You just killed your brother. And I ask you, where is he? And you say, I have no idea. And he's standing right beside God. Anytime that God asks us a question, guess what? It's not for God's benefit. He knows exactly what you're dabbling in, dealing with, going through. And so he says, What are you doing? And all we want to say is, God, it's none of your business. You have no idea. Guess what? It is his business. He created you. Jesus Christ died for us. So when he convicts us, he wants us to yield to him because he already knows the answer. Just like when you turn back and you look at Adam and Eve when they were in the garden, they hid from God after they'd sinned. Where were they? God says, Where were you? God knew exactly where they were. But they didn't. They were in a new place, a place called sin, hiding from God. So it's so important we understand that. That God sets the standard. He calls sin for what it really is. But man again keeps lowering it. We must be like King David. And repent. And repent. Turn to Psalm 51. David, the king of Israel, has sinned. An awful sin. Adultery, murder, trying to hide it from God. God sends the prophet Nathan to him and convicts and challenges him and tells him the truth that God knows. He knows everything you've done. And so David finally admits it. And Psalm 51 is a gut-wrenching prayer from King David about his confession, his repentance, basically, about what he's done. And I want you to see what David says. He says, Have mercy upon me, O God. The very first words out of his mouth. Why? He asked for mercy. Because he deserves, he understands he deserves punishment. Because he's wronged. He's embarrassed God. Just like as a child, when you're disobedient to your parents, and back in the day, guess what? They get a belt or a switch, where they get a hold of, to get your attention. Why? Because you were going wayward. You were doing things that were wrong. And you're like, oh man, you understand, but they punished you because they loved you. Bible says God chastens those he loved. I'm thankful for the discipline that I got. It shows how much they loved us. I had parents willing to discipline us because it's love. And David knew that God was a God of discipline, so he says, Have mercy on me. Because he knew his sin was very large. It was a terrible sin. And he says, Have mercy upon me according to thy loving kindness, according to thy multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgression. Then this is real, this is real confession. This is real repentance. He says, Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. David was tired of hiding it. He says, You are the only one that can wash me from it. That is confession. That is true godly repentance. He says, Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, cleanse me from my sin, and then we see the responsibility of it. In verse 3, he says, For I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. That's it. When we finally make the, when we look in the mirror and say, okay, I'm gonna quit blaming God, I'm gonna quit blaming my neighbor, I'm gonna quit blaming my wife, I'm gonna quit blaming all my circumstances, I'm gonna blame myself. Because we are the one that's guilty. And we will say what? I acknowledge it. It is my fault. And then who do you go to? You go to God because you realize who's the sins against. In verse 4, he says, Against thee. He's talking to God. He's having a conversation with God. He says, Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. He says, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity and sinned, and my mother conceived me. Behold, thou desirest truth and inward parts, and the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. And he says, Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear the joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. What was going on with David? He was suffering such conviction because of his sinful life, his sin that he had committed, that was felt like God was squeezing and breaking his bones. The Holy Spirit was squeezing him, convicting him so much. And he says, in verse 9, hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Then verse 10, create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. That is godly repentance. That you want to do things that God would have you to do, to walk uprightly and be in the center of his will. And he says, Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Then he says in verse 12, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit. David was a miserable man, I believe, for like 10, 11 months, because a baby was born. He was miserable. Why? Because he had unconfessed sin in his life. But he said, Restore the joy of my salvation, of thy salvation. Then what does it say in verse 13? Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall convert, be converted unto thee. He says, Deliver me from built blood guiltiness, O God, that thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of the righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praises. Then I want you to look at verse 16 and really hone in on verse 16. Verse 17 says, Thou desirest not sacrifice, else I would give it. Thou delightest not in burnt offerings. And then verse 17 it says, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. David is saying, Lord, I could bring you basically a thousand sheep, a thousand goats, a thousand ram, thousands and thousands of offerings. But guess what? It would mean nothing to you until I confess with my mouth. And my heart is broken because I've broken your heart. And so it says, in verse 13, he says, Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Who was the greatest teacher on sin? Jesus Christ. And we just see this when we look back in Matthew chapter 9. He's sitting with sinners that had heard his message about sin, how it would be forgiven, that God was a God of forgiveness, and he said, Come to me, and guess what? They came to him. They came to him. Look in verse 9. And Jesus passed forth. Hence he saw a man named Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector, and the Jews despised him. Because he was like a traitor. He was working for the Romans and taking their money for taxes and keeping apart from himself, and most of them would. And so they hated him. And he says to him, Jesus said to him, Follow me. And guess what? He arose and he followed. And it came to pass as Jesus sat at meeting his house, in the house, the other two gospel writers tell us it was Matthew's house. Behold, many publicans and sinners. So he had, guess what? Matthew had some friends. And guess what? They were all sinners. And they came down supper with Jesus. And they sat down with him and the disciples. And it's an amazing picture for us to see that Christ was teaching on repentance and who he is, that he can forgive sins. Only he can. But I want us to look at the second point, it's Jesus' first and last message on repentance. We're going to pause in the story, but I want you to jump to Matthew chapter 4. Jesus' first message on repentance. Then we're going to look at his last message on repentance. His first message at the beginning of his ministry is found in Matthew chapter 4. One verse once you read, verse 17. Says, from that time Jesus began to preach and to say what? What's the first word when Jesus started his ministry? Repent. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You imagine that? What a plan that God had put in place for thousands and thousands of years. The prophets talked about Jesus coming, the Lamb of God, John said, Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world, he's baptized, and then Jesus is going to start his ministry. The first word out of his mouth says, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is there. Turn from your sins and turn to me, is basically what Jesus is going to say. And I want you to turn to Luke 24, our Sunday school lesson today. Luke 24. That's Jesus' first message on repentance. And the last one is found in Luke 24. Look what it says in verse 36. Jesus has died on the cross, he's been resurrected. And this is before the ascension. You know, Jesus was on this earth 40 days before the ascension, after the resurrection. And he appears to the disciples. And look what he says before he ascends back to the Father in verse 36. He said, And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, Peace be unto you. That's what God wants for all of us, to have a peace. And he says, But they were terrified and affrighted, as opposed to saying a spirit. And he said, Then, Why are you troubled, and why do your thoughts arise in your hearts? He says, Behold my hands and my feet, that is, I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and flesh and bones, as you see me have. And when he thus spoke, and he showed him his hands and his feet, and while they yet believe not for joy and wonder, he said, Have you here any meat? And they gave him a piece of bold fish and a honeycomb, and he took it, did eat before them. And look what he says. And he said unto thee, unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you. What's he saying? Before I died on the cross. I told you these words, that all things must be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning me. All the scripture concerned are all about one man, Jesus Christ. It's all about Jesus, written for us to understand who He is and how much He loves us. And he says, and He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. That's my prayer for all of us. That we would read God's word, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we would understand God's scriptures. Because so many people today, they want to get mad, they want to get angry, they want to be upset up God, they want to get mad at the church. And guess what? What's wrong? They don't understand the scriptures. That is talking about God, a God that loves them. That God wants to, that had sent his son to die for them. They may have a relationship with him. Well, what is it? The world's in rebellion against God because they won't repent of their sins. And look what Jesus says. And he said unto them, thus it is written in verse 46, and thus it behooved Christ who's suffering to rise from the dead the third day. Then he says in verse 47, I read all of that in Luke 24 to get to this verse. Because what's he tell his church and tells us today what? And that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. That is still the message for us today to tell what? Tell people what? To repent, to give your life to God for the remissions of sins, for the remission of sin. See, it's what's we think about remission. We think about cancer, and we hear great news from a doctor, and doctors say, well, your cancer is in remission. It's not growing, it's just there. Well, it's still there, and you pray it never comes back. But when when God forgives our sin, he takes it from us. That's what's so amazing about God. When he says remission, he makes us like John, like David was saying, create a clean heart in me and a right spirit. He's able to do it. He's able to do that. He's the only one that can do it. He's the great physician. Because what did Jesus say? He said, if you continue in my word, John chapter 8, then you're my disciples and my disciples indeed. And he says, If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed. How awesome is that! To be set free for the blood of Christ. It's an amazing thing. Look in 1 John chapter 1. 1 John chapter 1. One verse again I want you to read. I thought about just typing these out, but I want you to read them. 1 John chapter 1. Verse 9. We just seen this verse in Psalm 51. Verse 9, he says, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. You know, God is a forgiving God. You don't believe it, look at the cross. That he gave his son. If we believe on him, we'd have eternal life. He says, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Why is he just? Because Jesus paid our sin debt. Because there had to be punishment for sin. And Jesus took our punishment upon him. I mean, it's amazing. That's what grace is, that's what mercy is. And it's so amazing that if we will just confess our sins, Christ is God is faithful and just to forgive us. Don't think for a second, I've done this, this, and this, and this, and God can never forgive me. Guess what? God can't forgive you. And wanting to forgive you. He sent his son that he could forgive you. And lastly, there's hope if we repent. One of the most famous verses in the entire Bible. I want you to turn to 2 Chronicles chapter 7. 2 Chronicles chapter 7. We see this on a lot of mugs and different things, shirts and plaques and pictures. But it's still very true today. Because we are the people of God. Yes, this is the Old Testament written to the Jews, but guess what? The Jews rejected Jesus. Who are the chosen people today? Well, it's the church. We are the bride of Christ. Never forget that. Never forget that. We serve the one true king, and the king has a bride, and who is the bride? It's us with the responsibility to do what? To tell the truth about our king. And then we see this because they have got so far away from God. And he says in verse 14 in 2 Chronicles chapter 7, if my people, I'd like to scribble that out and say, if my church, if my church, which for today, not changing God's word, but for today, if we would read it like that and understand it, because that's who he's speaking to today. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and here it is, and turn from their wicked ways. And what is that? It's a definition of repentance. So many people are so troubled with the gas prices, the unemployment, just the war. I've had so many discussions with people like, man, what is going on with the presidency and those around him? What's going on? I'm here to tell you, there's no president, there's no government going to save our country. The only thing that's going to save our country is for the church to stand up and for God to show mercy and empower us to be the people He's called us. He's empowered us. But we have so many people on the sidelines. So many people on the sidelines. Living in wicked ways, doing wicked things. And God has, he had had enough with the Jews, and he's saying, if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. True repentance. What does God promise? He says, Then will I hear from heaven and I'll love the rest of this verse. What does he say? I'll hear you and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. I tell people all the time we have these discussions about everything's going so crazy in the world. I say this here. I said, I don't know all the answers, but I do know this. As long as the church is here, there's still hope. Because we are the bride. So there is hope if we will repent. So now turn back to Matthew chapter 9. We'll finish this message. Because Jesus is going to tell them, when the Pharisees saw it, they said to the disciples in verse 11, Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners? They looked down their nose at them. They were so self-righteous, saying, These people are filthy, terrible sinners. And your master is having dinner or supper with them? What's he thinking? But look in verse 12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I heard a great example. I was looking at different commentaries and things on this story this week. And it says the Pharisees were like a doctor. They're like a doctor. And then a sick person calls the heck doctor up and says, Hey, I am sick. I need to come see you. They got all these certificates, they got all these things. He's a super smart person. And you call him a doctor. I mean, I heard you graduating, you have all these certificates, super short, and medicine, all the surgery and all the different things. I need to come see you. And they say, You're sick. And they won't, what doctor doesn't want to see sick people? That's why they go to school. But the Pharisees, they were saying, Y'all are so much a sinner, I won't even sit down and have supper with you. And Jesus said, Who are you saying sick? They've realized their sickness and they are healed. But you're still sick in your sin. And that's what brought conviction to them, and they wanted to kill him. But what's Jesus say in verse 13? He says, But go ye and learn. Learn what? The scripture. He says, learn what it meaneth. He said, I want basically, as we would say today, Jesus said, I want you to go read Hosea 6.6 and understand what it means. And he says, and he's quoting it. He says, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. You can read that in Hosea 6.6. The book, the minor prophet. He says, and then Jesus says, For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It's amazing. Because what did David say? I said, remember what David said? He said, if you'd have longed for a sacrifice, basically I'd have brought you everything I have to sacrifice before you. But it wouldn't be enough. Because it's not materialistic things, it's the heart. He sees the heart. And what did David said? I know that you will not despise a broken heart. So we see God's word and we see what he tells us about being sinners and what we do, it breaks our heart. Like, man. That's what the truth does for us. When we realize we're sinners and we're lost separated from God, it breaks our heart. It should. There should be a fear. Like, man, I'm a sinner. Where am I going to spend eternity? Well, the first thing we think about. Hell. Hell. Because that's what we deserve. But Jesus came and died, we may have life, may have it more abundantly and having an eternity in heaven. But I love what Jesus says at the end. He says, for I'm not coming to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. I pray we have learned that we all must have a godly repentance to ever have salvation. If you would please stand. Miss Michelle, Miss Ferrari would come forward. I want to ask you to examine your heart, to really look inside yourself and say, Do I belong to God? Have I truly had a godly confession, a repentance, and turned from who I was to who I am today? That you're a new creation. Like David said, He has given you a new heart. Do you belong to God? If not, belong to Him today before you leave this place. You can stand right where you're at. You can bow your head, and you can talk to God and say, God, for the first time I believe and understand and realize that I am a sinner. That I've done wrong, I've broken your law, and God, I believe in Jesus Christ that He came and died for me in my place. And I ask you, Lord, I am sorry for my sin. And I ask you, Lord, to let Christ's blood cover my sin. Lord, I'm gonna belong to you. Please save me. However you word that, however you word that conversation between you and God, a sincere, honest conversation between you and God, guess what? You ask God to save you, he will save you. And you will be forever changed. And what he wants you to do is grow in your faith because you will belong to him and your life will change. And he'll want you to step out in faith and be baptized by the authority of the New Testament church and serve him through the church where you can do what? Lead others to him. It's the most important decision you ever make. First is salvation, second is baptism. So I encourage you, yield to the Holy Spirit. He's here, he's among us, he's in the middle of us, right here, right now, convicting each and every one of us to do the things he would have us to do. But here's the thing we all know individually what we need to do. And I pray that we do it today before it's eternally too late. As we say.