Friend of Sinners
by David Lazarus

Friend of Sinners\Tax collectors
 
Tax Collectors.
The ones about whom it is said Mat. 18:15-17
 
Mat. 5:43-48.
 
Tax collectors hated
Hated because thieves. Took money from poor families to build beautiful homes.
 
Mt. 9:9-17
Capernaum vs 1
Tax collector Center
 
Vs 9 Matthew follows
 
Jesus accepting Tax collectors was a scandal.
Religious saw them as sinners
People saw them as thieves and betrayers
Even the disciples could not accept them.
 
Vs 10 Dinner party for Yeshua.
 
With tax collectors and sinners. Prostitutes, thieves, people with all kinds of problems.
What kind of food? Dress? Conversation? Songs? Where did the money come from?
 
Mt. 11:19 A friend of Sinners and tax collectors
 
Yeshua was not afraid to be close to people.
Yeshua cared about people.
It didn’t put him off if they had major problems.
 
Vs 11 offends Pharisees and religious leaders
They see holiness in terms of their own righteousness.
They are clean and don’t understand how they can be close to people who are sinners.
 
Vs 12-13 Jesus accepts this dinner it because it is a true expression of their love and thanks.
 
“I desire compassion not sacrifice”
 
God is looking for a work of grace in the hearts of man.
I am eating dinner here because what you see is a true expression of their love for me.
As small as it might seem, this is what I am looking for.
Expression of love.
 
This is far more valuable to me than religious sacrifices.
Pharisees would have made all kinds of sacrifices. Doing many things for God.
 
The simple act of faith, which is born out of love, is the most valuable thing to me.
 
Another time that Yeshua met with Tax collectors….
 
Mat. 17:24-27 Disciples have been traveling with Yeshua in Tyre, Sidon, Golan come back to Capernaum. Tax collectors waiting at the gates of the city.
 
Vs 24 Does your teacher pay tax?
 
Same people who were at the party.
Many more had come to ask because they saw how Yeshua treated tax collectors.
 
Is it OK what we do? Do you honor us in our profession?
Somebody needs to collect the taxes.
Everybody hates us for doing it.
 
Vs 25 Peter doesn’t understand this.
“Yes. Of course he pays the taxes.” Probably afraid that if he said no they might give the disciples a fine.
 
Vs 25-26 So at home Yeshua explains to Peter that “NO, I don’t need to pay the taxes.”
Technically, Yeshua and the disciples did not need to pay the temple tax.
Sons of God. New Covenant.
 
“So not to offend them.”
 
With the Pharisees he had little patience.
But with these guys he is willing to go extra mile.
 
Vs 27 I want these guys to know that they have value.
I want them to know that I will accept what they have to offer me.
 
Coin in Fishes mouth.
 
1. Peter finds value in the thing that he always works at. Fishing.
Peter, I want you to see the value in these other men.
 
2. Week’s salary in the fish. Peter, I want you to understand that what I am asking you to give away doesn’t cost you anything. To honor others and to be a friend to sinners does not cost you. I will provide for you for this.
 
3. When it comes to the slightest most sensitive motive of the heart, Yeshua does the greatest miracles.
 
We should look for God in the simple things of life.
In our work.
In lives of others. Not in religious terms.

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