(Read Mat 8:28 – 9:13)
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. Yesterday we looked at how Jesus blew the disciples’ minds when He commanded a storm to stop. The wind and waves obeyed His words. With the storm over, the team continued to the other side of the lake. Once they arrived it quickly became apparent why they were there. Jesus addressed a man who was possessed with a legion of (over 6,000) demons. With the man free, Jesus led the team back into the boat and back to the other side of the lake.
I can only imagine how exciting this must have been for Simon Peter. He went from the quiet and peacefulness of fishing to becoming part of a traveling team where demons were dismissed, stormed were overruled, sicknesses were superseded, and love was personified.
Once on the other side Jesus encountered a paralyzed man lying on a mat. Jesus ministered to him and forgave him of sins. The declaration of the forgiveness of sins infuriated the religious leaders present. So Jesus, in an attempt to show His power of sin, healed the man of his paralysis. Jesus commanded the man to get up and he did. He picked up his mat and he walked away. This shut the mouths of the scribes.
Shortly thereafter Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the place where taxes were collected. Jesus gave Matthew ‘the offer’, saying, “Follow me.” Matthew took Jesus up on the offer and his tax collecting days were over. That night Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s house. Matthew’s tax collecting friends and others with bad reputations came to the dinner. The Pharisees came to Matthew’s house and saw Jesus eating with these people. They asked his followers, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?” Jesus heard them ask the question and He chose to answer Himself. Jesus said, “It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. You need to go and learn what this Scripture means: ‘I don’t want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.’ I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.” With that the Pharisees were silenced and I can only imagine what this did for Peter. Simon Peter knew what it was like to feel like a sinner in the presence of Jesus, and He also knew what it was like to feel Jesus’ love and compassion in spite of his sin.
So what does this mean to you today?
- The Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes presented themselves as being holy. They looked down on sinners. With their attitude they would have never reached a sinful fisherman like Simon. If you mimic their attitude today you will never reach anyone either.
- Jesus did not reach Simon the fisherman by looking down at him. No, when Jesus saw Simon the fisherman He looked past his sin and looked deep into his destiny. Jesus saw Simon’s God-given potential. Jesus may have looked at Simon the fisherman, but what He saw was Peter the Apostle. Guess what? The same can be said when Jesus looks at you.
- The message of the Pharisees and Sadducees was, “We are right and you are wrong.” The message of grace is, “None of us are right. We are all wrong. We are all sinners in need of salvation and we could never be good enough on our own.”
- Jesus reached Simon the fisherman with the message of grace and it was grace that empowered him to become Peter the Apostle.
- The Pharisees and Sadducees surrounded themselves with pompous and pious self-righteous people. Jesus surrounded Himself with sinners. Think about your life for a moment. Which of the two do you more closely match up with: the Pharisees or Jesus?
- Don’t allow pride to cause you to look down on anyone. You are no better than any other person on the planet. You would be nothing without the grace of God. If you remember that, you will be able to share the love of God with the world and like Jesus, you will become a friend of sinners.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing and unearned grace. It was grace that changed Simon the Fisherman into Peter the Apostle. It was grace that changed Saul of Tarsus into the Apostle Paul. It was grace that changed me when I was an unrepentant sinner. It was Your goodness that drew me, Your love that captivated me, and Your grace that changed me. So how can I look down on someone else? How can I allow pride to cause me to feel better than anyone? I know me, like I know me, so I can’t do anything but give You praise for saving me, calling me, blessing me and now using me by Your grace. You came to me while I was a sinner. I now give myself over to You, to be used of You to reach sinners through me. You are a friend of sinners. Therefore, so am I! Your love, light and grace will flow through me, to sinners, so their lives can be changed like mine was. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
