The Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom for Sinners
- Albrecht…Trinity 2…Jun 14th, 2026…Matthew 9:9-13…The Kingdom of Heaven is for Sinners
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed Him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when He heard it, He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.
INJ Who mercifully calls us out of sin into the Kingdom of Heaven and who then guides us by His grace, DFR:
The R360 club is one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. It focuses on legacy, high-level philanthropy, and peer networking. What makes it exclusive is not what they do, but what they require to become a member. One must have a verified net worth of 100 million or more, be willing to integrate their families into the club, and embody the six values of the club: Honor, Entrepreneurial Grit, Excellence, Curiosity, Joy, and Generosity of Spirit. Finally, only 500 members are allowed at one time in the U.S. and 500 internationally. Even if you pass all those steps, you’ll still need a sponsorship from 2 active R360 members, which the list of active members is strictly confidential.
Contrast the R360 club with the a club with doors wide open. Anyone can come in, riff-raff or high-standing citizen. There are no rules, no etiquette, no expectations. Truly the exact opposite of something like R360 if every possible way.
My question for you is this: Which one best describes the Kingdom of Heaven? Is it reserved for only the “right” group of people? Is it limited in number and access? Or, is its gates wide open so that anyone who breathes can enter? The answer is really both and neither. Entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven is a narrow gate. Not many enter because one may enter only through faith in Christ Jesus. Not only that, but to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven means to forsake the former life you were called out of, namely a life of unrepentant sin. But, the call into the Kingdom of Heaven is like a wide fisher’s net. It goes out to everyone. Murderers, adulterers, thieves, liars, idolators, and so on have found a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. It all comes down to one Person: Jesus.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom for Sinners. For at its head stands the great Helper of sinners. Through its doors none but poor sinners enter.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed Him.
The call of Matthew happened much the same as the other disciples. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all in the midst of their occupation, fishermen, when Jesus called them to drop everything and follow Him. Matthew was sitting in the tax office. For someone like Matthew to be sitting in the tax office was a great offense to the people of Israel. A fellow Jew was doing the dirty work for their Roman oppressors, collecting what felt like tribute for Caesar. What made matters worse was that many tax collectors would cheat their own fellow Jews out of their money. They would charge them more than what they owed and pocket the difference.
In the eyes of the Jews, being a tax collector was just about the worst offense you could commit. They were seen as the scum of the earth. You can see, then, why it would be so shocking for Jesus to call someone like Matthew. He is inviting ridicule and shame into the midst of His closest companions! It’s one thing for Jesus to include simple fishermen as His students, but a grifter like a tax collector? That’s too far.
Go back in the history of God’s people and you will find nothing different. Abraham was in a pagan land with a pagan father, but he was called to be the father of God’s chosen people. Jacob was a liar and deceiver, but he was chosen as Israel. Moses was raised in Pharoah’s house, had the nerve to tell God, “no.” But he was called to lead God’s people out of Egypt. David committed adultery and murder, but he was called by God to be king of Israel and a picture of the coming Messiah. Do you see the trend?
God doesn’t call those who are perfect to take part in the Kingdom of Heaven. They were broken, sinful men who got in their own way more often than not. But they all share another thing in common, Matthew included: They left all to follow the Lord. Abraham left behind his idols to follow God into an unknown land. Yes, he struggled with sin, falling into it more than he would have liked. But we also see his love for God on display, when he was willing to give up all, even his son to the Lord, trusting in the Lord’s grace.
What did David leave behind?” David left behind his sin. In his life, we see the dire consequences that came from his failures – his first-born son with Bathsheba dying; a plague that killed 70,000; his own son Absolom rebelling against him. Yet, when the word of the LORD came to him, calling him to repentance, he received it with humility and a trust in God’s forgiveness. David lived what Solomon wrote of in Proverbs 9, Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. David knew what was right and wrong, just as we all do. He was a sinner whose position in the Kingdom of Heaven relied solely upon the forgiveness that came through Christ.
It was not a simple thing for Matthew to just “walk away”. He did because saw in himself immorality – a sickness that was eating away at his very soul. He was a Jew, yes, but spiritually bankrupt and wretched in the eyes of all who looked at him. That is, until Jesus passes by. In Jesus, Matthew saw the Helper – the one who could truly set him free from the burden on his conscience. As with the other heroes of faith, the hour of God’s call had come to him, beckoning, and without hesitation, he found healing in the Savior.
Jesus was the helper for Matthew and his fellow sinners and tax collectors who dined with Him. But we also see the other reaction to Jesus’ call, the Pharisees. Jesus couldn’t go up to the Pharisees and say, “Follow Me,” although they had heard and seen the same things as Matthew, and perhaps more. For, they had hardened their hearts against the grace that reached out to them. Thus, when they see Jesus dining with open sinners and tax collectors their hearts were hardened against the grace of God in action. This is what Paul meant when he wrote that his own people were zealous for God but without knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
A zeal for God without knowledge of Him is a zeal to your own destruction. Again, Paul says in Romans 10, the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart,`Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “`Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Would you dare to go up to the throne of God in His eternal dwelling in order to retrieve for yourself a righteousness that avails before God? Jesus has come down to bring us righteousness. Or would you dare to think that we must bring Christ up from the dead and from our own efforts, do Christ’s work over again?
It is foolishness to think I can offer myself to Christ. I am worth nothing. As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; (Rom. 3:10). To be like Matthew and to receive the Kingdom of Heaven is to recognize the sinfulness of our own hearts and our lack of righteousness. Now do Jesus’ words ring out in all their sweetness:
12 But when He heard it, He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus called for one thing from those He dined with: That they come to Him in order to find mercy, to find healing for their true sickness – sin. The Pharisees were blinded to this – unable to understand the Scriptures. Their boast and reliance were on the outward act of sacrifice, and omitted that which could alone make this act acceptable to God, divinely-wrought mercy and love in their hearts. Jesus has made the only sacrifice needed, the only one that means something to God. He has fulfilled the demands of the Law so that God may dispense His mercy.
Solomon writes, Wisdom has built her house…She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table…”Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”…Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. To you Wisdom, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, calls with a message offering knowledge. Not a mere knowledge of God, but knowing by experience, the love and mercy with which God has prepared the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven for you. Jesus’ death and resurrection on the cross is the full meal with which God would satisfy the desire of our heart, namely a righteousness that surpasses our own and the cure we need for the disease of sin and death. Of this Jesus was speaking when He said, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Through Christ, God empties the treasure-stores of His grace and mercy upon you.
Righteousness is now right at your side. The message of Christ and His work bids you to believe and gives you the power to do so. For nothing else is required for the Kingdom of Heaven than to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Jesus wants you. His Kingdom, in all its riches, is meant for you. There will be those who would try to shame you as the Pharisees tried to shame the disciples and those who dined with Jesus because they were not as “righteous” as they. The Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
The riches of God’s grace and forgiveness cannot be exhausted. God never reaches the end of His resources and His will never grows weary of dispensing His grace. When you find yourself sunken in sin and shamed of your weakness, return to your Helper and find His mercy. He does not complain, “Are you begging again so soon?” but rebukes you, “Where have you been all this time?” Open your mouth wide, says the LORD, and I will fill it.
This is what the Kingdom of Heaven is. It is a Kingdom for Sinners. Never be in doubt that Jesus came for you. If you are, simply touch your flesh and feel your breath. For so long as we have this flesh and blood we are indeed sinners. But so long as we are sinners, so Jesus calls you to come to Him for healing. No matter the sin, no matter the life; His mercy saves you and His righteousness makes you worthy of His Kingdom. Amen.