Daily Scripture:
Luke 17:11 On his way to Yerushalayim, Yeshua passed along the border country between Shomron and the Galil. 12 As he entered one of the villages, ten men afflicted with tzara‘at met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out, “Yeshua! Rabbi! Have pity on us!” 14 On seeing them, he said, “Go and let the cohanim examine you!” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, as soon as he noticed that he had been healed, returned shouting praises to God, 16 and fell on his face at Yeshua’s feet to thank him. Now he was from Shomron. 17 Yeshua said, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found coming back to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And to the man from Shomron he said, “Get up, you may go; your trust has saved you.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
Prayer Tip:
Jesus’ ministry was one of inclusion. He didn’t just hang out with the law-abiding church people (the Jews). He went out of his way to reach adulterers, tax collectors, lepers, and more. It’s so, so easy to coast along with the same people throughout life. I don’t think most of us intentionally decide to close ourselves off to new relationships; we just don’t think about it. However, unintentional exclusion is still exclusion.
I was scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day (@kansashoosier), when I came across this post from Glennon Doyle, an author/speaker/activist whom I first encountered at one of our women’s conferences a few years ago. Although her focus is on encouraging other women, this post was a good reminder to me to be on the lookout to reach out to those who need community. One way to make that more likely to happen for me is to pray about it. If I spend time talking to God about something, I am apt to hear God’s prompting me to action when opportunities are in front of me.
Lord God,
None of us wants to be left out, and when we stop to think about it, we don’t want others to be either. Whether we’re shy or busy or tired, help us to notice those around us. Guide us to discern how we can show your love to others, regardless of who they are.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen. (Angela LaVallie Tinsley, Resurrection Funeral Ministry)
Angela serves as the Funeral and Prayer Program Director, overseeing on-site funerals and assisting with prayer classes, vigils, walk, retreats, and other events. She began working at Resurrection in April 2007 and in that time has worked with the Singles, Seniors, Young Adults, and Guest Connections ministries.
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Daily Scripture:
Matthew 9:11 When the P’rushim saw this, they said to his talmidim, “Why does your rabbi eat with tax-collectors and sinners?” 12 But Yeshua heard the question and answered, “The ones who need a doctor aren’t the healthy but the sick. 13 As for you, go and learn what this means: ‘I want compassion rather than animal-sacrifices.’[Matthew 9:13 Hosea 6:6] For I didn’t come to call the ‘righteous,’ but sinners!” (Complete Jewish Bible).
Reflection Questions:For many self-righteous religious leaders in Jesus’ day, the hardest thing to understand about Jesus was not some obscure statement, but his crystal-clear message that God loves and has compassion for all people—including those they called “sinners.” In The Message, Eugene Peterson captured how today’s text might sound in modern English: “They had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. ‘What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?’ Jesus, overhearing, shot back, ‘Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.’”* We may not fully understand some things about Jesus—but his kingdom’s central “good news” is clear. And for all of us who are willing to recognize our standing as “sinners,” it’s incredibly good news.
- In Jesus’ day, as in ours, some religious people thought holiness meant displaying your virtue by loudly condemning “unworthy” people. Jesus bluntly told the upset Pharisees, “I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.” Of course, that took in the whole human family (cf. Romans 3:23). Scholar Hans Küng wrote, “A Church that will not accept the fact that it consists of sinful men and exists for sinful men becomes hard-hearted, self-righteous, inhuman…. though it is true that the Church must always dissociate itself from sin, it can never have any excuse for keeping any sinner at a distance.”** Make it personal: are you open to the truth that, to include you, the church must accept and welcome a sinner in Jesus' name?
Lord Jesus, thank you for including me among the people you are eager to dine with. Keep me focused on you as the source of the goodness I see in my life. Amen.
Family Activity:
As a family, talk about how you can love others. Discuss each person’s unique gifts and abilities. How can those be used to share love with those who are sad or lonely? Hungry or homeless? Disabled or widowed? Outcast or Bullied? How can those same gifts be combined with those of other family members to serve and help? Using construction paper, create the symbol of a heart. On it, write or draw the gifts of each person. Also write or draw about how they can be used to love others. Pray together, asking God to help guide you to use your ideas and gifts. Thank God for giving them to you. Display your family’s “heart” as a reminder to love all people.
* From Eugene H. Peterson, The Message. NavPress, 1993-2002.
** Hans Küng, On Being a Christian. New York: Doubleday, 1976, p. 507.
Lindsey is an occupational therapist at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She and her husband lead a small group, attend a Disciple Bible Study group, and go to the modern worship service. She also volunteers to serve communion and help with Matthew’s Ministry. Lindsey enjoys learning how to apply Scripture to everyday life and connecting spiritually through music.
When reviewing this passage from the gospel of Matthew, I started to reflect on what I am doing to align with Resurrection’s purpose—to build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people can become deeply committed Christians. My mind then started spinning with a bunch of introspective, reflective questions:
- Am I focused on bringing others to Christ? Or am I an obstacle for people to reach Jesus?
- Am I allowing others to see the love of Jesus through me? Or am I secluding myself as a member of the church, turning others away from the opportunity to know Christ?
- Am I living with an open heart and mind for all? Or am I living a hypocritical life?
I think all too often we get consumed with the ‘showy’ parts of our faith, and forget what being ‘Christ-like’ really means. Yes—Christ performed several miracles, such as giving sight to the blind (John 9), raising the dead to life (John 11: 38-44), and feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21). However, he also endured temptations (Matthew 4:1-11), became upset with others (Matthew 21:12-13), and wept over the reality of His life (Luke 22:39-46). Not once, through all of this, did He claim to be ‘above’ others, simply because He was God’s Son, or performed miracles for others. So… am I REALLY trying to embody Christ in my life? Do I realize that I am AMONG the sinners that I serve through my mission work? Do I realize that I NEED God just as much as the ‘tax collector’?
I often find myself in deep connection and conversation with Jesus while listening to various Christian songs on the radio. A recent song that has been on my mind lately is called “Heaven on Earth” by Stars Go Dim (click here to listen to the song). The main chorus of the song says:
Take my life and let it be, set on fire for all to see
Break me down, build me up again, don’t leave me the way I’ve been
Take my heart into Your hands, come and finish what You began
‘Til I seek Your kingdom first, ‘til I shine, shine
Like Heaven on earth, like Heaven on earth
So I ask: Are we focused on bringing others to Christ? Are we allowing others to see the love of Jesus through us? Are we living with an open heart and mind for all? Are we seeking God’s kingdom first? Are we trying to bring Heaven on earth?Like this post? Share it!
You might also like:
- Another tax collector who chose to follow Jesus
- The life-changing results of Jesus' kindness
- Jesus, “the guest of a sinner”
- The parable of the good tax collector
- “Even tax collectors”
- Or download this week's printable GPS.
©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
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