Devotional thoughts for Monday

Monday 6. October 2014 

Trinity 16 

Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not arrive to call the righteous, but to call sinners (Matthew 9,13) 

Jesus' harshest critics were the religious elite, particularly the Pharisees . The Pharisees took the Mosaic testament very seriously, so much so that they added a number of regulations to help people keep the law. Unfortunately, these regulations became too much of a burden and many people despaired under their inability to keep God's testament. The Pharisees held themselves to be righteous. They kept the outward appearance of the law. On the inside, however, their desires and thoughts were just as sinful as anyone else's. 

Jesus says He arrived to call the sinners. That offended the Pharisees. The Messiah should be gathering the righteous unto Himself, not the sinful rabble. Yet Jesus' disciples included fishermen, a tax collector, a military zealot, a thief and even women. Not a righteous person in the bunch! 

Jesus called these men and women, forgave them, taught them and established the new testament though them. God desires mercy, and He give out His mercy freely. The Pharisees didn't understand that. They thought they had to earn it, and in earning it they rightfully deserved it. Jesus said the exact opposite. You can't merit God's mercy. He gives it out as a free gift to everyone, even to sinners, especially to sinners. The Pharisees, by and large, had great difficulty with this gospel message. Truth be told, we do to in some measure. It is difficult for us to relinquish control and let God do everything for us in terms of our salvation and forgiveness. But therein lies the greatest comfort: knowing that Jesus has done everything for us to declare us righteous before His eyes. The burden of earning God's favor is removed and now we can truly live as ones who love our neighbor for we do so through faith working in love in joyful thanksgiving to all that Jesus has done for us. 

Prayer: Almighty and Most Merciful God, You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to seek and to save the lost. Graciously open our ears and our hearts to hear His call and to follow Him by faith so that we may feast with Him forever in His reign; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen. (A63, Treasury of Daily Prayer)