Parables – do you remember what the definition of a parable is? One of the easiest to remember is that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly (or spiritual) meaning. A parable doesn't necessarily talk about heaven up there, but it describes for us some truths about God's Kingdom, whether there above or here below. Those truths are somewhat foreign to us, because by ourselves we can't understand the things of God unless He reveals them to us. And that's what He does in parables. He takes eternal, spiritual truths, combines them with stories of things around us here on earth that we are familiar with, and He helps us understand what He is like. A parable is an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning.
This text that we have before us today isn't a parable, and yet it contains a sentence which we might describe as a one-sentence parable. It impresses upon our minds and hearts one of the most basic truths of the Christian religion. The sentence goes like this: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
When Jesus said this, he wasn't healing a leper, a paralyzed person, or another physically ill individual. He was eating at the home of Matthew, whom He had just called to be one of His twelve disciples. He was commenting about Matthew's health, his spiritual health.
You see, when Jesus called Matthew to be His disciple, he was a great sinner. He was a tax collector who cheated people, threatened them, maybe even threw them into jail unjustly. Today we might think of him as a racketeer or as a politician who uses his political position for his personal gain. He was not a nice man at all. But then he heard Jesus preaching, and it changed him. He was converted to faith in the Savior and showed his appreciation to Jesus by inviting Him to a splendid banquet at his house.
When the Pharisees saw this, they grumbled against Jesus and asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such bad people?” You see, they did not think that people like Matthew should ever deserve to get any of Jesus' attention because they were such horrible sinners. It is when Jesus heard that that He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick….I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” And with those parable-like words He revealed Himself to us as The Great Physician who Heals and Forgives sin-filled souls.
May the Holy Spirit graciously guide us as we think about these words today, especially as we tie them together with the Lord's Supper that we are about to receive. This Supper is a very special way in which the Doctor of souls works to heal us.
I. First, let's think about the Lord's Supper and whom it is for.
Soon, you communicant members will be ready once again to come to the Lord's Table. (Peace: Kristen, you will be coming here for the very first time, after fulfilling the Lord's own requirement of being able to examine yourself. That was what your confirmation instruction time was all about. It was about helping you to examine your soul on the basis of the Scriptures so that you could think about all that God says regarding Jesus and you, sin and grace, and that which takes place in this Supper. You have to prayerfully think about those things before you receive this. That's what the Bible says. Kristin, you are now ready to do that after your confirmation instruction).
As you come here, you will receive in, with, and under the bread and wine the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. That body and blood of Christ is given for the remission of your sins. And where you are assured by the Lord Jesus that you are forgiven, there your faith is also strengthened.
So then, we believe that in this Sacrament Jesus is really present to forgive and strengthen us. We believe that here He gives us to eat of His body and to drink of His blood. We believe that here we find healing for our souls.
Dear friends, that means, first of all, that each one of us who comes here today, from the oldest to the newest confirmed, is sick. We are sick in our souls, sick with sin, just like Matthew was. You've got to examine yourself about this before you come up here, and you must feel very, very sorry for this. If there is anyone among us who says that he is not sick with sin, that he is not in need of healing, that he does not need the forgiveness given here, why, I think that person has strayed into the wrong church!, for to the Lord's Table come only those who are sick and understand the illness of their soul. If you weren't sick with sin, there would be no reason for you to come here.
Yes, if you don't see yourself as sick, don't come here for, as we see from our text, where the Lord Jesus is there are sinners, tax
collectors, harlots, thieves, mean, unjust, and unrighteous people. That's with whom He ate at the banquet that Matthew had prepared. And unless you see yourself with them, sitting at that kind of table, you are going to be out of place at this Lord's Table. That's the kind of people that Jesus has supper with. He eats with sinners.
The high-minded Pharisees didn't examine themselves and recognize their illness of soul. Jesus didn't share His bread in our text with them. They were too proud of themselves, too self-righteous about their own goodness, too faultfinding and unforgiving with their neighbor. You see, they refused to see that they were sick. So Jesus could not share His bread with them.
And such should never come to this Communion Board either. If I think that my neighbor is the hypocrite, the scoundrel, the thief, the unclean person, and do not see myself that way, then I am not ready for this special meal, because Holy Communion, like the Gospel itself, is intended for the soul that is sick and needs help. Here can come only such people like Matthew, the cheating tax collector, Rahab, the unclean harlot, Zacchaeus, the man who had to climb into the sycamore tree to see Jesus, and the thief on the cross. This table is for people like them. Why? Because they are sick, sick in their soul, sick with sin.
But don't get the wrong idea here. It is not sin that makes one worthy to come here. In a strange way that would make sin a desirable thing and sin is never desirable before God. Sin doesn't make you worthy; it actually makes you unworthy. But the realization and admission of sin, and your belief in the desperate need of the Savior, that makes one worthy to kneel at this table.
So, dear communicant friend, if you realize that you are just such a person like Matthew and the rest of his sad friends, if you acknowledge that you are a sinner who has often and grievously offended God and your neighbor, if you desperately look for healing for your soul, then come. There is room enough for you, for you are sick, the very kind of sickness which Jesus, The Great Physician, Heals and Forgives. And He heals you here in a very special way.
II. This bread and wine, consecrated in His name, become more than just bread and wine. They also are the very body and blood of Christ Jesus that was given and shed for the forgiveness of sin. So, when you receive this sacrament in your mouth, you receive healing Parables – do you remember what the definition of a parable is? One of the easiest to remember is that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly (or spiritual) meaning. A parable doesn't necessarily talk about heaven up there, but it describes for us some truths about God's Kingdom, whether there above or here below. Those truths are somewhat foreign to us, because by ourselves we can't understand the things of God unless He reveals them to us. And that's what He does in parables. He takes eternal, spiritual truths, combines them with stories of things around us here on earth that we are familiar with, and He helps us understand what He is like. A parable is an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning.
This text that we have before us today isn't a parable, and yet it contains a sentence which we might describe as a one-sentence parable. It impresses upon our minds and hearts one of the most basic truths of the Christian religion. The sentence goes like this: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
When Jesus said this, he wasn't healing a leper, a paralyzed person, or another physically ill individual. He was eating at the home of Matthew, whom He had just called to be one of His twelve disciples. He was commenting about Matthew's health, his spiritual health.
You see, when Jesus called Matthew to be His disciple, he was a great sinner. He was a tax collector who cheated people, threatened them, maybe even threw them into jail unjustly. Today we might think of him as a racketeer or as a politician who uses his political position for his personal gain. He was not a nice man at all. But then he heard Jesus preaching, and it changed him. He was converted to faith in the Savior and showed his appreciation to Jesus by inviting Him to a splendid banquet at his house.
When the Pharisees saw this, they grumbled against Jesus and asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such bad people?” You see, they did not think that people like Matthew should ever deserve to get any of Jesus' attention because they were such horrible sinners. It is when Jesus heard that that He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick….I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” And with those parable-like words He revealed Himself to us as The Great Physician who Think for a second. What is your greatest spiritual weakness, difficulty, or problem? Matthew's was greed that led to dishonesty and stealing. He was healed of it and didn't return to it. Instead, he gave it up and followed Jesus. What is your greatest spiritual weakness, difficulty, or problem?
Whatever it is, realize that here is help for you; here is love; here is strength, hope, and courage to face it and overcome it – here at the Lord's Table. Why? Because here at the Lord's Table the Savior comes with His own body and blood to heal and strengthen you in His forgiveness.
So, after making confession of your sin, come back here week after week, month after month, year after year to be healed again and again. And whenever you kneel here to receive Christ's pledge of forgiveness, then go out from here like Matthew, as one who follows the Savior in a new life. Go out to change from your sinful life, as Matthew did. Go out in the power of the Holy Spirit to live for Him. The Lord who gave Himself to you here will help you every step of the way. It's His pledge to you that He shares with you when you eat and drink of Him. Only believe, for He is The Great Physician Who Heals and Forgives your soul
You see, dear friends, there is hope for us sinners. His name is Jesus. In His Word He promises to help us, for it is true, just as He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick....I have not come to call the righteous but sinners. Follow me.”
Or as the hymn writer said:
Come, ye sinners, one and all, Come accept His invitation;
Come, obey His gracious call Come and take His free salvation
Firmly in these words believe – Jesus sinners doth receive
And in this Sacrament He gives you the blessings of grace in a very special meal . God grant it to us for Jesus' sake. Amen.