Our Heart for Our Neighbors
Our Heart for our Neighbors
Matthew 9:9-13
Eighty-three year old Sara Purkart has lived in Los Angeles for 50 years, As she stared out the window and saw the fires approaching her house, she recalled,
I’ve never seen a fire like this. We're sort of accustomed to seeing [fires] but not like this. This was totally out of hand. It was the worst wind I've seen in years…In the 50 years I've lived there, this is the first time I've had to evacuate.
Sara, who lives alone, would have died if it wasn’t for one of her neighbors. Carla came to check on her own family but decided to stop and see Sara. Sara said of Carla, “It was a true act of love, because she came to help me.” The story of neighbors, Sara and Carla, during the wildfires in Los Angeles is a helpful illustration for us as we think about evangelism.
Most people are like Carla. They live near the raging fire, but they aren’t really concerned about it. They don’t actually think the fire is going to reach them. They believe they are safe. Logically, they realize that it's possible that the fire could reach them, but it never actually affects their lives. The Apostle Paul said the following about those who were not really concerned about a different kind of fire,
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them...they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:3
Peter wrote something similar,
The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly…the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3:7b,10
People believe they are fine and safe until the fire rages at their front doors. I wonder how many people are like Sara, living in the hope that the fire won’t actually reach their door and believing they have time before the fire comes for them. In the Bible, fire is a picture of judgment, and Scripture is clear that everyone deserves fire, or judgment, for their sin. If your sin is not dealt with, one day, that fire will come for you.
Sara was not prepared for the fire, but her neighbor Carla was. Carla came and warned Sara of the danger and helped her. A lot of Saras in the world need Carlas to come to their doors with the message of warning and the words to help. While many, like Sara, may ignore the coming judgment for themselves, others often don’t care like Carla did. They only look out for themselves. Are you like Carla, checking on your neighbors, before the fire of judgment comes upon them?
One day this week someone asked me about the fires in Los Angele,s and I couldn't answer any of their questions because those fires were not on my mind. Those fires were the people of Los Angeles’ problem, not mine! As I reflected on how little I have thought of the wildfires in LA, I realized how little I think about the eternal fire stored up for my neighbors and family members who have not dealt with their sin. What is my heart for my neighbors? What is your heart for your neighbors? As a church, what is our heart for our neighbors?
As we begin a new year, I pray we would lift our eyes off of ourselves and our problems and reorient our eyes toward our neighbors who feel safe in their houses while the raging fire is heading toward them. Will we give them the message of warning and the words of help? I pray this message will help you do just that.
Are we following Jesus’ heart for our neighbor?
Jesus desires followers. He invites us to follow Him. He wants us to follow Him. The question is, “Will we follow His heart?” I believe the beginning of the answer is found in the calling of Matther, the tax collector.
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.
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Matthew 9:9–11
Before we look at this passage, notice what Matthew shares in the verses just prior, which may be chronological or may be a personal testimony.
And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:1–8
Notice two things. First, Jesus has authority to forgive sins. He said, “Your sins are forgiven,” then He showed that He has the authority to forgive sins by healing the paralytic’s body. It’s very different when your friend says, “You have the day off because of the snow” than when your boss says, “You have the day off because of the snow.” Same words, but only one has the authority. Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. Second, the crowds were afraid of that authority. They were afraid to stand in the presence of the Son of Man and face His authority.
Scripture does not give us every detail, but we can logically assume that Matthew had seen or heard about the healing of the paralytic. Verse 8 says, “When the crowds saw it, they were afraid and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.” (emphasis added) The crowds saw, and the crowds probably told others about what they saw. Matthew may even have been in the crowd. Either way, when you encounter someone who has authority, you ask the question in your heart, “Who is this who has such authority, and what does this mean for me?”
With that backdrop, consider the calling of Matthew again. Put yourself in Matthew’s place as he sat in his tax booth,
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting
at the tax booth, Matthew 9:9a
Jesus saw Matthew, but he didn’t just “see him because Jesus never merely sees the outside, He sees the heart. Remember the above scene,
And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
Jesus saw Matthew. He saw his heart. He saw his sin. He saw everything. When you meet Jesus, He sees everything. In Romans 2, Paul speaks about the day when we will see Jesus,
on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. Romans 2:16
When you encounter Jesus, you no longer have any secrets. Jesus saw Matthew and all his sins, and we know Matthew had many sins because he was in that tax booth. In the first century, a tax collector was synonymous with “sinner”. The Jews lived under Roman rule, and the Romans taxed the Jews to pay for their own oppression. The Jews chosen were known as traitors to their own people for they served the Romans in collecting taxes and often extorting extra taxes from the people to become wealthy. They were known as greedy traitors who sold themselves to the enemy. Matthew was known as a sinner yet, as he sat in that tax booth, Jesus saw him.
Friend, none of you have been forced to serve a foreign power in your homeland or to steal from your own people, but every one of us is a greedy traitor who has sold ourselves to the enemy. Paul writes of humanity,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 1:18–23
All of us have exchanged God’s glory for our own glory. Paul wrote “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” When we exchange that glory, we serve the enemy in our transgressions and sins.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. Ephesians 2:1–3
You are not Matthew nor do you have to answer for Matthew’s sins, but you do have to answer for your own. The Bible says that apart from faith in Christ, we are dead in the trespasses and sins and are traitors to God’s glory following the prince of the power of the air, or the Devil.
Imagine Matthew sitting at that tax booth knowing that all his sins were seen by the One who had authority to both forgive and to judge him. Matthew knew what he deserved. He knew it was time for him to answer for his greed and betrayal of his own people. But the unexpected happened instead,
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. Matthew 9:9
Matthew was not condemned; he was forgiven. He was invited to follow Jesus. This scene reminds me of Charles Wesley’s great hymn of the faith, And Can it Be, and his own conversion,
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
If we want to grow our hearts for our neighbors, we must never forget our own sin and what God has saved us from and what God has saved us for. I quoted Ephesians 2 above, let me finish Paul’s train of thought,,
among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:3–10
Jesus Christ died for sins. He poured out His grace on all who will repent of their sins and trust in Him. He not only died for you, He was raised from the dead and now offers you resurrection and the immeasurable riches of grace in Christ Jesus. He invites you to be His workmanship, created in Him for good works.
Matthew recognized his sin, and he knew Jesus had the authority to forgive or condemn his sins. Jesus, who saw it all, said, “Follow me.” and the first thing Matthew did was invite his friends to meet Jesus. Jesus spoke two words, follow me, and Matthew, who had been weighed down by his sin, languishing in guilt and shame for years, was free of his burden. No more condemnation. Freedom. Joy. Peace. Then, his natural response, “I have to tell someone about this”
And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
Matthew 9:10
Mark notes that it was Matthew’s house while Luke adds, Matthew “made him a great feast in his house and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at the table.” (Luke 5:29) Matthew didn’t want to make himself great by sharing his own story for he knew Proverbs 27:2,
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
Luke and Mark praise Matthew for opening up his home and throwing a great feast for Jesus so that his friends could have their sins forgiven, too.
How do you increase your desire to share the Gospel?
I’d like to share two ways you can increase your desire to share the Gospel and one goal for you to pursue when sharing the Gospel.
First, remember your sin - Remember you are a sinner who has been saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you read Paul’s letters and the second half of Acts where Luke writes about Paul’s ministry, you hear Paul’s testimony all the time. He never forgot his salvation.,
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:12–17
Paul was an angry opponent of Christianity who later became its greatest advocate, and his message was simple, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” Paul did not minimize his sin, rather, he maximized it so the world would understand the power of the cross.
Second, Remember your Savior - we don’t live in the regret of our past sin, but in the hope of our Savior. He saved us, and the more we think about and meditate on the person and work of Jesus Christ, the more we will want to share Him with others. We talk about what we love. Grandparents talk about their grandchildren; sports moms talk about their sports kids; foodies talk about their favorite restaurants; gamers talk about their favorite games, and Chicago Bears fans talk about next year. We talk about what we glory in and hope for, and the reason many of us don’t talk about Jesus is that we don’t think about Him enough.
Three, spend time with our neighbors - The first two are things we can change immediately. We can think about our sins and our Savior easily, but this one is harder, and it’s probably the one we struggle with the most. Just as our desire for Christ increases as we spend more time with Him, so will our desire for our neighbors increase as we spend more time with them. Matthew wanted his friends to meet Jesus, so he arranged a great feast, and when Matthew invited Jesus into his home, His heart and compassion were just as evident as the self-righteousness and pride of the religious elite.
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11–13
The Pharisees were blinded by self-righteousness, forgetting their own need for forgiveness. They were looking at the sins of others rather than at their own sins. The human heart wants to justify itself and look down on others. Jesus has mercy for sinners. He wants us to realize that we can’t justify ourselves. All of us are sick and in need of the Great Physician.
The Pharisees believed Jesus and his disciples would become unclean by being with the unclean. They may also have been jealous that Jesus, the most popular teacher of the day, chose to be with sinners and tax collectors rather than them. In reality, we are all recovering Pharisees. We are recovering from seeing the sins of others over our own, recovering from justifying our actions and minimizing our need for repentance, and recovering from going through the motions of performing our religious duties rather than having hearts for people. What did the Pharisees see Jesus do?
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (emphasis added) Matthew 9:11
Jesus was the perfect example of how to reach we can our neighbors with the Gospel: He simply ate with them.
I love Tim Chester's book, A Meal with Jesus, in which he highlights why Jesus and how Jesus came. He writes,
There are three ways the New Testament completes the sentence, ‘The Son of Man came...’ ‘The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45); ‘The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost’ (Luke 19:10); ‘The Son of Man has come eating and drinking . . . ‘ (Luke 7:34). The first two are statements of purpose. Why did Jesus come? He came to serve, to give his life as a ransom, to seek and save the lost. The third is a statement of method. How did Jesus come? He came eating and drinking.
Chester goes on to trace Jesus’ ministry through the book of Luke, showing how often He ate with people.
In Luke 5, Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners at the home of Levi.
In Luke 7, Jesus was anointed in the home of Simon the Pharisee during a meal.
In Luke 9, Jesus fed the five thousand.
In Luke 10, Jesus ate at the home of Martha and Mary.
In Luke 11, Jesus condemned the Pharisees and teachers of the law during a meal.
In Luke 14, Jesus was at a meal when he urged people to invite the poor, rather than their friends, to meals.
In Luke 19, Jesus invited himself to dinner with Zacchaeus.
In Luke 22, we have the account of the Last Supper.
In Luke 24, the risen Christ shared a meal with the two disciples in Emmaus, and then later ate fish with the disciples in Jerusalem.
All these examples led one scholar to say, “In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.”
Hospitality was huge (or yuge!) in the New Testament. It was a sign of friendship and acceptance. Meals lasted for hours. People were not in a hurry to leave. They were content to sit with each other. Sharing food was a communal act of love, and it’s still one of the best ways we can truly be with our neighbors. If I want to get to know someone, I usually drink a cup of coffee with them or share a meal; I spend slowed-down, unhurried time with them. The food or the place doesn’t matter. What matters is that we are spending time together, sharing heart-to-heart conversation, asking honest questions about the joys and trials of life, and truly getting to know one another. This often happens around a table sharing a meal.
Last night, our family spent some time trying to apply this message and considering when we could invite our neighbors over. As we talked about our upcoming schedule, it became both comical and revealing. We were unable to find a time in the next six weeks when our entire family would be home in the evening and not at a basketball game, or a meal with church friends, or at a church gathering. We often share meals with friends and family, but we don’t often gather around a table with those who are ‘tax collectors and sinners.’
By God’s grace, as we were talking, each of us was able to say that, in the last month, we have either shared or attempted to share the Gospel with someone who doesn't know Jesus. It was encouraging to hear that we are using opportunities the Lord has given us to talk to others about Jesus. I was encouraged last night at dinner with my family, and I was encouraged this past Wednesday at our prayer gathering. When I asked, “Can we pray about any recent opportunities you’ve had to share the Gospel?”, hands shot up all over the room. I was encouraged by how natural it is for many of you to regularly share Christ with others.
Yet, as faithful as many of us are in sharing the Gospel, I wonder how many of you, like my family, desire to model Jesus and spend more time with your neighbors who need to hear the good news of salvation. We need to be like Jesus who spent time with people who needed Him. He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
How do we spend more time sharing the gospel with our neighbors?
1-Pray for opportunities to build relationships with people - God answers prayers. When we pray for opportunities, God will give us opportunities. Prayer moves our hearts toward those who need the Gospel and sharpens our focus throughout the day as we look for God to answer our prayers. Take your desires to God and let Him answer your prayers.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:5–9
We are mere servants. We plant and water, but God brings the increase. Ask God to give you opportunities, and then pray that those opportunities will bear fruit.
I remember, years ago, our church was struggling with reaching the lost and caring for the poor, so I started praying that God would increase our desire for both. A month later, the Lord brought the Hinson family to our church and, as God often does, He kindly answered our prayers by giving us people that could help move us toward where He wanted us to go.
2-Think about your schedule - Are there things you need to cut out of your schedule so that you can spend more time with your neighbors who need Jesus? Can you be creative with your schedule? If your current schedule does not allow meals with your neighbors, work to change your schedule or include your neighbors in what you’re already doing. Add a few extra seats at your table, invite a neighbor for coffee or breakfast on Saturday morning, use your lunch time to meet with coworkers and get to know them better. If you can’t afford to go out for lunch, pack a sandwich and eat together in the break room or your office.
It can be discouraging when you want to do something and are encouraged to do something, but don’t actually know how to do something. Let's consider our schedules and see how we can use them or change them up to stir others on to love and good works.
3-Find a Partner - Jesus sent out His disciples two by two so they would not be alone. A partner can help give us courage when we are afraid to share and can help to answer questions we may not know the answers to. A partner also provides accountability so that we actually follow through on sharing the Gospel with people in our lives.
4-Go and share the gospel with others - Sometimes, we don’t do things because we don’t know how to do them, and we don’t know how to do them because no one has ever showed us. Ask a friend or someone you know who is a gifted evangelist to take you with them when they share the Gospel. Every week, Pastor Whit and Heath share Christ on the college campus. Take a day off and go with them. Ask Pastor Grant! I know he will help you find someone you can share the Gospel with. We grow by doing. What seems scary and overwhelming will become more natural as you do it more often.
5-Learn to ask good questions - Evangelism is a lot about having conversations and genuinely caring what the other person thinks and believes. We ask questions to get to know people. Listening well and asking questions about what you hear is one of the best ways to help people articulate what they believe. Our culture has become increasingly passive. We receive more than we interact with what we receive. Questions force us to wrestle with ideas and concepts. Good evangelists ask good questions. Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman is an excellent book if you are looking to grow in this area.
The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5
6-Grow in your knowledge of doctrine and common objections - One of the reasons we don’t share is that we are afraid we won’t know how to answer people’s questions. We can grow in confidence by studying apologetics or talking to people who are gifted in drawing out people's thoughts.We are commanded to know the reason for the hope we have, always being prepared to make a defense.
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
1 Peter 3:13–18
You wouldn’t show up for a work presentation without being prepared. Why would you share the Gospel unprepared when something much more valuable is at stake?
7-Invite people to the Gathering - Eighty-six percent of people who visit church come because someone asked them. What would happen if every one of our members made a goal to ask one person to come to church each week? We have 350 members. 350 times 52 weeks is 18,200 asks a year. Do not underestimate the small ways God will use to bring people to Himself.
8-Obey your Master - I can lay out all these reasons and encouragements about how to grow in your evangelism but, at its core, evangelism is simply about obedience. Jesus Christ told his followers, “to go and make disciples.”
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 2 Timothy 2:3–4
Your Commanding Officer has enlisted you to serve, so serve as a good soldier for Christ Jesus and share the Gospel with those who do not know Him. Why would you not want to obey His command? He’s not sitting at Headquarters barking out commands from Headquarters; He is on the front lines. He hasn’t just told you what to do; He has given you an example. He gave His life for you, and now He is saying, “Follow me.” Will you follow Him?
Hell is real. Everyone who does not repent and believe in Jesus will go to hell where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Fire fighters are working around the clock to contain the fires in California. If you turn on the news, you will see the destruction. But will you remember the fire of judgment that will never be contained awaiting those who reject Christ? Do not ignore the fire heading toward your front door. Do not ignore the fire heading toward your neighbor’s front door.
Hell is a terrible and awful place, and all who reject Jesus and His offer of salvation will spend eternity there. But God is patient; He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance. Jesus died for you and for all who would repent and believe in him, so that you do not have to spend eternity in hell. Each day the Lord tarries is another opportunity for us to share the message of hope and eternal life. It is another day in which we can help snatch people from the flames of hell and share the hope of the Gospel.
Jesus is a great and glorious Savior. He lived and died so we can escape the wrath of hell that is to come. Beloved, as we have been saved by His grace, I pray we would take His message of grace to our neighbors and the nations that they, too, may escape the fires of hell. I pray that our heart as a church would reflect the heart of our Savior. I pray that we would be willing to suffer shame and scorn, embarrassment and rejection, in the hopes that more and more would be saved from eternal fire to eternal life. I pray that many would say of us “It truly was an act of love because they came to me with the hope of the Savior.” Jesus is only one who saves from the eternal fire, and the amazing thing is that He wants to save us! Even though He knows every sin we have ever or will ever commit, He still says, “Follow me.” I pray that we will.