The Forgiveness and Fellowship Controversies

Take a few minutes to catch up, tell stories, and laugh together. Trust and friendship take time to build. If you’re launching a new DNA, one person should tell their story — what do we need to know about you? Next week, have another person in your DNA share their story.

The controversy that this story ultimately points us to is the reality of where our story intersects with those with whom Jesus encountered. The heart of the Gospel reveals an unimaginable act: Jesus, the Son of God, sacrificed Himself for sinners. The Gospel calls us to be transformed and the Gospel calls us to be merciful.
Where do you need to ask for forgiveness? Where do you need to offer mercy to those in your circle?

This passage documents a variety of encounters Jesus has with religious leaders and “sinners” alike, all having very different interactions with him along the way. Previously in Matthew, Jesus cast out demons in two possessed men. You would think the town would be happy about this, but instead the town begged him to leave. Jesus honored their request and traveled to Capernaum.

1. Matthew 9:1-13 tells us when Jesus arrives, immediately he’s approached by some men who have literally carried their paralytic friend on a stretcher TO Jesus. So, quite the contrast from those who just kicked him out of town. Here, we see men who had HEARD about Jesus’ miraculous power and - in faith - brought their friend to Jesus.There are friends in your life who might benefit from the faith you have, if you would be so bold as to invite them into it. Think of the people in your life who could benefit from hearing more about your faith. Who comes to mind that you need to intercede for?
   
   
2. Jesus does not address the physical need of the paralytic initially. It says in verse 9: “Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, ‘Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.’” You can imagine that those in the crowd were confused by this interaction, but Jesus was addressing a much larger issue: your greatest need might not be what you think it is. We often find all kinds of reasons to get frustrated with how God is or isn’t working in our lives, but the reality is, he’s ALWAYS at work. Sometimes we don’t realize that he wants to do deeper work than what we can see on the surface level - corrections to our thought lives, our affections, our loves, the little sins inour lives that keep us from experiencing intimacy with him. Think of something you have been asking God for - maybe its physical healing, more money, finding a spouse or having a child. Now, take a moment and examine your heart, is there a deeper issue that you need the Lord to address?
   
   
3. We read that Jesus is sitting around a dinner table with both tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees see this and question Jesus’ disciples - “What’s the deal with your teacher, why is he eating with tax collectors and sinners?” The whole point of Jesus’ discipleship program is to take unrefined sinners and turn them into saints. And guess what - everyone fits that category. Everyone falls short of God’s glory, so it would be impossible for Jesus to be at a table WITHOUT sinners. But the Pharisees don’t see this clearly. They think as the religious leaders and theologians of their day, that somehow they have ascended to a higher plane than the common man. So much so that they have literally kept themselves at a distance from people like Jesus’ disciples. Have you struggled with this same mindset? How do you feel about having conversations with nonbelievers?

Take time to pray with and for each other.

Enduring Word Commentary: Matthew 9