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MatT 9:9-13

9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’[a] For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

bitesize study

  1. Why do you think tax collectors like Matthew were seen as so disreputable and unlikely to follow God? Who do we tend to view similarly today?   
  2. Jesus calls Matthew to follow – and he does so without reserve. What is striking about Jesus’ authority and Matthew’s response?  
  3. What do verses 12-13 show us about Jesus’ ministry priorities? Is there anything in our heart that needs to change so our priorities are aligned with his?  

This week’s podcast is Ep 6: Hope for all the world

More about the author :

Santhosh Thomas

Santhosh is one of our pastors, with special responsibility for overseeing our small groups and various teaching and discipleship programmes. Born and raised in London, he has previously worked in churches in Oxford and Central London. He’s married to Jess and along with their three young children they enjoy sport, swings and meeting new people!

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