For many of us the start of the new year brings the thought of new accomplishments. However, this may require a radical change from last year. This is where we find Jesus in Matthew Chapter 9, verses 10-13:

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.’ ^v For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew had just accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow him. This was probably not Matthew’s first encounter with Jesus. But, on this day, he encountered Jesus for himself and he accepted His invitation. This was no small feat because, as a tax collector, Matthew had a very lucrative job with a steady income stream and benefits. To accept this invitation was radical, because Matthew would have to leave his job. But, once he began to follow Jesus, he never turned back. In fact, he had a radical celebration at his home.

The purpose of this radical celebration was for Matthew to share his radical change with others. Notice the people he invited to the radical celebration. He invited the tax collectors, who were Roman government employees detested by the Jews on account of their employment and exploitation. He invited known sinners, specifically those who opposed God and His will. Not only did he invite them to see Jesus and His disciples, they all ate together. This was uncommon in that day for the sinners and righteous to share the same table. Jesus had no such misgivings; he displayed his unconditional acceptance and impartiality by participating in this meal.

By keeping company with people like this, Jesus was doing something which the pious people of His day would never have done. Of course, the Pharisees protested this behavior. These men were the observants of ritual purity laws. They were particularly scrupulous about their special rules on eating and did not like to eat with less scrupulous people, especially people like tax collectors and sinners. The self-disciplined and religious are sometimes the most judgmental and censorious. A judgmental and censorious spirit does more harm to people than any other single thing.

Here they assume that Jesus, being a wise teacher, ought to share their religious convictions, which they believed were scriptural. In the minds of the Pharisees, for Jesus to share a meal with these types of persons indicates that he condones their behavior.

But Jesus’ calling, required mercy to all people regardless of their standing with God and not just sacrifices as an act of religious piety. Now, sacrifices are wanted by God, but they are not enough. A person can make sacrifice after sacrifice and still not please God. What pleases God is for a person to commit their life to Him. God wants a right relationship with you and He wants you. Therefore, in 2019, this is the first radical change you need to make if you want 2019 to be a better year than last year. Then as this radical change happens, share it with some of your unbelieving friends by having a radical celebration. Enjoy 2019!