Tues., 1/9/18 Devotion (Matt. 9:13b)

Today's encouragement comes from Matthew 9:13b, where we read these words from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ:

"For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

It is intriguing that the Messiah came to earth to call and save sinners, and not “righteous,” i.e. self-righteous people. Our ordinary way of thinking—driven by our fallen flesh—is to imagine that God is interested in “good,” “re-spectable,” folk who can do the “religious" thing on their own. Based on this error, we are then tempted to think that, if we could just get "good enough," God might possibly cast a merciful eye upon us.

But none of this is the Christian gospel, at all. The gospel teaches us that Jesus came to save those who have and present *no* resources, as "pay-ment" for their sin. Christ *only* helps those who know they cannot help themselves. Let us believe this blessed truth; and enjoy the benefits of our Blessed Savior's redemption of us.

[Puritan quote of the day: "What is the glory of the times we live in, but God's face revealed in Christ?” —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]