Holy Communion Matthew 9:12

 Holy Communion- Gospel -Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

   " Faith goes up the stairs that love has built, and looks out the windows which hope has opened."  Charles Spurgeon 

In today's Gospel reading we hear our Lord telling the Pharisees , " They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matthew 9:12

Then Jesus quotes from Hosea 6, " But go ye and learn what that means, ' I will have mercy and not sacrifice'"  In Hosea it continues, " and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

Jesus was critically spoken of by the Pharisees in Matthew 9 because he was eating with the publicans and sinners . He even called a tax collector as a disciple .

----Which group are we in?  Who do we associate with?  Who are our friends?  Who are we befriending?  Faith goes up the stairs that love has built, and looks out the windows which hope has opened.

---Should our Lord be our example in the lesson today from Matthew?  Our tendency is to only play with those who play with us.  We find it difficult to build avenues of approach to others.

" When important issues have to be decided, to ensure true dialogue communities and groups must learn to conduct that dialogue within the context of a passionate waiting on God. This does not mean merely beginning meetings with a time of silence, but allowing a period of silence after each one speaks so that there is opportunity to reflect on what has been said. If this seems too burdensome of a way for some, then I would suggest that discussion at least be interspersed with periods of silence, so that a deeper level may be attained from which to speak and to listen." Elizabeth O'Connor

If we are honest all of us sin a lot, and sinners we are!  We need a Great Physician for inner healing and the healing of our bodies.

Today as we meditate on the giving of Jesus' Body for us on the Cross through the Sacrament of Holy Communion, we remember all of us are sinners.  Every day and in every way.  But can be renewed and in this renewal we can live better and happier lives if we put God first and His kingdom.

Ch 29 ARP WCF.  "Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein he was betrayed, instituted the 

sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper, to be 

observed in this church unto the end of the world, for the perpetual 

remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing all 

benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual nourishment and 

growth in him, their further engagement in and to all duties which they 

owe unto him, and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with 

him, and with each other, as members of his mystical body."

---But we cannot rightly do this outside of faith,hope and love in Christ Jesus our Lord.  His precepts, His ways are now our ways , or at least we should think about how to not only have the knowledge of mercy but show it.  

Who do we need to forgive?  Who do we need to include?  Who has been left out?  Maybe we have left ourselves out.  Inner healing needed.  

I desire mercy God says and Jesus repeats.  Not sacrifice ( here he was telling the religious leaders of that day they had the worship service right but left out what was most important.  )That was people.  All people, not the ones we like only.  All need God's healing and presence.  If we draw circles and our circles leave others outside, then there is an issue.

God calls.  We need to listen .Yes there are the sinners and the righteous, ---so called.  They that are sick need a Physician. In His light, we shall see light.

We started with this and we end with it.

   " Faith goes up the stairs that love has built, and looks out the windows which hope has opened."  Charles Spurgeon