There were plenty of people around Jesus this day he called Matthew who were not convinced about God’s mercy. Many would have thought God’s mercy is way out of reach for them.

Others would have been very convinced about God’s mercy because they believed they had it.

Both would have been quite sure of their place – in God’s mercy or out.

For those outside, they knew they had not sacrificed enough and sinned too big. For those inside, they had made enough sacrifices and only sinned a little.

Both are about to be shown they are wrong. God’s mercy is not dependent on how much or how little you do or how little or how big you have sinned.

As he calls Mathew Jesus speaks words of the prophet Hosea.

Hosea was speaking some home truths at the time.

The spiritual leaders are not helping.

What’s disgraceful?

The people seem to have their good moments. They say:

The Lord is not convinced.. He knows their heart better than they know themselves

God the parent decides what he will do with his fickle children who say the right things but have a track record of not being able keep their word.

Sounds hard and is. But at least the Lord says will keep speaking. He will not give up on his fickle people.

Hosea names the problem. Peoples’ hearts are usually fixated on their activity, their sacrifices, their religious observances as things that earn God’s mercy.

We seem to believe that if we pay the price we get the goods. That is how the world works. Same with God, we think. If we make the right level of sacrificing time, talent and treasure we get God’s mercy and blessing.

But the Lord says:

God desires mercy for us and through us way above outward merciless religious observance and perfect knowledge.

“Save the sheep and the bulls and the pigeons and grain and the endless study. They are not how my mercy is earned. Mercy is never earned. Mercy is only ever given”.

But, this is so hard to trust when everything in us and around us works the dead opposite.

So God has to cut us to pieces by his Word. Something in us needs to be killed for us to know the mercy-heart of the Lord for us each day, regardless of whatever sacrifices and observances we are making or not making.

What needs to be ‘cut to pieces’ in you this morning? Is it,

• This heart of mine that always seems to believe that I must do all the sacrifice before I ever get the mercy?
• This heart of mine that seems fixed on the sacrifices I am making, not the mercy God is freely giving: on the outward behaviour I am doing above actually just trusting that God’s mercy extends all the way to me every day?

Jesus knows there are two kinds of people around him – the people who believe themselves to be righteous or in God’s mercy, and those who believe they could never be.

Shockingly, he says he is here for only one group of people!

He is not here to call the ‘good people’. He is here to call only the ‘bad people’.

Hmmm. Who are the good people and the bad people?

I suspect we all have a view on this.

There are good people and bad people and of course, I am in the ‘good people’ camp.

I am in the good people group because I am good. I am doing all the necessary sacrificing. I serve the church, I serve the community, I give up things for my family, I pray, I read my bible, I come to church, I am nice to people, I ……

Because I am doing all the good I can tap into the power that runs everything behind all of our lives.

And as long as I keep making the sacrifices, I can be assured that I am closer to getting blessed and being approved of.

The good people only do little sins. It is the bad people that do the big ones.

Bad people do corruption and sexual sin and fail morally for us all to see. Good people only do accidental sins or small sins like do too much personal photocopying on the work copier or sometimes getting angry and saying some damaging words or thinking bad thoughts or sometimes speeding or not getting to church or doing my devotion or praying enough or …..

But as long as I keep my nose relatively clean and keep up all my sacrifices to people and God (if I am a Christian) –  I will stay in the ‘good person’ category, and maybe I will be blessed, accepted, and belong. If I keep up the sacrifices and the knowledge I might have success. God might bless me. In fact, he has to, because he says he is merciful.

But with this belief comes a flip side that anything but good. Because I am doing good to be good and blessed, I will most likely believe that it is unfair that less diligent, tolerant, nice people are being blessed – that they often seem to be having a better life than me. It is not fair. I might be angry about that.

Angry at who? Those underserving bad people with big sins on show, and probably God. Because, you see, all the sacrifice you are making to enjoy the mercy of God does not seem to work. Often God is not seeming to give you that mercy-filled life, and sometimes even not as much as those bad people!

Can you see where this is going?

We can easily forego the beautiful mercy of the Lord by trying to put him in our debt – as if God owes me for all my hard work, sacrifice, and good behaviour.

When our only focus is ourselves, what we are doing, how much we are sacrificing, how much we know and etc…. We will probably have a lot of worry, anxiety, and a latent anger – especially when life is not quite working out like I think it should. Then we will believe that God is holding out and be angry about that.

But then comes Jesus calling Matthew …

Who is the ‘bad person’ with ‘big sins’ in this moment of which Matthew speaks. Him! Matthew is the hated tax-collector – definite bad person doing big sins for all to see.

Of all people present, who does Jesus call? Matthew – worst bad person, big sin person in town!

Talk about ‘cutting us to pieces’!

The good people who thought they already had it all because of their many sacrifices, their outstanding religious observances and scriptural knowledge would have been just a tad cut up at this reckless show of mercy given to the wrong person!

The bad people present would have never thought they would ever get mercy from God like Matthew just did.

The bad people cannot believe the mercy of God is for them. Good news! The good people are upset that their sacrifice and knowledge does not equate to equal mercy. Bad news!

They have to ask….

Because:

Wonderful word for anyone here who knows they are in the bad people with big sins group.

Very upsetting for the good people here who only ever do small sins. All my sacrificing, all my bible knowledge, all my service in the church and the community and in the family don’t earn a morsel of God’s mercy.

Which are you this morning?

Bad person with big sins and terminal sickness jumping for joy at the goodness and mercy of God in Jesus who calls you into his mission, or good person in good health with only little sins now upset with God for giving all the underserving people such mercy and rendering all your sacrifice secondary?

Friend, your hard work and good behaviour do not earn his mercy. He just gifts you his mercy.

God does not owe you mercy but gives you all mercy and kindness in the giving of his suffering Son.

What you are sacrificing does not earn you this mercy. What you are sacrificing is the good and right response to his giving of such staggering mercy in Jesus. Just ask Matthew!

Look away from your sacrifices – they are keeping you in the old. Always feeling upset. Having this latent anger at people for having a better life than you and angry at God for not paying up to your liking. They are a source of worry, anxiety, anger, doubt …

Look at mercy. Look at Matthew. God really wants all of you so he can give all himself to you and you his mercy to his world.

Discussion Questions

“I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice”

1. Opening / Connecting

1. When you hear the word “mercy,” what do you instinctively associate it with — failure, forgiveness, weakness, relief, gratitude?
2. Which do you find easier to trust: effort leads to reward, or gift given freely? Why?

2. Engaging the Sermon (Understanding)

1. The sermon describes two groups around Jesus:
   • those who think they are too sinful for mercy
   • those who think they are secure because of their sacrifices Which group do you think Jesus is most confronting in this passage?
2. Why do you think Jesus deliberately quotes Hosea 6:6 when calling Matthew?
3. What is so shocking — even offensive — about Jesus calling Matthew rather than someone else?

3. Going Deeper (Self‑Examination)

1. The sermon suggests that sacrifice can quietly become a way of putting God in our debt.
   • Where might this show up in your own faith life?
2. Which of these do you recognise more in yourself?
   • Feeling unworthy of mercy
   • Feeling entitled to mercy
   • Or moving between both?
3. The sermon speaks about God’s Word “cutting us to pieces.”
   • What belief about God or yourself might need to be cut away?

4. Gospel Reflection

1. Jesus says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
   • Why is this comforting for some and upsetting for others?
2. How does looking at Matthew’s call help shift focus away from our sacrifices and onto Christ’s mercy?
3. The sermon says: “Mercy is never earned. Mercy is only ever given.”

• What changes in us when we truly believe that?

5. Living It Out (Application)

1. How might trusting mercy instead of sacrifice change:

• the way you pray?
• the way you see others?
• the way you handle failure?

1. What might it look like this week to look away from your sacrifices and look toward mercy?
2. Who in your life might assume they are too far gone for God’s mercy — and how does this passage challenge that belief?

6. Closing Reflection

1. If Jesus were to sit at your table this week, what would He be gently challenging — your guilt, or your self‑confidence?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, free us from trusting our sacrifices.
Cut away what keeps us from trusting Your mercy.
Call us again, as You called Matthew.
Amen.

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