* Sermon *

http://english.watv.org/

The world of the righteous and the world of sinners

2. Jesus came to call sinners

Jesus said that He came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matt. 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

In the world of the righteous, people say: "I am not to blame. This happened because of your fault." But in the world of sinners, they say: "This might not have happened if I had cared a little more. It is all my fault. I'm so sorry. Forgive me."

'I am not wrong. The fault lies only with you.' This causes a trouble in the church and discord between its members. When we realize that we are sinners and think-'I am to blame for all; it happened because of me,' then our faith becomes made complete and we can do the will of God. When we live a life of sinners, we can save many souls by the will of God who came to call sinners.

Matt. 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Matt. 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

It is sinners who need to repent. If we eagerly hope for heaven, we should know that we are sinners. And not only the original sin which we committed in heaven but also all the sins we committed in this world by pretending to be righteous, we must repent.

God has told us to repent because the kingdom of heaven is near. In the new year, let's repent by dismissing it from our thought that we are the righteous.