The God of Hastings Street

Matthew 9:9-17  

The Calling of Matthew

 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Through Matthew, who I wrote about last week, I was able to meet a group of people who minister on Hastings Street. It is quite awesome to see the various backgrounds of those who either directly or indirectly belong to this ministry. Last night I was able to join them and worship in one of their community gatherings (every Tuesday night). One of the men who is a resident missionary is a former alcoholic and crack addict. I asked him to share his testimony with me and he did. I had to wipe tears away at one point as he told of his life and how God had delivered him from his bondage. When he finished telling, he made sure that I understood that the story that he told was not his testimony but God's. I asked him later if he would mind if I video taped his testimony so that I could share it with other believers and he said that he would be happy to. I hope to be able to share it with you soon.

After we talked some more, I discovered that this ministry had not only helped pull between 20 and 25 people off the street but is doing so by the means of a saving relationship with the Lord. One of the young men, Bobby (not his real name) who was visiting this group last night was a new believer who had also been enslaved to the drug culture of Hastings Street. He had gone into a drug treatment facility and ran into another man who was there recovering. This other man was one of the 20-25 and he is the one who introduced Bobby to our Father.

My joy in God has increased all the more. To see His love for the unlovable being reflected through obedient saints and then seeing the fruit of genuine conversion humbles me to my core. In reference to the passage in Matthew above, John MacArthur described Matthew as the " major sinner...  (and) unequivocally the vilest, most wretched sinner in Capernaum" before he was called by God. Then we see the Pharisees, the legalistic, religious leaders of the Jews who were supposedly godly who were not able to see their need for Jesus. They only needed their rules and regulations that made them dependent on their own good works.   

It is amazing how I identify with the Pharisees, in that it is so difficult to want to associate with the Matthews of the world. It is easier for me to sit at home or staying in my own sterile environment. As I walk the streets of Hastings I repeatedly see "the vilest and most wretched sinners". These are people who I have to continually remind myself that I am no different from and that we are invited to sit at the same table. I also have to remind myself that their sins are no greater than the ones that I commit. 

I too was imprisoned into a world of hatred; a world of hatred not only to mankind but ultimately and most dreadfully, hatred towards God. I was consumed with self interest and idols that captured my desires, desires that were intended to be directed towards God. Though my idols were not needles nor were they crack pipes, they nevertheless were just as powerful in that they were capturers of my worship. They were objects of my lust, objects such as money, prestige and winning to name a few. Praise God for brining me low. How great is the love the Father has lavished on me, that I should be called His child.

 

Please pray that God would continue to show His greatness by healing the death that so permeates this vile, wretched place. May we all act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. 

To Him be the glory ALONE.