January 20, 2026

Matthew 9:9-13  (HCSB)
The Call of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him.
10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Caitlyn Pratt
In verses 9-10, Jesus sees Matthew, a despised tax collector, and invites him to be a disciple. Afterward, Matthew invites Jesus, the other disciples, and other tax collectors to dinner. When the Pharisees see Jesus eating with these people, they asked the disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scums.” Instead of responding with cruelty, anger, or even siding with the pharisees, Jesus replied by saying, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Mercy extends beyond rules. It reaches people others avoid and offers grace to those deemed unworthy. In these verses, Jesus shows that God’s mercy isn’t just for the “righteous”—it’s for anyone who’s willing to follow Him. Like Matthew, we’ve all been in a place of brokenness, but Jesus has called us by name and guided us to extend His compassion to others.