Christ Commands

Scripture

Primary passage

Matthew 9:10–13

10 As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 13 But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Primary passage · World English Bible

The command

Hear what Jesus commands.

Learn God's desire for mercy by joining Jesus in welcoming people treated as morally or socially unworthy.

In context

Hear the whole passage.

Religious leaders criticize Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners, and He answers that the sick need a physician and that God desires mercy rather than sacrifice.

What this reveals

What this reveals about God.

Jesus forms merciful disciples who recognize their own need and move toward people who need restoration rather than protecting religious respectability.

Practice this command

Take one concrete step.

Share a meal, conversation, or practical act of welcome with someone you might normally keep at a distance, listening without treating the person as a project.

Discuss

Talk about it.

Whom are we tempted to classify as unworthy of fellowship, and what would learning mercy from Jesus change?

Pray

Pray this.

Merciful Jesus, heal our self-righteousness. Teach us to receive your mercy and extend it with truth, dignity, and welcome.

Teach

Teach it simply.

Mercy does not rename harm as good; it moves toward people as Jesus the physician does, seeking restoration instead of superiority or exclusion.

Continue in the original collection

Previous commandDo What You’ve Heard Next commandPray for Laborers

Use with someone