As Jesus travelled around Judaea, he met all kinds of people, many who became followers. Those who followed weren’t all respectable people though.
Amongst those was Matthew the publican (civil servant), more specifically a tax collector, a man despised by many of his fellow Jews because he worked for the occupying Imperial Roman powers.
By leaving his booth that he might dine with Jesus, Matthew was putting himself last, as he would deprive himself of income.
Jesus was happy to accept him though, to forgive him his sins and to dine with him. The Jewish establishment of the day, the Pharisees, were astounded that Jesus would eat with such ‘sinners’, without realising that they themselves were sinners instead being self-righteous.
Jesus responded by saying that he had come to save sinners. Indeed his disciples would be comprised of a tax collector who worked for the Romans, and a freedom fighting Zealot – both who were changed by Jesus’ power and who would consider themselves brothers.
How often do we think that someone is beyond saving? Yet, Jesus will save who he will save, and no one is beyond his power. Regardless of their ideology, culture, ethnicity or even attitude.
As we go through the letter to the Hebrews, we come across the main subject of the letter – Jesus our great high priest.
He is unlike any other priest, for he is God and he is man. He is able to make an offering for sin before God for he is spotless and without sin, because of this he is also able to present himself as that offering – the costliest offering, that of God the Son. He suffered everything we suffered, and then some, for none of us have ever experienced the full extent of the wrath of God, yet he was willing to take on the sin of his people and to bear the punishment due for that sin.
Yet, he is not dead, but alive and sits at the right hand of the Fath, interceding for his people. All those who have faith in him may approach the throne of God with boldness because of what he has done and because of what he is doing.
Let us not despair, but trust him completely and participate fully in this restored relationship with GOd.