21 "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
I am reminded of the promises of the verses penned by Isaiah:
3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:3-6 (NIV)
As Jesus Himself stated:
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matt 9:10-13 (NIV)
Our Savior demonstrated over and over again that His ministry was directed toward those who realized they had a need. This is a great question for us as well. Do we realize that we have a need? Have we come face to face with the reality of our own sinful nature?
Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us. Charles Spurgeon
The Pharisees did not think that they were sinners (sick) so consequently they did not seek the Lord (the Great Physician) for healing. One must come to the realization of their cavernous need for a Savior (healing) before they will ever seek the Physician. When one is filled with their own self-sufficiency, self-righteousness and “grandeur” or “overwhelming worth” the awareness of a Savior is the furthest thing from their mind. It is reminiscent of the Church of Laodicea of which Jesus writes:
17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Rev 3:17-18 (NIV)
While clad in expensive beautiful array, dripping in gold, the Laodicean’s were oblivious to their dire need of the white clothes of righteousness to cover their nakedness and the special salve for their eyes to open their spiritually blind ones. Ignorant of their own depravity, they needed a wakeup call – a strong call of the trumpet!
8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 1 Cor 14:8 (NIV)
“I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.” John Newton
Fortunately for us all we have a Savior that took up all of our iniquities and nailed them to a tree. He healed us by His wounds, His punishment brought us peace. They only thing that will keep us from Him is when we are filled with our own self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. The prophet Isaiah tells us:
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV)
"In the gospel we discover that we are far more wicked than we ever dared believe, yet more loved than we ever dared hope." Tim Keller
The writer of Hebrews states in chapter 12:
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Heb 12:12-13 (NIV)