Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

 Good morning. Picking up where we left off: some of the scribes said to themselves, “this fellow blasphemes.” Just imagine the headlines if the main stream media had been around in those days. Throughout His time of ministry Jesus could do nothing right in some peoples’ eyes. Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “rise, and walk”? If you say “your sins are forgiven”, who will know whether or not that statement is fulfilled? But if you say rise and walk, the man better rise and walk or everyone will know you are a fake. “But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins – rise, take up your bed, and go home.” If Jesus were an evil person, how could He heal the man? The multitudes approved, though the scribes did not. As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax office. (remember that Matthew wrote this) Someone has pointed out that Jesus saw a man, not a tax gatherer. Everyone else saw a traitor to his people. What did Jesus do – throw rocks at him? No, He said to “follow Me”. Jesus then went to Matthew’s house to have dinner with him and Matthew’s friends. Being a tax gatherer, Matthew had no respectable friends. Of course that got the Pharisees stirred up. Here Jesus was eating with sinners. Even today in some peoples’ eyes if you don't believe the way they do, you are a terrible person. Jesus told them that healthy people don't need a doctor, but the sick do. He did not come to save the “righteous”, but the sinners. Father thank You that You not only care about what is most important – our souls – but also about our physical well-being. Heal the reader completely.