08: Authority – Mercy Not Sacrifice – Matthew 9:9-13

When Jesus says in Matthew 9:13 “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’” It does not mean that sacrifice is bad, it means that the scriptures are about understanding what truly separates us from God and then how to live the life of God in the world. Through the saving gift of Jesus’ death and resurrection, God is saying to His people that “I desire to show mercy to you, I do not desire to demand a sacrifice of atonement from you.” God deals with us in mercy because of His sacrifice. Jesus paid our debt to make us clean before God. Jesus restored relationship with us. Jesus wants us to live wholeheartedly for God, because God’s whole heart toward us is mercy.