Who Jesus Came For
“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” Luke 5:31-32 (NIV)
Having toddlers in my home, I feel like we’re always hit with sickness at the most inopportune moments. My girls will have the flu, and a week later, I will feel a scratchy throat and stuffy nose coming on and think no, no, no! I am well!
It seems easier sometimes just to pretend I am well, but we all know how well that plan actually works. When I’m sick, Alka-seltzer and makeup can only help for so long. Eventually, the cold takes over, and I’m forced to admit that I need rest and help and maybe a doctor.
The same is true for our sin. So often, we try to cover up the “sickness” of our hearts with smiling happy faces, or good deeds, or whatever will get people off our backs. We don’t want anyone to see that we’re actually in desperate need of a doctor for our souls because if anyone knew the real us, they’d run away and confirm all our suspicions that we really are unlovable.
But Jesus is clear in the gospel of Luke that keeping the worst parts of ourselves from Him and others is wrong. He says that just like when we’re really sick, we need a doctor, so we desperately need Jesus for our sick souls. Sin will keep us trapped and ashamed, but when we’re brave enough to admit that we are weak, Jesus lovingly meets us and offers us the only way to truly be well: salvation.
We can come to Jesus knowing He is the Good Physician. He knows our hearts already, so there’s no need to hide. He’s not bothered or grossed out by our sin; He’s not keeping His distance. In fact, our sin is what He came to take care of.