in your copy of God's Word to Mark 2. And we'll be reading verses 13-17. It's a very familiar passage of Scripture. And what I'd like to do with it during the Sunday school hour this morning is to look at it three different perspectives. I want us to read the passage and then look at it as an example of how we are to interact with unbelievers. Secondly, I want us to draw three lessons from this particular passage. One is how are we to think about unbelievers? What does the Bible really say about what an unbeliever is? What does God think about unbelievers? How are we to think about unbelievers? How are we to interact with unbelievers? And then, what are we to expect as a result of our interaction with unbelievers? And then finally, I have just a few closing exhortations in this regard. Now, this morning, since this is Sunday school, I have a little more freedom to be able to have this more as a teaching hour. And what I would like to do is not only to hopefully affect your heart, but I want us to focus on the effect of our minds this morning, because many times the way we think is the way we act. So what I want to do is focus on how we are to think about these things. And I've entitled this lesson this morning, Sitting with Sinners or Interacting with unbelievers, and I think that this passage in Mark is a fitting text for us. So, Mark 2, verse 13. Then he went out again, and he's speaking here of Jesus. And all the multitude came to him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, Follow me. So he arose and followed him. Now it happened, as he was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and his disciples. For there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners? Now when Jesus heard it, he said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Now, as I stated a moment ago, I want to do a couple of things here. First of all, I want to look at this passage as an example. And as we look at this particular text of scripture, I want you to notice it from at least two perspectives. First of all, what were the examples that Matthew or Levi has put forth for us? And then what is the example of our Lord as he sat with sinners and as he conversed with the Pharisees? So look again at verse number 13. As he went again out by the sea, and all the multitude came to him, he taught them. Now we need to be reminded that in this area near the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum, Jesus did quite a bit of teaching and instruction, and there were many that listened to him and followed him. And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office. Now, we all know that Levi or Matthew was a tax collector working for the Roman government. And when Jesus saw him, he said to Matthew, follow me. Now, this tax office literally is a place of toll, and it's a place in the direct line for traders traveling from Damascus. And it would have been a convenient spot for the receipt of duties of shipping and taxing. And, you know, much hasn't changed today. Anything that crosses borders, anything that transitions through a freight stream, Someone's paying. Someone's paying freight. Someone's paying duty. Someone's collecting taxes. It's no different today with our government. This continues to happen even today. And even today, many of us don't have real good views of what it means to be a tax collector. How many of you have friends that work at the IRS that you're real close to? It's just not a job where we say, oh, I want to grow up and be a tax collector. Right? It's not one of those things that we really enjoy. And we have this negative connotation about what a tax collector is. And we're going to talk about that more in just a moment. Now, it's observable that in Matthew chapter nine, in verse nine, which is the corresponding gospel text in relation to this one, Matthew calls himself or describes himself a man named Matthew. And in St. Luke and in St. Mark, he's called Levi. Now, I think it's obvious that the same person here is in mind. And it's most likely that his original name was Levi. But however, upon his call to be an apostle, he received a new name, that of Matthew. Now, this word Matthew means the gift of Jehovah. The gift of Jehovah. And you can see how it applies. Follow me. Jesus says, me, that is whom you have already heard preaching the gospel of the kingdom in Capernaum and confirming it by many miracles, particularly if you'll be reminded of the healing of the paralytic. So when Jesus walks by and sees Matthew at the tax booth and he says, follow me, It's not the first time that Matthew has seen Jesus, or it's not the first time he's heard Jesus' teaching. It's not the first time he's seen Jesus perform miracles. This is not just all of a sudden Jesus comes walking by, sees Matthew sitting there and says, hey, come on and follow me. And without reason, without cause, without anything, Matthew just gets up and goes. No, he's heard His teaching. He has seen Him perform the miracles. He has seen the crowds respond to His authority. Now, our Lord called Matthew, again, who was already aware of the Lord's miracles. But what's important is that he obeyed. He obeyed. And then we see this, the condescension of Christ, as He calls Matthew, the publican or the tax collector, who on that account was hated by the Jews, and in their opinion was unworthy of God's grace. But yet Jesus chose him to be one of his followers, not only to be one of his followers, but a friend and an apostle and an evangelist. And if you think about the future, his writings become a chronicle of his master's life and teachings and the writer of a treatise which stands first in the New Testament. And under some accounts, many believe, as I studied this out, that this volume of Scripture has been more widely circulated and read than any other composition in any language ever spoken by man. Now, that may have changed in recent years with some increased production, but that was true, if not in the recent past. Now, as we look back on the call of Matthew, those watching the event could never have guessed the importance of what was taking place right before their very eyes. So if you think about the scene, here's Matthew at his booth collecting taxes. Maybe his men were lined up to pay. Here comes Jesus walking by, a man that would have been very familiar to Matthew. And he says, Matthew, Levi, follow me. Matthew gets up, leaves his place of occupation, and he begins to follow the Lord. Now, those watching that scene never could have imagined what would have taken place from that point forward. Matthew becoming a chronicler of the master's life, Matthew becoming the great evangelist, Matthew writing the gospel that is spread across the entire world that is still read today and still drawing men to the Savior. Now this narrative yields very important lessons, whether we consider the actions of Levi himself or we study the language of our Lord Jesus, but they both help in our obedience to follow the Master. Now it has been urged by some regarding the truth of Christianity that the first disciples followed Christ blindly, as though they would have followed without reason anyone who would have called them. But they were not men that acted upon mere impulse and without reason. The miracles they witnessed no doubt produced an impression upon them. And we may reasonably suppose that their moral faculties perceived the majesty of deity shining through the countenance of the Son of God. So they heard what He had to say. They saw the instruction with authority. They witnessed the miracles. They saw the paralytic healed. They saw those that were blind given sight, those that could no longer hear to hear, that couldn't speak to speak. They saw these things. And not only did they see the miracles, they saw the countenance of the deity of the Father shining through the Son. So it wasn't just a random act of obedience to follow. They truly knew who they were following, or at least they had some sense of the glory of God upon the Son. And as the flower is turned toward the sunlight, so Christ drew Matthew and others to Himself. And by this attractive power, He communicated His graces and His virtues to them. things such as his ardent love of God and the Father, his contempt of the world, and his burning zeal for the salvation of souls. Graces and virtues we would do well to observe in our lives this day. Now notice with me verse 15. Now it happened, as he was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also ate together or sat together with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they followed him. Now, Levi made a great feast in his house. From this, it appears that Matthew at once marked the occasion of his calling by inviting his associates. Now, who were Matthew Levi's associates? Publicans, tax collectors and sinners. And he did this that they, too, may be won by the example and teaching of Christ and they might be in like manner led to follow him. Good is ever diffusive in and of itself, is it not? And Christian love prompts those who have experienced it to draw others to the same fountain of mercy. Truth seeks to draw others to that truth. It is interesting that we find tax collectors and sinners constantly associated together. For although there is nothing necessarily unlawful in the office of a tax gatherer, yet since men frequently followed that calling because it offered the opportunity for fraud and extortion, hence the publicans were, generally speaking, odious to the Jews and regarded as nothing better than sinners. A word of warning here, I think, to those beginning their career journey. I think it's important that we seek wisely our profession. So that is not one that will lead us into temptations that you may not be able to easily withstand. How much will one make is not the driving factor in our career decisions, but rather the ability to work in such a way that pleases God and strengthens our soul. Now don't misunderstand what I'm suggesting here. I think it's important that we drive our careers to make sufficient amount of funds to care for our families and provide for those in need. But many times when you talk with young men and you seek to understand what it is they want to do with their lives, many times jobs are chosen based on the salaries that can be made. And many times the jobs that generate a lot of salary are jobs that would lead us into tempting situations that cause for compromise. Not in all circumstances, but we must be careful. Just as the tax gatherer job itself is not something that is unlawful, but generally those that are associated in that particular day with that office were given to fraud and things of this nature to increase their own pockets. So it's important that we keep that in mind as we seek to find our career path. A couple of additional notes here regarding Matthew. Notice, first of all, that he was a man that was willing to forsake a lucrative occupation in order to follow Christ. He was a man that was willing to forsake a lucrative occupation in order to follow Christ. Tax collectors had a good job from that perspective. They made good money. They had a lot of it and opportunity to gain more. And Matthew, when he was called by our Lord and the Lord said, follow me, he was willing to give up that lucrative occupation and follow the Master who said he would have no place to lay his head. Now, I think it's also important for us to understand that if Matthew was at the point where he was willing to follow our Lord, the moment he said, follow me, Matthew had had to have taken some time previous to this to ensure he was under the instruction and teaching of our Lord. Again, I've already stated Matthew just didn't out of the blue get up and say, I'm going to follow him. He had heard his teaching. He had witnessed the miracles. He understood what was going on. He had noticed the countenance of God shining through the Son of Man. So in order to do this, previously Matthew would have had to have taken time away from his job in order to go and hear the instruction. I think it's important, particularly that men be reminded that their careers and their jobs are not all there is. and that we need to take time away from the profession that God has given us so that we can be under the instruction and the teaching of our Master. Because when Jesus comes then and says, follow Me, in whatever particular event He would have us to follow Him, we're prepared for it. If we continually work at nothing but our lucrative professions, when Jesus walks by and He says, obey Me, or follow Me, Are we going to have the will and desire to do it? More than likely, no. But Matthew had taken the time, not only when Jesus called him, but previously to go and sit under his teaching. Then, when called, he was ready to attend upon the prophet of Nazareth. Like us, we need to attend on the prophet And we cannot attend on the prophet if we are not spending time in his graces and with his people and under the instruction of his word. So a man seeking to leave his occupation is the first thing. Secondly, we notice that Levi is a man using his social influence to bring his companions under the teaching of the Savior. The party had a purpose. And it was not just to party, but to invite people to meet Jesus. It might be the only way this class of people would be brought into contact with the Great Teacher. How well it is that those who have the means of doing so should use their hospitality for benevolent and truly Christian purposes. To bring together those who need and those who are prepared to impart some spiritual blessing. and should thus instrumentally bring together the sinner and the Savior. And I ask you this question. Does this reflect your life? Do you have the means to bring together those that are sinners or unbelievers with those that are ready and willing to impart to them spiritual blessings? Do you have the means? Are you using those means to bring those two people together? Does this reflect your life? And I ask it in this way, and this is what has really been driving me this week as I've thought about this. Who sits at your table? Who sits at your table? Is it only saints that sit at your table? Is your home constantly open to the brethren of the community of faith? That's a good thing. Is it nice to have saints sitting around your table? It is. It's a glorious thing. God has commanded it of us. But I ask you, how often is the unbeliever sitting at your table? How often is your home opened up for those that are in need of the Savior to come and to meet with those who can impart spiritual blessings to them? Who is it that sits at your table? Now, you'll notice verse 16, the Pharisees didn't miss this opportunity. Here's Matthew. lucrative occupation, having been under the ministry of our Lord, watching and listening to his teaching, noticing the miracles, seeing the countenance of God and the authority that was upon him, giving up a lucrative career. When Jesus said, follow me, he begins to follow. And then as a celebration of the event, he invites all his associates over to his home for a great feast. Sinners, unbelievers, tax collectors, associates, those that the Jews would have thought just odious and contemptible. And he brings them into his home, and Jesus comes and He sits with them at the table, or at the feast. Now, the Pharisees and the scribes, of course, did not sit down with them at the feast, but I'm sure some of them had probably found their way into the chamber of the house where the feast was being conducted, and where they could comment freely on what was going on. and condemn our Lord's conduct as inconsistent with His character, or at least inconsistent with the character in their opinion. They could not comprehend how someone who would violate the Word of God and the teachings of the elders by living and sitting and eating and feasting with sinners would have anyone to follow him. They can't comprehend how someone who would not follow the tradition of the elders, by being with sinners, would have sinners actually follow him. Because he can't be righteous, why would they want to follow him? And they're discussing this. And it's as if they said, by this conduct, he transgresses the law of God and the tradition of the elders. Why then do these people sit with him? Why do you see Him as righteous when what He does is so unrighteous? So you have to kind of picture the scene. Here's the feast taking place in Levi's house, and the Pharisees maybe coming in just far enough into the chamber of the home, maybe in the foyer, and watching the feast and what was going on. And here's Levi and all his friends. And Jesus sitting with them, and the Pharisees discussing this and trying to comprehend how someone so unrighteous could draw these men unto Himself. And they're discussing these things. And you notice in this Christ's complete disregard and defiance of the public opinion. And He does this in two ways. Notice how He selects His disciples and His apostles. What kind of men does He choose? lowly men, obscure men, despised men, men of labor, these kinds of men, tax collectors, sinners. These are who he chose as his friends and his disciples. Look at who he chose to have as companionship in social intercourse that he would eat with tax collectors and sinners. excited the surprise and hatred of the scribes and the Pharisees who accounted the common people as accursed. And, you know, it excites them still today. I wonder how often church folk talk about those who sit at your table or who you share your conversations with. I wonder sometimes if you were to invite to your home for dinner someone you work with that was of a effeminate nature. Let's suppose you found out that I worked with a man that was effeminate, let's say. Let's say he had his mind a little twisted and he liked men more than he liked women. And I invited him home for dinner. And I let him sit at my table with my wife and my children and eat my food and drink my sweet tea. I wonder how many of those that call themselves the children of God would find themselves somewhat offended by that, to say, he let who come into his house? Or I wonder if he would be just as offended if I allowed someone that was a unknown fornicator or an adulterer to sit at our table, or was a thief or a robber or whatever other name you want to give it regarding the violation of the commandments of God. I challenge you to be careful in your thinking. Just like the Pharisee, we need to make sure that as God's people, we are not condemning those who are seeking to do the Lord's will by sitting and eating with unbelievers. Now, there is a note of caution here. It is not well to be a companion of fools. Let me say that very clearly. It is not well to be a companion of fools. Yet there are occasions upon which the mature and established Christian does well to seek the company of the ignorant and the debased with the view of introducing and of elevating them by the gospel of salvation. So there's a difference between being a companion of fools In other words, hanging out with those that are in violation of God's law and care nothing for God in order to have friendship and then in order to be with Him, in order to share with Him the Gospel. It's a huge difference. And it's important that we remember that. And I ask you again, who sits at your table? Now, Jesus heard these things that the Pharisees were discussing and He said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician. Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Now as the physician is not affected by the disease of the patient, but rather overcomes that disease and drives it from the patient, So it is not disgrace, but rather honor to the physician to associate himself with the sick. And so much more, the greater sickness. So you see, a physician that sees the sickness and is able to drive that sickness from the patient receives honor and not disgrace. To cure a cold is commendable. but to cure cancer, that's extraordinary. To operate on a foot or to put a cast on toes is one thing, but to drill into the skull of a human being and perform surgery on the brain is quite another. And I think many of us, if we say, And this is no disrespect to doctors or anything else, but if we, or let's pick on engineers. So if I have an engineer that builds a remote control car, well that's pretty exciting, right? But if I have an engineer that builds the highest building in the world, which one are we going to be more in awe of? You know, the guy building the tall building. And it's the same thing with physicians. They are not disgraced by being around the greater illness. It brings them more honor to be around the greater illness, particularly when they bring healing. It is though Christ said, I who am sent from heaven by the Father to be the physician of the souls of sinners, am not defiled by their sins and spiritual diseases when I converse with them, but rather I cure and I heal them which is a light for my glory and for their good, and so much more the greater their sins." So you see, the Lord is not affected by the disease of those He seeks to cure. And the greater the disease, the greater the sin, the greater the glory. For Jesus says, I am a physician of sinners. I am not their companion. I am the physician of sinners, not their companion. Now, notice the contrast, though, of what he says to the Pharisees. But you, O scribes and Pharisees, are not the physicians, but the companions of sinners. And so you are contaminated. Notice the contrast. Jesus is the physician. Therefore, he's not contaminated by the sin of the disease, for he's there to cure them. However, the Pharisees are not the physician. They are the companion of sinners. Therefore, they are contaminated by the disease themselves, are incapable, therefore, of bringing healing and cure to the sinner. The Pharisee wants to be thought righteous and holy. And therefore, Jesus says, I do not associate with you because you are in no need of a physician. And your insincerity and your hypocrisy are an offense to me. You notice the contrast? You see the difference? Christ had a reason for acting as he did. That is, eating and feasting with the unbelievers. Jesus recognized men's spiritual need. To the scribes, the guests at Levi's house were simply contemptible sinners. But to the Holy Lord, they were the spiritually sick. He saw their need. He saw the mark of death upon them and was with them to cure their disease and to heal their souls, which must be our driving concern as we meet with unbelievers, to introduce them to the great physician. As Jesus sought to do, we must, as his ministers, do the same. Jesus asserted his own power to heal and to save and to bless. He is the divine physician and who alone is help and hope for all man. Bad as was the case of the sinners at that table, it was not beyond the power and skill and the kindness of our Lord to cure them. He had purposes of mercy and power to save. And notice that from the ranks of sinners, Jesus won over many to be soldiers of righteousness. From the tax-collecting booths and the dens of iniquity of that day, He drew forth many who, after being restored to spiritual health, became in turn amongst those, their fellow sinful men, ministers to minds diseased." Jesus draws those that are sick. He cures them. He heals them. He saves them and cleanses them. And then what does He do? He makes them ministers to the deceased mind of their fellow men. And they go forth and introduce those to the Savior. Are you a minister to minds deceased? Who sits at your table? Let preachers and teachers of the gospel regard none as so base in condition or so depraved in character as to be beyond the power of Christ to save. We need to be reminded that it's not the homosexual, it's not the fornicator, it's not the murderer, it's not the thief, it's not the liar, it's not the prideful, it's not the mournful, it's not those that got it all together who are too far outside of the love of Christ. Many of us forget the condition in which God found us. What were you like before Christ came? What were you like before the physician laid his healing hands upon you? Do you remember those days? Do you really remember those days? It's not all of us that were raised in a Christian home. There are many sitting here this morning, as I look at your faces and know your testimonies, that you were like these people. You were like the tax collector sitting at the feast. Remember, do not forget where God has taken you from and what a glorious work He has done in your life. Do not forget that God's power can overcome. Let those who are humbled beneath the sense of sin and ill-desert be encouraged to come to Jesus, who will both welcome them into their presence and confer upon them all the priceless blessings of eternal life. Now, in the moments that we have left, what I'd like to do now is take a look at a couple of ways that we are to think. And first of all, I want us to ask the question, how are we to think about unbelievers? Now that we've kind of set the stage for what took place, how are we to think about unbelievers? What should be going through our mind when we deal with unbelievers? Well, I think the first thing is we need to ask, what does God think about them? What does God think about them? In Genesis chapter 1, we read these words, Then God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, He created him. Male and female, He created them. And then in Genesis chapter 9, whoever sheds man's blood, by man's blood shall he be said, for in the image of God he made man. We, all men, are made in the image of God. And we would do well to remember this. When we look at an unbeliever, or someone who doesn't hold to the truth and lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our very first image should not be how debased they are, how wicked they are, how in violation of God's law they are. Our very first impulse and response should be as we look at them as they are made in the image of God. They are made in the image of God. And how your thoughts and how your heart and how your actions will change when you look at someone is made in the image of God. But we know that man sinned against God and fell into a state of sin. And this sin made man what we call totally depraved. Total depravity as a doctrine or a teaching is the fallen state of man as a result of original sin, or that sin committed in Adam. The doctrine of total depravity asserts that people are by nature not inclined to love God wholly with their mind, heart, and strength. They don't love God as God requires, but rather are inclined to serve their own interests over those of their neighbor and to reject the rule of God. And I think if you even think about it, religion, defined as it is today, and philanthropy are destructive to the extent that these originate from a human imagination, passions, and will. In Reformed theology, we believe that God, as a result of this condition, must predestine individuals into salvation since man is incapable of choosing God on their own. Total depravity, and I bring this up because it's important that we understand what we think about unbelievers. Total depravity does not mean, however, that people are as evil as possible. Rather, it means that even the good which a person may intend is faulty in its premise, false in its motives, and weak in its implementation. And there is no mere refinement of natural capacities that can correct this condition. Thus, even acts of generosity and altruism are in fact egoist acts in disguise. Any person can do outwardly good works, but those works come from a heart that hates God, and therefore fail to meet God's righteous standard. Nonetheless, this doctrine teaches us optimism concerning God's love for what He has made and God's ability to accomplish the ultimate good that He intends for His creation. And that's evidenced by the fact that the Lord Himself sat and ate with unbelievers. For what purpose? To heal them. To save them. To forgive them. So there is hope even in this understanding. Now, I think there's a number of passages in the Bible that suggest this particular doctrine. And I want to read several of them, and again, I read them so that as you are hearing the Word of God, you're reminded of it in this context. What is it that God thinks about the unbeliever? God is laying for us a picture of what we are to believe regarding what He thinks about the unbeliever. So first of all, keep in mind, they are created in the image of God. as we have previously stated. They are depraved in their nature, and this is how they think. This is from Genesis 6. The Lord saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And then a couple of passages from the Psalms. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. The wicked are estranged from the womb. They go astray from birth, speaking lies. And then in Ecclesiastes chapter 7, Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. And a very familiar passage in Jeremiah chapter 17, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Who can understand it? Or desperately wicked. Who can understand it? And then from the Gospel of Mark in the seventh chapter, for from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things, all these things, evil things, come from within and they defile a person. And John, writing in the third chapter of his Gospel, says, this is the judgment. The light has come into the world, and people love the darkness rather than the light, because why? Their deeds are evil. But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not believe and who it was who would betray Him. And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him by the Father. Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. None is righteous, no not one. No one understands, no one seeks for God. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So you see, in summary, we find that man's heart is evil. Man's heart is sick. Man's heart is a slave to sin. Man does not seek after God. Man cannot understand spiritual things. Man is at enmity with God. And man is by nature a child of wrath. We need to understand these things as we sit with unbelievers at our table. First of all, God made them in His image. But man has sinned. and separated himself from God. And he thinks wrongly. He acts wrongly. He behaves wrongly. The intensivist hearts are wrong. We need to understand that as we interact with unbelievers. Yes, they are made in the image of God. And yes, they are going to behave as they are set up to behave in their nature. Don't be surprised by that. That is who they are. This is what God says about man. Now, what do men think about men? And I want to hit this in two parts. First of all, what do men think about themselves initially? And then what do men think about themselves as the spirit begins to work in their life? And I think it's important that I bring this into perspective at this point, because as we begin to sit with unbelievers, As we begin to interact with unbelievers, we are going to get to a point where we begin to see the Spirit of God working in their lives. And when the Spirit of God begins to work, we need to be able to recognize the Spirit of God working. Now, I'm not suggesting that the Spirit of God works the same way in every person in every case. But I am suggesting that when the Spirit of God works, there are evidences that are common among men. the conviction of sin, the understanding to the need to repent, to call out to God. There are things that are specific to individuals, but then there are things that happen to every believer as they begin to be wooed by the Spirit of God. First of all, what do men think about themselves? And many of these I'm sure you've had if you've had any interaction at all with unbelievers. What do they say? I'm OK with God. Me and God have an arrangement and we have an understanding. It's going to all work out. Me and him, we got this thing going on. I made a deal with him. I'm okay. What else do they say? I'm not so bad. My good will outweigh my bad. I'm not really as bad as the other guy. If you take all the good that I've done and kind of balance it against the bad that I've done, God's going to at the end say, yeah, you're okay. No problem. I've had others tell me, I go to church. First thing, when you begin to ask about your spiritual condition, what do I tell you? I go to church. I confess my sins to a priest. I talk to God. I'm also very spiritual. Have you heard that one? I'm good most of the time. Most of the time I'm okay. You know, I hit 7 out of the 10, maybe 4 out of the 10 on a good week. I'm not so bad. You know, God, if there really is one, He'll understand. I mean, we're only human, right? Have you heard that before? You know, very few believe that they're going to hell. Even if they believe there is one, they suggest it's only for the worst of mankind. It's for the Hitlers and for those that are like that. It's not for me. I never killed anyone. I may have told a small lie here and there. I don't really serve God with all my heart, but I try to do what's right for most people. Have you heard these kinds of things? We need to understand this is the way men think so that we are prepared to balance that against what God says so that we may know how we're supposed to think. Now for the sake of time, I want to run through this next section just a little bit faster than I anticipated. But when the Spirit begins to work on men, I draw your attention to the Gospel of John, the 16th chapter. Make a note on these verses, verses 7-11, particularly verse 8. The Holy Spirit outlines here His work of conviction regarding the unbeliever. And you'll notice the first thing when the Holy Spirit begins to work in an unbeliever is that they're going to be convinced of their actual sin. When you are working and sitting at your table with unbelievers and you're having spiritual discussion and the Holy Spirit begins to work on the mind of one that is wooing to the Father, the very first thing, generally speaking, that an individual is convicted of is the actual sins that they commit. If the man is not a murderer, he's not going to be convicted of being a murderer. If he's a thief, he'll be convicted of being a thief. If he's a liar, the Holy Spirit will convict him of lying. Whatever it is that that man's actual sin is, is generally speaking where the Holy Spirit begins to work first. And you will find them confessing the sins that they have committed. When the Holy Spirit begins to work, you'll hear them confessing the things that they do, that they believe are in violation of God's law. For the scripture declares all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It's true in the life of one who is being convinced of their sin. And it is the first step in finding Christ to the gospel. Men are convinced of their actual sin. Then the Holy Spirit begins to dwell deeper within the life of the individual and begins to convict them of what we call original sin. I mentioned it earlier. One begins to realize that they are more than one who sins. They move from an understanding that says, I am a sinner because I sin, to I sin because I am a sinner. and there is something fundamentally wrong with me in my nature, and I am in need of radical assistance. It is important to understand the spirits working as you interpret the lives of unbelievers in which you come in contact. We need to be spiritually aware of these things happening in the life of an individual. As you're sitting with unbelievers, as you're eating with them, as you're sharing your table with them, as you bring them into your home and as they interact with your family and as you share your time with them at work and you notice them beginning to feel guilty and talk about the sins that they've committed against God. And then you begin to guide the conversation. You see them beginning to grasp that they have a problem in their nature that prevents them from doing the things they would even seek to do. We need to be aware of how the Spirit is working and convicting so that we can guide them and we can lead them to the Savior and bring them to the knowledge of the truth. The third thing that generally happens is we see the conviction of dead works beginning to happen in the life of this person. They see their actual sin. They realize they have a problem in their nature. Then they begin to think about ways to fix that. How can I make it all right? Maybe if I just try harder. Maybe if I do better. Maybe if I say more prayers, or I give more money, or I'm more altruistic, or whatever the case may be, all these dead works come forth as I seek to try to get right with God. We need to be aware of that cycle so that when we see that happening, we can point them to the Master. For we say, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? So we can say to them, those good works don't matter. None of that's going to help you. None of that's going to help you get right with God. It's the blood of the lamb that has sacrificed since the foundation of the earth, which will make you right with the Father. We need to be prepared and ready when this happens. And then when this begins to occur, we see them at a point where they're ready to begin the process of understanding salvation. And they cry out to God, what must I do to be saved? And then we must press home to them the Gospel message that Jesus is the only way. And that they need to overcome that damning sin of unbelief. There is no other way. The Savior is the only hope that you have. You've already begun to be wooed by the power of His Spirit. It is Jesus who comes to save. Now, what are we to think about the unbeliever? We've talked about what God thinks. We've talked about what man thinks. Now, what are we to think? about the unbeliever. Now, this is a key point. And there's two things I want to mention here. First of all, we need not be envious and we need not be prideful. We need not be envious and we need not be prideful. Now, envy seems to be kind of strange that I would put it in at this point. But I think it's something we need to be careful of. Because in Proverbs 23, we read these words, Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day. We need not be envious of the perceived good life that we think the sinner may have. Many times we look at the sinners or the unbelievers and we see the big homes and the cars and the money and the retirement programs and all the things that they appear to have going good for them. And it can be envious to us if we're not careful. I remind you of Psalm 73, where the psalmist, whose feet had almost slipped, as he thought about the prosperity of the wicked, when he said, Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I understood their end. Surely you set them in slippery places. You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation as in a moment. They are utterly consumed with terrors as a dream when one awakes. So, Lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image. We need to be reminded that whatever envy, whatever you begin to feel as a result of what you perceive as your prosperity when you are around them, remember this, none of it matters. None of it matters. The Lord, when He awakes, will despise all that there is. And all that will matter is what has happened with the Savior. We also need to remember not to be prideful. You know, God has saved us and has placed us in a position of heightened, maybe, how do I want to say this, God. Sometimes we feel because God has saved us, we're better than they are. You know, we get pride for a lot. I'm not a sinner like that. You were. And you may be a saint now, but you still sin in need of God's forgiveness. We need to be reminded of that as we seek to deal with unbelievers. And I think Romans chapter 5 verse 8 But God demonstrates his own love toward us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Always remember that, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. So when you look at the unbeliever, when they're sitting at your table, you're reminded that they are made and created in the image of God. But they have sinned and they have fallen from God. And by nature, they are in trouble and they are separated from God. And as you begin to watch the Holy Spirit work in their lives, as you begin to share the gospel and share the truth of God's word with them, and you see these changes beginning to happen to them in their lives, always remember that Christ died for them while they were yet sinners. While they were yet sinners, Christ died for them. But how should we interact with these unbelievers now that we know what they think and what God thinks about them? How do we interact with them? Well, there's two things I want to draw your attention to, and I'm not going to read it for the sake of time, but in Luke 6, verse 27-35, a very familiar passage of Scripture. Pastor Jim spent a lot of time in this section. What did he say? Love your enemies. Love your enemies. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you have hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, lend, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." And we must be kind to the unthankful and evil. What is it that you have that you are unwilling to share? What is it that you have that you are unwilling to share? Are you unwilling to open your homes? Are you unwilling to go out of your way? Are you unwilling to lend money when you have the power to do so with no expectation of return? Are you unwilling to give your tools and your cars and the things that you have to those that are unbelievers? I'm not talking about the family of God. I'm talking about the unbeliever. So that you can demonstrate to them the love of Christ. For remember, while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. While you were yet a sinner, someone in God's family reached out to you. While you were yet a sinner, someone in God's family loved you and drew you to the Savior. We must do the same. The second thing we must do as we interact with unbelievers, besides loving them, is we must declare the law of God. We must declare the law of God. 1 Timothy 1, verse 8 says this, But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and in decapsule, if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. According to the glorious gospel, the blessed God, which was committed to my trust, we are to share and declare the law of God. But we are to do it with mercy, coupled with grace. I don't believe that means billboards and shouting as people walk by us. I believe it is to be declared with power and with authority, but with mercy and grace. Yeah, we're to declare there is no other God. that there is no other one that we are to bow to, that we are not to lie, we are not to steal, we are not to cheat, we are not to covet, we are not to profane the Sabbath day. We are not to do these things. God has declared that. But we are to declare it with mercy and with grace. Why? Because we know, because of what God has already told us about unbelievers, they are incapable of comprehending this in their natural state. The law will bring them under conviction of sin. And when the conviction comes, as we recognize the Holy Spirit working in their lives, we can then share within the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be attentive and aware of these things. And then finally, we are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We are to love them, care for them, be kind to them, and share with them the law of God and the love of Christ. These are how we are to interact with unbelievers. We are to pray for them. We are to discuss spiritual things with them. We are to ensure that our work is full of diligence and is trustworthy and is quiet and peaceable, letting our good work so shine before men they glorify God the Father. We are to open our families and make them available to sinners with wisdom. so that we are not companions of fools, but we do have companions that are in our home, under our supervision, under our guidance, under our influence, in the power of the Holy Spirit, going forth and sharing the love of Christ. Is your home, is your table, a fortress for saints? Or is it a feast for unbelievers? To come and hear the truth of the gospel of our blessed Lord. And what can we expect if we behave in such a way? What can we expect from unbelievers if we treat them in such a way? What is their treatment toward us? What is their treatment toward our families? What is their treatment toward God? I'm running out of time, so I'll tell you this. It's going to be good, and it's going to be bad. We're going to get good things happen, and we're going to have bad things happen. Yeah, you're going to give people money, and you know what? You're never going to see it again. You're going to give them something and they're going to break it and you're never going to see it again. They're going to laugh at you. They're going to make fun of you. They're going to call you the greatest person they've ever met. You're going to have all kinds of things happening from good to bad. But here's what God says we can expect. Psalm 51, verse 13. Then I will teach transgressors your way. And what will happen? Sinners will be converted to you. That's what we can expect to happen. None of the rest of it matters. God says if we do these things, if we interact with unbelievers, if we love them, we care for them, we be kind to them, we tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ, we can expect them to turn to the living God. Ultimately, we should expect the salvation of sinners or unbelievers to the Father. Why? Because God said so. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Bible says that wide is the road that leads to destruction, and many find it. But then what else did He say? Narrow is the road that leads to eternal life. But what? Some will find it. Some will find it. And we can believe that God will do what He says He will do. And in closing, I know this is not quite in the right context, Pastor Bob, but I'm going to read it anyway. Hebrews chapter 12. I know it has more to deal with discipline, but I think the intent of what's being said will help us to be mindful of what it is I've been trying to say. He says in Hebrews chapter 12, and with this we'll pray and we'll close. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." That's dealing with the discipline in the chapter that follows. But listen to what he says. I think this is key. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Here's what he says. Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. And part of the joy that consists in what Christ is talking about is the salvation of the souls and the healing of the spiritually sick. Those are the things that bring joy to our Savior. And those are the things that ultimately bring joy to us. Who sits at your table? Saints, good. Sinners, good. Let's draw them to the Savior as we have been commanded. Let's pray. Our Father, we are again thankful for your word and we pray that as we think through these things and test them according to your word, that we would see the example that you have given us in your son to feast with unbelievers for the purpose of bringing them to your Savior. Father, may we be like Matthew, that we would use the resources you give us to open our homes and to draw those that do not understand to be in contact with those that do. And Father, we pray you'd give us big hearts to do this, we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen.