Amen. Now, our text for this evening, that little phrase that you find at the end of verse number 12 of Matthew's Gospel, chapter number 9, here Christ Himself is speaking. And He says, They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. Now, whenever He was here on earth, We can say without any shadow of contradiction that the Lord Jesus Christ was a man of the people. The Bible says that He was one who went about doing good. Whenever an opportunity to do good came, He took that opportunity. The Bible says He went about healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And mine never was to miss an opportunity to speak to the people and to warn them about their great need of salvation. And in that he is a tremendous example, yes, we must say a perfect example for every Christian to follow and to emulate in their life. And in this chapter here before us this evening, Matthew's Gospel, chapter 9, we read of Christ healing and saving the man who was sick of the palsy. Then we also read of him saving Matthew, the tax collector. And the tax collectors were considered to be worse than the dogs of the street by the Jewish people. Yet the Lord met with Matthew at his work and He saved him. Not only did He save him, He called him into a life of discipleship and apostleship and to follow the Lord. After Matthew is saved, we see how Matthew has a feast in his home. We are told that He invites those who are termed here in the chapter, publicans and sinners, to this feast. And in the context of that chapter, that phrase there, publican and sinners, shows us that these people were such who you might say were deep-dive sinners in the eyes of society. But we see also that Christ was present at this feast. Matthew no doubt invited the Lord also there. And no doubt the Lord spoke to this people about the things of God. And look at verse 10 of the chapter. It says, And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. The chapter also tells us how the religious Pharisees were looking on. And they complained to the disciples about the Lord being in the company of such people. Look at verse 11. It says, And when the Pharisees saw it, They said unto His disciples, Why eateth your Master with Republicans and sinners? They complain that the Lord, mixing with such company, no doubt taking that opportunity to witness to them, to speak to them about their need of salvation. And the Lord Jesus Christ, He hears the murmuring and the complaining of these Pharisees. And He answers their complaint, although He was under no obligation to do so. He was under no obligation to vindicate what He was doing, but He takes time to answer their complaint. And you have His answer in verse 12 and in verse 13 of the chapter. And let us look at that answer. It says, But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth. I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." And what the Lord was really saying here to these Pharisees was that He was about His proper business when He was mixing with this people at this feast and witnessing and speaking to them. Why, he was not mistaken in the company because he had come for this very purpose, the Bible says, to seek and to save that which was lost. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ could have remained in the company of God's holy angels in heaven for all of eternity, but he didn't. He left that company of heaven, the company of God's angels, and he willfully chose to come to this sin cursor of what for? To be a physician. among those who are dying and perishing in their sin. And now these are the words that Lord Jesus Christ speaks in relation to this. When He says in the words of our text, they that behold, not the possession, but they that are sick. And my, with all the words of Christ and with all the conversation of Christ, these words, I believe, are full of instruction. to every one of us in this gathering tonight. And tonight I want us just to look at the first part of this statement, which is our text for this evening. It says, They that behold not a physician, but they that are sick. There are three important lessons I want us to note here. And I believe the Lord would have us to note them and underline them from the lips of Him who is none other than the physician of sin-sick souls. What are these lessons? Well, first of all, you see here the real condition of mankind outlined for us. Look again at what Christ says here. He says, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Note that word sick there. When men use the word sick, they use it maybe to denote some physical illness or some disease of the human body. Well, here as Christ speaks, He uses this word sick to describe the spiritual condition of all mankind by nature before God. And you see, all men have a sin-sick soul. This is how man is born into this world and into this scene of time. You see, the Bible says we've all been born into this world with a soul and a nature that is polluted with sin, that is sick with sin. My you and I entered into this world as sinners. Sinners by thought. Sinners by word. And sinners by deed. The hymn writer realized that his soul was sick with sin. Repent that tremendous gospel hymn. And he said, I am tired of sin and straying, Lord. My soul is sick and my heart is sore. My, he knew that he was born into this world with a sin-sick soul, a nature that was sick and ruined with sin. My, the old Church of Ireland prayer book, not that I believe in a prayer book or saying prayers from a book, but there is some truth in it. Speaking of man's natural condition before God, it says, there is no health in us. And that is true. Friends, that's the testimony of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Man is born into this world with a sin sick soul. Turn in your Bible back to Isaiah chapter number 1 and to the verses 5 and 6 of that chapter. Here you have God speaking to ancient Israel about the sinful state of the nation. And on this occasion, he likens Israel's sinful condition to a body that is sick, to a body that is rotting, so to speak. Look at the language that God uses in verses 5 and 6 of Isaiah chapter 1. He says, Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. And there God speaks of Israel in their sinful state, like one who is sick, like a corpse that is rotting, that is decaying, that is corrupting. And it reminds us all of this great truth that man, whoever he is, wherever he is, is born into this world, into this scene of time, of a sin-sick soul, with a nature that is sick and ruined with sin. I remember speaking to a man about his need of salvation. And while he couldn't see his need of salvation, he could not see himself as a lost sinner before a holy God. And I told that man, it matters not what you think or what I think. What matters is what God says and what God thinks. And what God says is that which really counts. And friend, the Bible says that you and I and all the rest of mankind have been born into this world, shapen in sin, the Bible says, in iniquity. We have been born into this world sinners by nature and by practice. The Word of God says, for there is none righteous, none at one. It says, all we like sheep have gone astray. It says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That's our nature as we are born into this world, into this thing of time. And my, the effect of this sickness of sin, my, it is felt all around us in society today. You see it in the wrong decisions that men make in society, and it's because of a sinful nature. A nature that is biased like the pendulum in a clock, always swinging away from God and swinging towards sin. You see it in the rebellion of our society. You see it in the crime of our society, the violence, the immorality, and the rise of the evil of sodomy in our land. And it is all the testimony to this very fact that man, whoever he is, wherever he is to be found, has been born into this world with a sin-sick soul, a nature that is polluted with sin. And by this sickness of sin, my, it is but the effect of Adam's fall in the Garden of Eden. The Bible says, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into this world, you and I have been born into this world with a sinful nature that we have inherited from our first parents. Yes, we see the effects of it all around in society. Evil men waxing worse and worse, the Bible says. You know, my friend, the final, ultimate consequence of the sickness of the sin, what is it? It is eternal judgment in hell. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. The soul that sinneth it shall die. And that speaks of eternal judgment, separation from God in the lake of fire, the place of everlasting woe and punishment for those who die in their sin, without their sins forgiven by God. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking of here. He refers to men as being sick with sin in the words of our text. He says, They that behold make not the physician, but they that are sick. He wanted his hearers that day to see the awful plight of man and of sin. Friend, have you seen yourself as a poor and needy sinner before God? Forget about what everyone else thinks. It is what God thinks that counts. Have you ever seen yourself as one who is lost and undone before Almighty God? Have you ever come to that place like Peter of old who said, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord? Have you ever come to that point like Isaiah of old who said, Woe is me, I am undone, I am a man of unclean lips? Friend, I am saved tonight. Oh, that you would see yourself as a lost sinner with a sin-sick soul before Almighty God. Yes, we see here the real condition. of mankind. But notice something else tonight from our text. Notice the character of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a beautiful picture is given here of the character of Christ. It says, They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. And I want you to note that word physician. In this verse, Christ uses that word carefully. He uses that word physician to speak of Himself. And what He is to sick and to perishing sinners, to those who would seek Him for salvation from their sin. What a picture it is here of Christ. What a medical doctor and what a medical physician is to his or her patients who are sick and diseased in body. So we can say tonight that the Lord Jesus Christ is, and indeed much more, to every sin-sick soul, who comes to Him for salvation. My, His message to such is this, I am the Lord that healeth thee. My, whenever Job was in trouble in the Old Testament, and he spoke of his friends, and he described them like this, he says they were physicians of no value. In other words, they were of no help to him. Well, you know, such can never be said of our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. My, as the physician of the sin-sick soul, Christ has the preeminence. Christ is of infinite worth. Christ is of infinite value. No one can compare with the Lord Jesus Christ as the physician for sinners. My, the Bible speaks of Christ and it says, Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none under name, under heaven, given amongst men. whereby we must be saved. The Hemrider, thinking of Christ as the Great Physician of souls, said, The Great Physician now is here. Besympathizing Jesus, he speaks with a drooping heart to cheer, O hear the voice of Jesus. They knew that Christ was the Physician for the sin-sick soul. And what a Physician He is! As the physician of the sin-sick soul, the Lord is one who will heal every complaint of sin. My friend, no matter who you are in the meeting tonight, no matter what your sin is or has been, I want to say this to you. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save you from the sickness of your sin. He is able to save you from the ruin of all of your sin. The Bible says He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. Praise God, whenever you trust Him as your Saviour, He will forgive all your sins. He will give you grace to live the Christian life. He will afford to you His presence day by day along life's journey. And my, He will afford to you a wonderful place in heaven as we were singing about the land that is further than day. Whoever you are, whatever your sin is or has been, the Lord Jesus Christ can deal with the complaint of that sin. Turn in your Bible over to 1 Corinthians chapter number 6. 1 Corinthians chapter number 6. And look at what Paul says here to the believers at Corinth. Verses 9, 10 and 11 of 1 Corinthians chapter 6. And here you see how the Lord is able to deal with every complaint of sin, whatever that sin is. Such is His power. Look at verse 9 of 1 Corinthians 6. Paul says, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves, of mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." And what a list there he makes. Things that we would even be embarrassed to talk about in a public gathering such as this. And then look at what he goes on to say in verse 11, And such were some of you, but ye are washed, But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. And there you see how the Lord Jesus Christ is able to deal with every sin. Friend, He is the physician that can deal with your sin tonight, whatever that sin is. Christ can deal with it. Christ can pardon your sin. He can pardon your iniquity. Yes, He is one who can heal every complaint of sin. But you know, we can also say that the Lord Jesus Christ is an accessible physician. You know that there are some doctors and you may never be able to get to see them. No matter how much you pay, you just may not get to see them. But friend, if you come by faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, repenting of your sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, the physician of sinners, will not turn you away. What's His promise in John chapter 6? He says this, Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out. I tell you, the Lord Jesus is ready to save you tonight. He is willing to save you. He is waiting to save you. But He delights to tend to the needs of your soul's salvation, such as this physician. You remember Hezekiah testifying of what the Lord had done for him in salvation. This is what he said, old Hezekiah, He said, The Lord was ready to save me. In other words, there was no holding back with the Lord. Friend, Christ is such a physician of the soul. He is ready and waiting and willing to save you tonight. The Bible says, The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He is an accessible physician. He can heal every complaint of sin. And I tell you also tonight, the Lord Jesus Christ can cure your sin-sick soul without money and without price, the Bible says. You know, you don't have to pay money or try to work your way into God's salvation. Why? Because Christ has paid the price of salvation in full by substitutionary death upon the cross of Calvary. The prophet Isaiah speaks of that great work of Christ as our substitute dying on the cross. In Isaiah 53, verse 5, one of the greatest Gospel verses in all of the Bible, listen to what he says of our Lord. He says, But He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed. What a promise! With His stripes we are healed. Dear friend, because of the crosswork of Christ, God offers salvation to you tonight, to your sin-sick soul. God offers you salvation if you will come to that place of repentance toward God, acknowledging your need as a sinner, and if you are willing to trust Him as your own and personal Savior. The Bible says, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." What a picture there is here given of Christ, the Physician of the soul. Tell me, is He your Physician tonight? Are you depending upon this Physician or are you depending on some other Physician of your own devising or man's devising for salvation? Friend, men and women, young people, I must warn you, I must tell you, There is only one physician for your sin-sick soul, and that is the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the blood that He shed upon the cross of Calvary. Yes, we see the character here of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see the real condition of mankind. But notice one final thought just from our text this evening. Notice finally tonight the description. Yes, the description of those who reject Christ as Savior. and the description of those who receive Him as Savior. What's the description of those who reject Him? Look again at our text and listen to what it says. It says, They that be whole need not a physician. Notice that word whole there. In that statement, Christ uses that word whole to describe those who reject Christ as Savior. He uses it to describe those who are blinded. to their need of Christ and to their need of salvation, a true Christ. And you know, the Bible tells us that that crowd is numerous. That that crowd is many. Think of the words of Christ in Matthew 7, verse 13. He said, "...broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be." which go in their heart. There are many like that tonight who see no need of Christ, who see no beauty in Christ, who do not feel their need of Him. I think tonight of the self-righteous heurisy in Luke's Gospel, chapter 18. The Bible says he went up to pray with himself and he boasted of himself. He said to God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. He thought he was better than everyone else. He did not see his need of Christ. You know, the members of the Laodicean church over in Revelation chapter 3, they were the same. They were careless about the need of their souls. They were worldly. They were taken up with what the world could give them and what the world could afford to them. And they said, I am rich and increased with goods and of need of nothing. They felt they did not need Christ. Blinded by the riches and the affluence and the wealth of this world. Why, all such are blinded by the devil, the God of this world. Turn with me back to Proverbs chapter 13. Proverbs 30, verse 12. And I want you to see what is said here in this proverb. Proverbs 30, verse 12. It says, There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. And that speaks of those who see no need of Christ. Who think they're holy. Who think they're good enough for heaven and themselves. They think nothing of Christ. They foolishly think that Christ as Savior will profit them nothing. This is the kind of people that Christ was speaking of here when He says in our text, they that behold need not a physician. He was speaking of those who would reject Him as their Savior. But then on the other hand, he speaks of those who would receive him as saviour. But look at what he goes on to say in the latter part of the text. He says, but they that are sick. Notice again the mention of that word sick. In the context there of the entire conversation, Christ uses that word sick to denote those who were aware of their need as a sinner before God. not only aware of their need as a sinner before God, but those who would flee to Christ, who would receive Christ, who would trust Him as Savior. And again, the Lord Jesus Christ, He speaks of such in Matthew's Gospel chapter 7. And what does He say there in verse 14? He says, "...straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth on to life, and few there be that find it." Few there be that find it. My such fear going out into a lost eternity in hell, whoever they are. Such fear dying in their sin and meeting God in their sin. The Philippian jailer was such a man, he feared dying in his sin. He feared meeting God in his sin and going out into a lost eternity in his sin. He said to Paul and Silas, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? He recognized his need of Christ. Also, we can say such are those who no longer relish in their sin. Rather, they loathe their sin. They repent of their sin. They turn from their sin unto God. And again, the prodigal son was such. You read of him in Luke's Gospel, chapter 15, and the Bible says he arose. And he came to his father and he said, I have sinned against heaven. There was repentance. There was a turning away from a sin. A turning to God. And that's how it is with those who see themselves as lost sinners, sin-sick souls before God in need of Christ. They fear dying in their sin, going to hell. They see no longer any pleasure in their sin. Their sin is a bitter thing to them. They turn from it. And such are those who willingly call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and trust Him as their Savior. That's how it was with old blind Bartimaeus. As Jesus passed by, he cried out to Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. He saw himself as lost, hopeless, poor and needy, a sin-sick soul. and cried out, Jesus, thy Son of David, have mercy upon me. He was asking the Lord to save him. I think tonight of Horatius Bonner, that great preacher and hymn writer of a bygone day. He too felt his need of Christ. He feared dying in his sin. He saw the vanity of sin. He saw the beauty of Christ. And he said in one of the great hymns that he wrote, I came to Jesus and I drank. Of that life-giving stream my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him." He saw his need as a sinner before God. He saw Christ as the only possession of his soul. And he applied to Christ. He called upon Christ. He sought the Lord. He trusted the Lord. He received Him as a Savior. Friend, in the meeting tonight, let me ask you the question, how is it with you tonight in Christ? What think ye of Christ? Do you see yourself tonight as one who is whole? Maybe in this meeting, needing not Christ, needing Him not as the physician of your soul. Yes, you're religious outwardly, you're good, you're moral upright in society, but in your heart you've never accepted Christ as your Savior. Friend, I must warn you, if you go on rejecting Christ as your Savior and you die in your sin, you will be lost in hell forever. You see, the Bible says, He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth in him. Or on the other hand, tonight, do you see yourself as a poor and needy sinner? One with a sin-sick soul before God? Praise God if you do. In the good news of the Gospel is this, there is hope for you in Christ. Jesus says, Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Turn back to Psalm number 34 and look at how David describes himself. Look at how David saw himself before God. Friend, this is where you must come to if you are to be saved. And know the healing, saving power of Christ in your soul. In Psalm 34, in verse 6, David is speaking of himself before God. And look at how he describes himself. He says, This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. He saw himself as a poor and needy sinner in need of Christ. And he called upon the Lord, and the Lord saved him. Man, woman, young person, boy or girl unsaved, if you come to Christ, if you confess your sin to Him and trust Him as Savior, He will save you too. He will save your soul. He will forgive your sins. And one day, He will take you into God's heaven. He will bring you into the kingdom of God's marvelous light. This night, be wise. Be wise unto salvation. Trust Christ as your Savior. Our little text says, they that behold need not a position, but they that are sick. Oh, you tonight who are sick of your sin, flee to Christ and trust Him. And you'll find pardon and peace and hope and life eternal through the blood of the Lamb.