Focal Passage: Matthew 8:1-13
Oftentimes when people are struggling with feelings of unworthiness, we tend to encourage them to think more positively about themselves instead of going to the gospel.
We might say something like, “Don’t feel bad about yourself, you have great qualities.” Then we begin to list those qualities for them. That might be appropriate under certain circumstances, but I would like to encourage us not to move so quickly in that direction less we miss an opportunity to teach them where real hope is found.
As we look at this week’s lesson we see two individuals that are desperate for help. One has leprosy and the other has a servant who is paralyzed.
The leper I believe was heartbroken over his terrible disease, and the centurion by his own admission felt unworthy for Jesus to enter his house. Many may see their circumstances as a bad thing, but I can’t help to think it was their desperate circumstances that drove them to seek the Savior.
I wonder how many people Jesus passed en route to these men who did not realize they too were in desperate need of a Savior. Sure, they didn’t have leprosy or have a servant who was sick, but they were still in desperate need of Jesus.
Here is the truth – we all are unworthy of Jesus’ sacrificial love. It does not matter if you had a great upbringing or a very difficult one. It does not matter if you went to church all your life or if you were rebellious. We add nothing to the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
The point of the gospel is clearly stated in Romans 5:8, “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So, the next time you counsel people who feel unworthy, help them to see that they have two choices. They can either let Satan use those feelings to further destroy their lives or they can run to Jesus who provides hope and meets them at their point of need.