7 June 2026 | Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

Thank you, everyone. I have safely returned from my trip to Korea. I really want to thank you for praying for me and our team members while we were away, and a special thank you for looking after my family so I could travel with peace of mind. I am truly grateful.

Now, our team received incredible hospitality from the partner churches. It was such a joy for me to see the curious eyes of our team members at every single meal. Honestly, it was more like a feast every time.  And honestly, after just a few days, they were completely adapted to Korean food! We had the joy of eating amazing food every meal, which eventually turned into a kind of "sweet torture" because they just kept feeding us so much. We were very thankful.

But surprisingly, I actually lost a bit of weight! Why did that happen? Well, after our official schedule was over, I sent the team off at the airport. And the very next day, I had a full medical check-up. Please don’t worry, nothing is wrong with me! I didn't do it because I was sick; it was purely for prevention. It was actually a kind of welcome gift from my family in Korea. They told me, "Since you're here, just get it done before you go back!"

For a few days before the check-up, I had to go on a strict diet. This was because, out of the 20 or so tests I was having, the 'highlights' were the endoscopy and the colonoscopy. I wonder how many of us have had these done before? Those three days of preparation were another kind of torture. While everyone else was enjoying their meals, I had to eat plain, unseasoned tofu and rice porridge, which are foods that wouldn't mess up the test. Imagine this: a Korean BBQ and at our final farewell party, they served a full 3-course meal. I had to avoid all of it. I couldn't even have coffee; I just sipped on green tea. I could only smell the KFC, the Korean Fried Chicken. Honestly, I kind of hated my team members at that moment! Why? Because they kept asking me questions about the food! And then they would say, "Oh, sorry Do Young, you can't eat this, can you?" They tried to act sorry, but their faces were looking very, very happy.

The night before the test, to completely empty my stomach and my system, I had to drink 500ml of this weird-tasting medicine and 2 litres of water in just one hour. I spent the entire night going to the toilet. Then, at 4:00 AM, I had to do it again, drinking another 500ml of medicine and 1.5 litres of water. My stomach was completely full of water, but I was so, so hungry. I finally confirmed in the toilet that my system was completely clear. My appointment was at 7:00 AM, so I stayed at a hotel nearby. After all the prep was done, I actually packed some spare underwear, toilet paper for the trip to the hospital... just in case of an emergency!

When I arrived, it was a specialized check-up centre, so there were already so many people there. Everyone was wearing hospital gowns, wearing smartwatches, and moving from place to place in a very organized, systematic way. Before the tests began, I had to fill out a health questionnaire. It was over 10 pages long. It asked about my everyday diet, sleep, stress, smoking, drinking, work life, exercise, mental health... so many things. As I turned the pages, I slowly started to get scared. As I rated myself from 1 to 10 on each question, I started thinking, "Is it really okay for me to live like this?" The only thing I scored a perfect 10 on was that I don't smoke. For the rest of it... not so good. I began to clearly see I had been ignoring. Anyway, to make a long story short, the day finally ended with the endoscopy and colonoscopy under sedation. Last Friday, I got the result that everything was in the normal range. It was a really good experience.

Thanks to that, I went on a forced diet! But more than that, I made a promise to myself to take much better care of this body that God and my parents gave me. I believe this is true not only for our physical bodies, but for our spiritual lives as well. Our spiritual health also requires regular check-ups and maintenance. We might look fine on the outside, but if we aren't alert, and if we just leave our souls alone, thinking, "Ah, it'll be fine," our spiritual life cannot be healthy.

Now, after the health check was over, I had a whole list of foods I was ready to eat. I was so excited! But... I had to fast for one more day. Unfortunately, they had found a small polyp in my colon and had to remove it. So, I was only allowed to drink soft liquids. With no other choice, I sat in a cafe and opened my laptop to read today’s passage, Matthew chapter 9, to prepare for this sermon. (Yes, your minister works even in these situations!) But in that moment, reading the text, I just had to say "Wow." It was because of this one verse: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."

Yes, it hit me so deeply. It overlapped perfectly with my completely empty stomach and the very real feeling of having just removed a hidden polyp growing inside me. What if I had been arrogant and thought, "I’m still healthy, I don't need a doctor"? Or what if I had run away because I was scared of that painful process of 'emptying myself'? What if I just brushed it off, saying, "I'm still young, I'll do it next time"? That polyp in my body would have been left alone, and one day, it might have grown into a much bigger disease that could destroy me. For someone who believes they are perfectly healthy, even the greatest doctor in the world is of no use. A doctor's presence only becomes a miracle, only becomes salvation, to the patient who honestly admits, "I am sick. I desperately need a doctor," and lays themselves down before them….

The three people in today’s passage were exactly like this. Matthew the tax collector, who was pointed at by the world; the woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years and was completely socially isolated; and Jairus, the synagogue leader, who had achieved great social success but was totally helpless in the face of his child's death. They all stripped away their worldly masks and their pride. They stood before the Lord in the most honest place in life, a place where they absolutely needed Jesus, the Doctor of their journey.

Look at Matthew. In his society, he was quietly, yet very visibly, outcasted. In his community, he was branded with the label: "sinner." Imagine what that was like. People might have been careful around him because of his wealth and privilege. But deep down, he was a man suffering from broken relationships, deep loneliness, and an intense inner guilt and emptiness.

Look at the bleeding woman. She suffered for twelve years, spending everything she had on doctors, only to get worse. Her body was broken, her bank account was empty, and her heart was completely exhausted. She was in a state of total despair. She was spiritually and emotionally bankrupt, thinking, "I've tried everything, and nothing works."

And look at Jairus. He was a religious and social elite, a synagogue leader. He had power and honour, but in the face of his daughter's death, none of those things mattered. He came face to face with the absolute limit of being human.

What is the common thread in their pain? It's the humble realization that they couldn't do it on their own, and that Jesus was the only thing they truly needed in their lives.

These three were completely different people. One was a sinner, one was a patient, and one was a highly respected leader. But they had one powerful thing in common: They knew what they needed. They knew their wounds, they knew their limits, and they knew that they needed Jesus.

Matthew knew that money couldn't fix his problem. The woman knew that medicine couldn't save her. The synagogue leader knew that his power and status couldn't save his daughter. They knew Jesus was the only answer. They admitted the desperate limits deep within themselves, and that was when they finally saw Jesus.

The message of Matthew 9 today is simple. But it's not easy to accept. Simply put: If we say we are righteous enough, we don't need Jesus. If we say we are healthy enough, we don't need Jesus. If we think we are strong enough on our own, why would we need anything else? But we hear the humble cries of these three people: "Jesus, I need forgiveness. I need healing. I desperately need help. Lord, help me!"

Now, hold on a second. Let's be really honest with ourselves here. People say that one of the main reasons many turn away from the church today is because of this one phrase: "You are a sinner." I get asked this question a lot: "Why are we sinners?" And usually, to answer this, we start talking about Adam's sin. We quote Bible verses. And then, people just feel uncomfortable. Some might think, "Why do I have to come to church just to hear this kind of judgment?" I completely understand that feeling. It's a very natural reaction.

But listen again to what Jesus says today: "Those who are sick need a physician." When Jesus calls us sinners, He is not trying to put us on trial. He's not pointing a finger to judge us. Think about it. When a doctor says to us, "You are sick," is that a condemnation? No! It's a diagnosis. It is the necessary starting point for treatment. It's exactly the same. Saying "We are sinners" doesn't mean, morally or religiously, "We are bad people." It means, "We can't do this on our own anymore. We need a doctor." This is the core message for today.

Matthew the sinner, the bleeding woman, the heartbroken Jairus, they didn't come to Jesus because someone judged them. They saw Jesus when they faced their own limits. That’s all there is to it. "We are sick. We need a doctor." This honest confession is the true starting point of our faith. And that Doctor is Jesus, who is right here with us today.

Dear friends, For our trip to Korea, my team members bought their flight tickets through a travel agency. But because I had to stay a bit longer, I bought mine separately online. I only found this out later, but on the flight to Korea, we all had the exact same baggage allowance: 25 kilos. But on the flight back, the team had 30 kilos, and I was still stuck at 25. My ticket was a little bit cheaper, but honestly, at first, I didn't get it. Why the 5-kilo difference? Why did they need the extra allowance?

I realized why later. The travel agency already knew! They knew: "When this team comes back, their luggage is definitely going to be heavier." It started from the very day we arrived. The team started buying things. You all know about K-Beauty, right? It's a massive trend worldwide, but if you buy it in Korea, it's tax-free and less than half the price! Friends and family who knew they were visiting Korea kept sending shopping lists every single day. Three of my team members actually had to go and buy extra suitcases!

But the problem was me. My luggage just kept growing, too. My suitcase was totally full, my carry-on was overweight, and my backpack was stuffed. I kept thinking, "Ah... I should have got the 30 kilos too!" But I just kept trying to squeeze everything in. The night before heading to the airport, I had to make a heartbreaking decision. I had to choose what to take with me, and what to leave behind. It wasn't easy. But, you know... I really didn't want to end up starring on an episode of Border Security!

Our lives are very similar to this. As we journey through life, we carry so much baggage. The baggage of failure, the baggage of guilt, the baggage of past hurts, the baggage of fear, and the heavy burden of constantly trying to prove ourselves. We have to make a decision. We have to choose what to keep and what to let go of. Just like Matthew, like the bleeding woman, and like Jairus... when we finally look at the health checklist of our lives and admit our weaknesses, that is when we hear Jesus calling us. We experience His healing touch. And He opens a brand new path for us.

The things that stop us from coming to the Lord, no matter how good they might seem, could they ever be better than Jesus? When we drop our unnecessary baggage, we can truly receive the freedom, the healing, and the new way of life that Jesus offers. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."

As we reflect deeply on this verse throughout the week, I pray that we will lay down all our unnecessary baggage and the mask of pride that says, "We're fine." May we come forward with the most honest confession: "Lord, we are people who desperately need You. We are sinners. We are sick. We are not enough." When we humbly and honestly admit who we are, may we experience the true healing and perfect freedom given by Jesus, our Great Physician. We will experience the Lord's calling, His touch, and blessings beyond what we can imagine. Amen.