God calls us to be disciples of Jesus, building community through
service and fellowship and sharing the love of Christ with all.
“The United Methodist Church of Westford is an open and welcoming community of Christian
Faith. Without any exceptions, we welcome anyone who seeks to love and to serve God.” Learn More
"God's Love Is Not Complicated"
YOUTH SUNDAY
In Matthew 9:9–13, Jesus passes by a tax collector's booth and meets a man named Matthew. Tax collectors were among the most disliked people in society. Yet Jesus does not lecture Matthew or ask him to prove himself worthy. He simply says, "Follow me." And Matthew gets up and follows. The story continues at a dinner table filled with tax collectors and sinners. The religious leaders are troubled. Why would a rabbi spend time with people like these? Jesus' answer is simple: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice."
Human beings often make faith complicated. We create categories of insiders and outsiders. We decide who belongs and who does not. We imagine that God's love must be earned or deserved. Jesus does something different. He sees a person where others see a label. He offers welcome where others expect rejection. He chooses mercy over judgment and relationship over exclusion.
At its heart, the gospel is not complicated. God loves us before we have everything figured out. God calls us before we become perfect. God welcomes us before we deserve it. Like a good shepherd who knows each sheep by name, Christ seeks us, calls us, and invites us to follow. The church's calling is not merely to talk about God's love, but to share it, teach it, and embody it. We are invited to become a community where mercy is practiced, welcome is extended, and every person can hear Christ's simple invitation: "Follow me."