Jul 17

Mark 2:13-17
Memorise Mark 2:17
“…I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

As Jesus passed by a toll booth where the tax-collectors sat to collect customs (taxes), Jesus called Levi (also known as Matthew) to follow him. He was a publican, one who was despised by the Jews. They were widely regarded as sinners, and the scum of society. The Jews considered them traitors, for they were under the employ of the Roman rulers, helping to collect tax on their behalf. Invariably they would be corrupt, often over- taxing and then keeping a large part of the profits for themselves, stealing and extorting money from their own people, like Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Yet it is to this particular despised and rejected group in society, that Jesus chose to minister to. He approached Levi who was sitting in the tax-office, in the very midst of engaging in his corrupt practices, and said unto him: “Follow me”. Jesus was calling him to forsake his sinful life, to leave the life of a publican, and to become a disciple of Christ. Jesus had no wealth, no job prospects in the worldly sense, and not even a place to lay his head. What Jesus was offering was a chance to repent and follow Jesus. Levi willingly accepted, and straightaway arose, left his post, and followed Him. Jesus and his disciples then joined him in his house and with other publicans, much to the chagrin of the Pharisees.

To those who acknowledge their sin, Jesus patiently and lovingly sits with them, preaches to them, disciples them. This was the mission of Jesus - to seek and save those who are lost. The publicans and sinners knew their sinful state and need for a savior. They knew full well that by themselves, based on their own works, they would never be able to attain the righteousness needed for salvation. Therefore, they willingly joined Levi to sit and eat with Jesus and his disciples, and hear the message that He was bringing. This should be our pattern for outreach and church ministry as well. Our doors must always be open, and declare that whosoever will may come. When we go out to evangelise, we must never think of anyone as a ‘lost cause’, and pre-judge them as one who would probably not want to receive the gospel. Jesus sat with these ‘scum of society’, and even called one to serve as his disciple. Likewise, we too are called to go out to not just the ‘decent’ people of society but to all walks of life, and to show love by bringing them the best news ever – the gospel that saves!

Thought: I am saved, because God loved me, even while I was a sinner.
Prayer: Lord, help me to love you more, and to show the love of Christ to all around me, for they all need the gospel that saves!