Printer Friendly VersionAs you know, we are taking a journey together through the life
of Jesus as recorded by Mark. In the first part of his gospel, Mark introduces
Jesus of Nazareth to the world. Jesus begins His ministry of preaching and
teaching, touching and forgiving, healing and befriending sinners. And here’s
a news flash: some liked it and many didn’t. In fact, the gospel liberated
some and infuriated others. And now, the rejection of Jesus’ message
begins. In fact, this section of Mark’s gospel, Mark 2:13-8:26, records
a growing opposition to Jesus.
Today’s scripture lesson is the first in a series of what
I call “opposition stories.” Pastor Bud, to what are the scribes
and Pharisees in opposition? Well, simply put, they, along with some of the
original disciples, were in rigorous opposition to Jesus’ rather bold
outreach to sinners: the fact that Jesus welcomed everyone; that Jesus made
no distinction between persons; that Jesus rejected the whole system of ranking
and classifying persons; that Jesus did not seem to be afraid of contamination
by sinners; instead Jesus contaminated them with God’s grace and power.
He accepted sinners as they were, but He did not leave them as He found them.
NO WAY! He transformed them into authentic disciples.
Today’s scripture lesson is the brief account of Levi’s
call (also known as Matthew). As I studied this passage, I discovered 3 aspects
of calling:
I. The Calling of Levi was a Call to Repentance
A. As you know, it was Jesus’ intention that no one should
perish in a state of sinfulness, but that all should come to a place of repentance.
B. In response to His critics, as He often did, Jesus makes
a profound statement, one that reveals His intention and deepest longing:
“Look, it’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have
not come to call the righteous, but sinners!” (Mark 1:17).
C. I love Peterson’s translation of Mark 1:17 from the
Message: “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here
inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit!”
D. You see, the scribes and Pharisees truly wanted to remain
pure and moral, and felt the best way was to take a preventative approach
to sin, by avoiding contact with sinners. But that wasn’t Jesus’
style. His was a creative approach: to befriend and reclaim the impure and
immoral. The Pharisees looked down on sinners. Jesus looked for them.
E. By eating with sinners, Jesus didn’t condone sinful
lifestyle. No. He was, however, convinced it could be transformed! So that’s
why He kept calling sinners to repentance. He was very optimistic about the
grace of God to redeem everyone.
II. The Calling of Levi was a Call to Discipleship
A. We see from the passage that Jesus simply invited Levi to
follow Him.
B. Following Jesus, obeying Jesus, being led by Jesus through
this life; that is the essence of discipleship.
C. That was Jesus’ earthly mission: to make disciples.
The story tells us something very important about Jesus: even as He was walking
along, He was looking, searching for disciples. As William Barclay suggests,
“Jesus was never off duty.” Making disciples was His mission and
passion. Salvation from sin that follows repentance is a great start, but
it is only the beginning of a life-long process of becoming like Jesus.
D. Let’s not forget: the Great Commission is about making
disciples. That is the end thing God is doing! And wants us to do!
E. Great quote from George Barna’s The Habits of Highly
Effective Churches: “Highly effective churches maintain that if you are
going to engage in evangelism at all, you have an obligation to finish the
job. That means not only telling people the good news of Christ’s atoning
death on the cross and subsequent resurrection, but ensuring that through
a personalized spiritual growth process people who make a “decision”
to embrace Jesus also become converted to following Him with all their heart,
mind, soul and strength. These churches assert that you cannot separate evangelism
from discipleship; the former without the latter is simply religious marketing,
and the latter without the former builds on a foundation of sand.”
III. The Calling of Levi is a Call to Reconcilation
A. I want you to notice something with me.
B. In this story, Jesus is walking. Where? Beside the lake.
And as He walks along, He comes in contact with Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting
where? At the tax collector’s booth!
C. What was he doing there? Collecting taxes as soon as the
fishermen came off the lake!
D. So this may have been Jesus’ first contact with Levi,
the tax collector. But it certainly wasn’t Peter’s! (create scenario!)
E. No wonder Levi and the other tax collectors were, well, not
the most popular people.
F. Can you imagine how Peter felt when Jesus not only invited
Levi to become a part of His inner circle, but then said “Yes” to
Levi’s invitation to come over to his place for a party he was throwing
for his posse (other tax collectors, prostitutes, other notorious sinners)?
What a scene that must have been!
Back in 1982, an Italian director named Frances Zeffirelli produced
and directed a movie called Jesus of Nazareth. The clip you are about to see
is from that film, and it is my favorite scene in the film. Let me set it
up. Jesus has called Levi to become one of His disciples. Peter and the rest
of the disciples don’t like it, but Jesus said “Yes” to Levi’s
party invitation. What Zeffirelli does with the scene is absolutely brilliant;
listen to Jesus’ words, and how Levi and Peter respond.
Folks, Jesus is calling us, you and me, to repent of our sins, lay down our nets, leave everything and follow Him, and be reconciled to one another. Jesus is still calling. Jesus calls us!
