Date: Dec. 1, 2011
. Luke 5:27-32 . Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax collecting booth . Jesus said two words to him, "Follow me." Amazingly Levi got up, left everything and followed Jesus. Afterward, Levi was so thankful he threw a huge party and invited Jesus. . Levi's house was full of tax collectors and what the Pharisee called public sinners. When the Pharisees saw Jesus hanging out with these despicable people they complained to Jesus' disciples. They said, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus comes to his disciples defense and answers, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." . In this short passage there are many things going on. First of all we see the religious leader's self righteousness and how they looked down upon those they were supposed to help. They were Israel's spiritual leaders and should have had a heart to pray for and help the "public sinners." Instead the condemned them. However Jesus was different. He saw them with compassion and loved them. Sure they were dirty sinners but Jesus didn't have a "holier-than-thou" attitude (even though he is God and really is holier than all of us) and he was willing to join them in their celebration. . It was a time to celebrate because what was lost had been found. Levi was a lost soul, he traded himself to attain success. When Jesus found him, he was sick with sin. the truth is that all of us are sick with sin and we need someone who can help us. But who can help with sin? Only someone who has overcome can truly help another. Jesus is the only one who can help because he overcame all temptation and is without sin. . When Levi was healed of his sin-sickness, he repented and gave his life to Jesus and became St. Matthew. God changed his life direction completely. He was sick and Jesus made him well. When I first started coming to Jesus, I saw all these people who looked weird and seemed like losers. I thought that I was to cool to be one of them, "Jesus people." But the truth was I was sick with pride, arrogance, lust, self-condemnation and so many other things that I couldn't see straight.I never thought that I was the one who was sick. I thought others were and so they needed someone like Jesus but not me, I was okay. I thought that I didn't need Jesus. But I realize now that is the WORST place to be. That is the most DANGEROUS place to be. Because I was so blind, I didn't know God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. . When I think about this passage, I am so thankful to Jesus that he came to me when I was too proud to come to him. Jesus is so humble and compassionate that he bore with all my sins and shortcomings until I could understand what he was offering me. I am so thankful to have the same invitation that Jesus gave to Levi and follow him. My prayer now is to continue to follow Jesus the way that he wants me to follow him. I want to lay aside all the sins that hinders me following him. I want to repent daily of all my known and unknown sins and enjoy the grace of my Lord and Savior. Praise Jesus for his precious invitation. .
Do Not Be Afraid, Jacob
Jeremiah 46:27-47:7
Key Verse: 46:46:27
