Saturday, August 14, 2004
Luke 5:27-32
When he went out after this, he noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, stating by the customs house and said to him, 'Follow me'. And leaving everything he got up and followed him.
In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus said to them in reply, 'It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.'
Now, Jesus called a tax collector. Not a priest, not a scribe, not a teacher, but a tax collector... One of the most hated people during his time. So here we see Jesus, calling... Not the president... Not the holy... But a sinner! So if we think that we are not worthy of Christ because we are sinners, he called sinners! And in fact! It is his specialty! He even talked to prostitutes. He looks for anyone lost and calls them.i'm not saying we shouldn't be holy, we shouldn't strive to be good, we should! But if we have fallen short of the glory of God, Jesus still calls us back. Neither am I asking you to start moving to your sinful ways and then return to him because he is ever forgiving. We must strive to be good. To always be by his side.
when Jesus said Follow me, the tax collector Left everything and followed. How many of us do that? Or even so, how many of us listen to him saying "follow me"? And if we listen... Do we follow him? And if we decide to... Do we leave everything behind like the tax collector did? Do we? Or do we say "yes! But I want this, I want that, I want to say this, I want to say that, I must be able to do this, I must be able to do that, I must have this, I must have that..... "And the list goes on... We must be like the tax collector! Just get up... Go! Jesus will look after you... Just Go! Let Go! Go!
'It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.' Here, Jesus states his reason. It is true that those who are well need not need a doctor. Jesus comes to save the lost, the sick etc. If you are not, then you have been saved. He doesn't mean he doesn't care about the well. He cares! But since you are in union with him, he does not need to call you. He looks for the sinners, the lost, the lonely, the downcast, etc. To call them back to his side and they shall be saved. And they need not need to be called again because they are also in unison with Jesus.
So! When we hear his voice, do we turn away? Do we follow him? And if we do... Do we stop to reason? Or do we just go? Do we think we are unworthy of him?
Amen.
God love you.
Feel Lonely @Saturday, August 14, 2004
