Mark
2:13-17 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus
Calls Levi and Eats with Sinners
13 Once
again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he
began to teach them. 14 As
he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
15 While
Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were
eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the
law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they
asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On
hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Since the election, we
have seen different political sides continuing to take shots at one another. We
see Christians telling other Christians that they are not worthy to be called a
follower of Christ, because of who they voted for.
Likewise we find it hard
to associate with others that have different political and religious views,
than ours. Beloved, I have lived in small towns before in which I have heard “Preacher
you may not want to be seen with me, I’m unpopular around here.”
The question that I pose
in today’s blog is this? As followers of Christ, should we not associate with
those that society deems unworthy? The text from Mark 2, shows us that Jesus
fully understood that it is the sick that need physicians, not the healthy. Likewise,
we as followers of the cross of Christ, are tasked with bringing the good news
of Christ to all, and not just the “Cool Kids”.
Beloved, Jesus is here
for the rich and the poor, the gay and the straight, the honest person and the
criminal. Jesus is here for the citizen as well as the undocumented alien.
Does this mean that I
side with a certain personality or lifestyle? No, it means that I side with
Christ that tells me this to do. John 13:34-35. He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I
have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you
are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
My friends, being a Christian does not mean
that we must take sides, but it does mean that we must not separate ourselves
because of our differences. Who are you embarrassed to be with that needs to
hear the good news?
Whether the rich or whether the drug addicted in the street, whether the criminal, whether the most honest. Jesus died on the cross for them, the least we can do is have a meal with them and give of ourselves.
Do not let a political election remove the love from your hearts, and instead of doing what the world says is right, do what Jesus Christ says it right.
Whether the rich or whether the drug addicted in the street, whether the criminal, whether the most honest. Jesus died on the cross for them, the least we can do is have a meal with them and give of ourselves.
Do not let a political election remove the love from your hearts, and instead of doing what the world says is right, do what Jesus Christ says it right.
This is the word of Jesus Christ for today
and every day.
Pastor Tim.
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