Today’s text answers a question. Who can and who cannot be forgiven by Jesus? That is, who can receive the grace of Jesus? Contrary to popular opinion, there are some people that Jesus will not forgive.
We are in the second of five controversies between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders (Mark 2:1-3:6).
Last week, we saw that Jesus, as the son of God, has authority to forgive sins. As you recall, in Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic, carried by his four friends, approached Jesus in faith, hoping that Jesus would heal him. Indeed, Jesus healed the man physically, but he also forgave his sins. Jesus was teaching those present (and us) at least two things:
- That we should approach Jesus in faith.
- That spiritual healing is more important than physical healing.
We see both of these truths again in today’s text.
Sermon Text: Mark 2:13-17
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus extends an invitation to sinners (13-15, 17)
In vv. 1-12, Jesus was teaching in a home. In v. 13, we see that Jesus was teaching the crowd by the sea. Jesus was just outside Capernaum along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was listening to Jesus because they believed they could learn from him. Remember, Jesus taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes (Mark 1:22).
14
As Jesus made his way back to the city, he saw Levi, a tax collector, sitting at his tax booth. To understand the significance of Jesus’ call to Matthew, you need to know some things about tax collectors.
Tax collectors were despised by Jews for two reasons. First, tax collectors worked for the Roman Empire. Second, they extorted their fellow Jews to pad their own pockets. They would often collect more taxes than were required and then skim some off the top. They were seen as traitors to their own people.
No one liked tax collectors. No one talked to him. No one named their kids after him. He was never invited to anyone’s wedding.
Jesus likened tax collectors to unbelievers:
Matt 5:46
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Matt 18:17
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.“
Matt 21:31-32
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
Tax collectors were cast out from society. They were disqualified to serve as a judge or witness in court, were excommunicated from the synagogue, and were considered to be a disgrace to their families.[1]William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974), 101–102.
In spite of all this, Jesus’ extends an invitation to Levi: “Follow me.”
For the reasons I just mentioned, Jesus’ act of inviting a tax collector to follow him was as scandalous as touching a leper.[2]Daniel Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 48. In fact, the religious leaders taught that tax collectors were unclean.
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
- Learn from his teaching (v. 13).
- Acknowledge your sinfulness.
- Repent of sin and self-righteousness.
- Trust Jesus.
- Obey Jesus’ commands.
- Be willing to count the cost and forsake everything (Luke 5:28)
Levi (Matthew) counted the cost of following Jesus and turned his back on his former way of life.
Also notice that Jesus called Levi while he was sitting in the tax booth. Some people think you have to clean up before coming to Jesus. This passage shows us that instead you come to Jesus and he cleans you up.
If you’re you’re waiting until you can quit watching porn, quit sleeping with your girlfriend, or quit cheating on your husband before you can come to Jesus, then you’re wrong. Come to Jesus and follow him and he will make you clean (1 Cor 6:9-11).
15
Luke 5:29
And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.
It seems that Levi was ready to begin a new life with Jesus. He called all his friends and had a party at his house. This was no average dinner. It was a feast, probably even a celebration. The guests were not just sitting, but reclining at the table. Levi was the host and Jesus was the guest of honor.
There are three things for us to note here. First, Jesus spent time with tax collectors and sinners. Second, a shared meal is a great way to introduce people to Jesus. Third, following Jesus will make you want to reconcile with those who have wronged you.
The company that Jesus kept often drew the ire of the religious leaders, but Jesus knew that it was the spiritually sick who needed to be tended to (v. 17). As Christians, our main friends should be other believers, but we should also seek to spend time with lost people in order to share Christ with them.
One great way to do this is by having a meal with someone. I think the very best way to get to know someone is by having them into your home. If you would rather start with a meal a neutral location, that is fine, too. Jesus often had meals with people in order to spend time with them and teach them. We should do the same.
One more thing. Did you notice the location of Levi’s tax booth? Levi was sitting at a tax booth that was somewhat close to the sea. Some of Levi’s tax revenue came from fishermen. Remember, Jesus’ first four disciples (Simon, Andrew, James, and John) were all fishermen (Mark 1:16-20). That means that it’s likely that Levi had extorted and wronged these men. I’m quite sure that these four fishermen were not thrilled with Jesus’ choice of Levi. However, when you follow Jesus, you are to seek to be reconciled with those who have wronged you.
Jesus loved sinners. Jesus loved them where they were, but he also loved them too much to let them continue to live in their sin (John 8:1-11).
You may remember Zacchaeus, who was more than a wee little man. He was not just a tax collector but a chief tax collector. Zacchaeus encountered Jesus and from that day forward was never the same (Luke 19:1-10). After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus decided to give half of his money to the poor and to make amends to anyone he had defrauded.
In vv. 13-15, we see that Jesus extends an invitation to sinners. In vv. 16-17, we see that Jesus rejects the self-righteous.
Jesus rejects the self-righteous (16-17)
The scribes of the Pharisees were most likely outside the home, possibly looking through the windows. The religious leaders questioned Jesus’ credentials. In their minds, surely Jesus couldn’t have any religious authority, for he eats with sinners and tax collectors. Doesn’t he know what kind of people they were?
How could Jesus eat and fellowship with tax collectors? Jesus was eating with people whom the Jews considered political and economic traitors.
Sometimes that’s how church people can be as well. We might think, that person doesn’t look like us, dress like us, and uses colorful language. That person uses words that we don’t use.
All too often like these religious leaders, we can be self-righteous. At times, we lose our wonder at God’s grace towards us. The more we realize how indebted to Jesus we are for his grace, the more we will be able to extend grace to others.
We forget that God’s amazing grace has saved wretches like us.
We forget that God’s amazing grace has saved wretches like us.
Jesus rejected the Pharisees because they were trusting in their own righteousness. They trusted in their obedience to the law, their circumcision, and their Abrahamic lineage instead of trusting in him to save them.
What does this look like for us? At times, we think that God loves us or impressed by us because:
- we faithfully attend church
- we faithfully give to the church
- we read out of a certain translation of the Bible
- we abstain from alcohol
- we have shared the gospel with this many people
- we are better than the sinners down the street and don’t struggle with the same sins they do.
Self-righteous people desire other people’s praise more than holiness before God. They see the sins of others, but never their own. They judge others more harshly than they judge themselves. They trust in themselves and their behavior and look down on others.
Friends, the reality is that were it not for the grace of Christ we would be in hell with tax collectors, prostitutes, homosexuals, adulterers, terrorists, and any other sinner you can think of. We all deserve God’s wrath but there is grace. Look at v. 17.
17
You must know you are spiritually sick before you can be spiritually healed.
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Have you ever been around someone that refuses to go to the doctor even when it’s obvious that they’re very sick? Unfortunately, I have a personal reminder of this. My grandpa had chest pain and didn’t go to the doctor. He eventually had a stroke in his early fifties and suffered for about 30 years before his death. It’s awful for someone to have a premature death or to suffer for many years because he or she refused to get help. Friends, it’s infinitely worse to refuse to seek spiritual healing and to be healed by Jesus.
Consider that when a person goes to the doctor, he is acknowledging that he has a disease that someone else must treat. In the same way, we can only be cured of the disease of sin when we go to the Great Physician.
Conclusion
As I come to a close, I want to ask you some questions.
Are you depending on your good works to save you like the self-righteous Pharisees?
Or, are you like Levi, well aware that you cannot be saved from your sin without Jesus?
When you consider your sinfulness, are you comparing yourself with other sinners or a perfectly holy God? It’s easy to measure up with your sinful friends and neighbors, but God is perfect (Matt 5:48).
Is there someone you know that needs Jesus but you have not shared the gospel with them because you thought they were too far gone? Remember, Jesus calling a tax collector was scandalous.
And finally, are you willing to eat with sinners so that you can bring them to Jesus’ table?
In today’s culture, relationships are so important in evangelism. I would encourage you to be hospitable and have people into your home. I would say shoot for at least once a month. Maybe, you could have a church family into your home one month and an unchurched family the next.
We must seek to introduce people to Jesus. We must speak of Jesus. We need to quit being so self-absorbed. We need to create some time in our schedules. The only way that we can change Harrisburg (my town) and the world is to introduce people to Jesus and that takes time and sacrifice.
Are you willing to introduce sinners to Jesus?
Are you willing to associate with people that don’t look like you, talk like you, or shop in the same places you do?
BIG IDEA: Jesus calls sinners to follow him but he rejects the self-righteous.