SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:13-17
For many Christians, ‘going to church’ has replaced ‘going into the world’.
But church is not a place we go to, it is a missionary group we join, led by Jesus.
It is a team of forgiven ‘sinners’ eager to share His mercy and love with others.
Jesus promises to be with those who go with Him into the world (Matthew 28:18-20).
For many Christians, there’s no time for ‘sinners’, we have church meetings and events.
If we want to be with Jesus, then we need to be among ‘sinners’, outsiders, non-churched.
This sounds condescending, but it is not, for we are ‘sinners’ that Jesus hangs out with too.
We are all ‘sinners’, we all need Jesus, we all need compassion, we all need forgiveness.
Jesus challenges me to consider whether I share His compassion for ‘sinners’ like me.
And He urges me to join Him on the front lines, loving and serving ‘sinners’ like me.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see that this is church, going into the world with You to love and serve sinners like me.
Jesus saw Levi, and asked him to follow him. Jesus was selecting a group of people to hang out with to change the world. Levi was a tax collector, and a type of person that was not held in high esteem. Today an auditor who asks you questions about how and why you do things may get a similar respect. Tax collectors used to take more money than required in order to keep some for themselves. Jesus called this man to become one of his inner circle. He had what Jesus was looking for in order to further his kingdom. Do I have what he wants? Do you? Jesus went and hung out with Levi’s friends, who apparently were classified as sinners. This was not the upper crust of society. These were the losers. And Jesus calls people like this to himself. I do not need to measure up before I come to Jesus. He calls me to himself from whatever place in life I find myself.
I pray that I can learn to be accepting of others, just as Jesus is accepting of others, and of me. I pray that I can learn from Jesus’ model here, and position myself with those that society may reject.
Observations:
Jesus attracted the people. They came to hear Him. And He accepted all – from all walks of life to the dismay of others. He came to seek the lost – those who needed healing – so that they would walk with Him.
Application:
A question I used to ask the students I taught – ‘Whose are you?’ In other words – to whom do you belong? To whom do I belong? And the answer must be – the Lord’s. I belong to my faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ. And because of that I must also share the Good News with those around me – not to those who have heard the Word but also to those who need to hear the Word. I need to be an instrument of His peace.
Prayer:
Help me this day Lord , on my way living Your Way.
This is the day(2)
That the lord has made(2)
We will rejoice(2)
And be glad in it(2)
This is the day that the lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it…
Take and receive
Take and receive O lord my liberty
Take all my will my mind my memory
Do thou direct and govern all and sway
Do what thou wilt, command and I obey
Only thy grace and love on me bestow
Possessing these all riches I forego
All things I hold and all I own are thine
Thine was the gift to thee I all resign
Do thou direct and govern all and sway
Do what thou wilt, command and I obey