A Style for Every Story

The year was 1873 and Jacob Davis, a Latvian-Jewish immigrant working as a tailor in Reno, Nevada needed financial backing to apply for a patent. Davis had been making pants for the working men in Reno for a few years now in addition to heavy duty tents, horse blankets, and wagon covers. When a certain woodcutter customer of his kept coming back to buy patches of cloth to mend tears in his pants, Davis got the idea to reinforce the stress points with copper rivets. He reached out to his cloth supplier, a German-Jewish immigrant who operated a dry goods store out of San Francisco, California. Levi Strauss agreed to partner with Jacob Davis and soon, the denim waist overalls reinforced with little copper rivets flooded the market. Davis also patented the stitching design he used across the back pocket of these waist overalls to distinguish his product from his competitors. It would still be a few years until these pants would be called by the name we know them today - jeans.

Strauss and Davis' partnership birthed the now famous Levi 501 Jeans that, though the design is not completely in line with the original design, still maintains several of the copper rivets at key stress points along with the patented stitching on the back pockets.

Levi Strauss & Co. has had many slogans throughout their history, but one of the ones that stands out to me is the following slogan, "A style for every story."

You might be wondering what Levi Strauss and the 501 Jeans have to do with the Bible and with the events that we will be covering today, as they are set roughly 1900 years before the invention of the modern jean design. And although we do not know the style of clothes the protagonists of our story were wearing, we can rest assured that this is a story that shows us Jesus' style of dealing with others.

Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Mark 2 as we read about a man named Levi. No, though this Levi was certainly a Jew, he was not the owner of a dry goods store in San Francisco, but had involved himself in a very different kind of business.

Before we begin reading, we will remember that last week we studied about the four men who brought their paralyzed man to Jesus, and because of the multitude surrounding the house where Jesus was meeting with some scribes and Pharisees, these men got up on the roof, opened a hole, and let their friend down on ropes so that Jesus would heal him.

We studied that the reaction of Jesus was unexpected by the Pharisees, as Jesus did not shudder at the nearness of this man who would have been viewed as a despicable sinner because of the kind of condition he was in. Instead, Jesus responded warmly by calling him "son."

The friends and the paralytic also were not expecting Jesus' reaction, for we saw that instead of immediately healing this man, Jesus looked inwardly at the heart of this man and that of his friends and declared, because of his faith, that this man's sins were forgiven. Of course, this caught the Pharisees off guard and made them think that Jesus, who had been preaching to them the Gospel of repentance and of the kingdom from the beginning of their meeting, was being blasphemous, for only God had the authority to forgive sins.

Jesus, however, knowing their thoughts, says to them, "So that you might know that I, the Son of Man [a title for the Messiah], have power to forgive sins," then looking at the paralytic he continued, "I say unto you, rise up, take up your bed, and walk to your house."

And that is exactly what this man did as he praised the Lord on his way home.

The Pharisees were stunned, and from this point on, their curiosity about Jesus turns to hostility as they fail to understand that Jesus just proved himself to be the Son of God by healing this man spiritually and physically.

The crowd is amazed, but they too miss the meaning of all this as they affirm that Jesus is merely a man to whom God has given great power. In amazement they make the remark, "We have seen strange things today!" (Luke 5:26) Well, those people are in for a big surprise because they are about to see something even more strange happen again.

We open up today in Mark 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

Jesus leaves the city of Capernaum to go to the sea side (this would have been the shores of the Sea of Galilee nearby), and multitudes once more follow him as he teaches them.

But as he is walking and teaching, he happens upon a man - a man that the book of Matthew calls Matthew (this being a autobiographical portion of his Gospel account) and that both Mark and Luke refer to as Levi.

Today I want us to look closely at the amazing interaction between Jesus and Levi/Matthew and the scandalous event that succeeded it. Let's look at all three passages that deal with this event.

Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

Mark tells us Levi's father's name, Alpheus. Mark and Matthew both tell us that Matthew/Levi sat at the receipt of custom (a place that was designated to collect taxes from travellers, merchants, and, seemingly by this booth's close location to the shores of Galilee, from those men who sold their fish at the markets). This could be interpreted one of two ways - that Levi was a tax collector (working for the Roman government), or that he was simply sitting at the receipt of customs, possibly paying his taxes.

Luke however, gives a little more information on this regard in Luke 5:27-28 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Clearly, Levi is not just at the tax collection center to pay his own taxes or to hang out - he was a tax collector himself. Matthew is part of the most hated, if not the most hated, portion of the Jewish population known as Publicans. It is not that the Romans hated the publicans, but it was the Jews who hated these Publicans. We know that the Jews were very much proud of their heritage of being Jewish. We have already talked about their disregard for Gentiles (non-Jewish people), we have discussed their hatred toward the Samaritans (who were not full-blooded Jews), but the hatred felt toward the Publicans surpassed all of these.

So what was a Publican? I am glad you asked! We remember that at this time Israel was controlled by Rome. Though I often refer to Israel, I usually do so as reference to the people, the descendants of Israel. The geographical term for where the Jews lived at this time was the Roman Province of Judea. The Province of Judea was comprised of the three different regions: Judea (where we find Jerusalem), Samaria, and parts of the region of Idumea (these were where the Edomites, Esau's descendants, had settled). When the Romans conquered Judea, there was a significant wave of Jew that arrived in Galilee and settled there along with others who were already living there.

Galilee was not a province of Rome, instead, it was a client state of the Roman Empire. This is why Galilee had a king. Actually, it had 4 rulers after Herod the Great (the governor of Galilee at the time of Jesus' birth), but at this point in Jesus' life and ministry, 2 had already died and the Tetrarch, Herod Antipas ruled most of Galilee while his brother Philip, another tetrarch ruled some of the norther areas of Galilee. It isn't until the year AD 44 that Galilee is added to the province of Judea by Emperor Claudius.

So while Jesus is alive, Judea and Galilee are completely separate regions, politically speaking, but both have Jews living among them and both regions are paying taxes to the Roman Empire.

Anyway, all that to explain what a Publican was... a publican was a person who collected those taxes for Rome. Basically a publican was a private contractor for the Roman government. They Roman government was very smart about collecting taxes from the subservient nations and people groups they had conquered. They would hire citizens from the very population they had conquered to collect taxes from their countrymen. They had other duties, besides tax collecting, but it was for this that they were known in Jesus' time. Romans contracted this duty out to Jews in both Judea and Galilee to collect taxes from their fellow Jews.

The publicans, then, were regarded as traitors by the rest of the Jews since they were serving a Gentile nation that already treated them disparagingly. Not only that, but because they were in constant contact with these Gentiles, they were seen as ceremonially unclean and thus, separated from the congregation. The level of hatred toward the publicans was such that these publicans were often kicked out of their homes and treated as dead by the rest of their family.

The Romans were very smart about this. As it would not be a normal thing that citizens would turn on their friends, families, and fellow-countrymen to collect taxes for an occupying nation, the Romans enticed prospective publicans with bonuses and perks. They gave these publicans hefty bonuses and also allowed them to extort as much money from the citizens as they could get. This extra money went directly into their pockets. Unfortunately, this practice only garnered them more hatred and relegated them to being friends with other publicans and criminals. It is easy to see why they were hated so much.

Matthew/Levi is one of these hated people. He is a traitor to his nation, an extortioner, a thief, an untouchable criminal. His friends are criminals and other tax collectors also deemed traitors to their own people for supporting the Roman government. He is the worst of the worst.

And yet, Jesus is teaching in close proximity to him. As he is being followed by this multitude and passes by Matthew's booth, he locks eyes with Matthew and says, "Follow me." Matthew gets up, and very much like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, forsakes everything, he leaves it all and follows Jesus.

Having heard the call to follow Jesus, Matthew does. It is likely that Matthew had been listening to Jesus from the moment he had arrived in Capernaum. It is very likely that during these times of hearing Jesus preach, the Gospel of Repentance had been convicting his heart more and more, and now, confronted by Jesus to act upon what has been going on in his heart, Matthew jumps at the opportunity and leaves it all behind.

But that is not the only thing that Matthew does. He does something that sets an example for us all. Matthew throws a party! And though we should all be rejoicing when people get saved and decide to follow Jesus, this is not the example I am talking about. The reason Matthew throws a party is to invite all of his friends to meet Jesus.

Luke 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

We read about this party in Matthew and Mark as well.

Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

Mark 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

He gets all his friends to come to his house and celebrate. But, who are Matthew's friends? Nobody good. His friends are other publicans and known, unrepentant sinners. This was a gathering of the who's who of the Galilean reject society. The worst of the worst, the scum of the earth. These would have been drunks, adulterers, thieves, and others that were unrepentant and in obvious sin. These were Matthew's friends, and these were the one's attending the party. These were the people that Matthew was intent on introducing to Jesus, and he did! And when they heard Jesus, many of them followed him also.

Never ones to attend a party with those sorts of people, but never ones to pass up an opportunity to be in on the local gossip, outside the house looking in were the Pharisees. "Something big is going down in this publican's house, we need to know about it." And lo and behold if it isn't the man who claims to be God, hanging around this bunch of sinners and publicans, eating and drinking with them.

Mark 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

I can imagine a group of Pharisees crowding outside the gates of Matthew's home and as they see some of Jesus' disciples walk by, they call them over. "Hey, Peter, James, John, come here. This is Matthew's house."

"Yeah, it is."

"He is a Publican."

"Well, up until a few hours ago he was, but not anymore. He's a disciple of Jesus now, just like us."

"Speaking of Jesus... We just saw him through the window eating and drinking with all that other scum here. How is he doing that? He just said he was the Son of Man a few days ago, implying that he is the Messiah, he just claimed to forgive that paralyzed man's sins, and here he is having a good old time with a bunch of known sinners? How is that?"

But instead of getting a reply from the disciples, the voice of Jesus is heard as Jesus' face appears on the other side of the gate. "Healthy people don't need a doctor; it is the sick people that need one. I didn't come to call the righteous to repentance but the unrighteous."

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

When he said this he isn't talking about actual righteous people. The Bible clearly states that "there is none righteous, no, not one." What Jesus is talking about is the self-righteous people. See, in their minds, and you will see this more and more clearly as we continue the study of the ministry of Jesus, the Pharisees viewed themselves as righteous. They alone were in right standing with God, and it was all because of their over-zealous pursuit of keeping the law... or so they believed. They believed that the more outward performances of good works that they did, the more they would be accepted of God. They never considered that their hearts that were often filled with bitterness and hatred toward others (like these publicans and sinners gathered at Matthew's house), jealousy (like what they felt toward Jesus' influence), and pride actually separated them just s much from God as the people they so loved to judge. They were self-righteous, but they were not righteous. However, it is impossible for a self-righteous person to repent. They live in denial, much like the man or woman that has been diagnosed with a terminal illness is when that person refuses to admit what the doctors have already told them.

These same Pharisees had sat, probably just days before, in a room with Jesus as he preached to them the Gospel of Repentance and walked away unrepentant. Jesus is now calling them out saying, "I gave you my time and my message - the only thing that would cure the disease of sin in your life, but it was wasted on you because you think you don't need it. These people know they are sinners. Not a single one of them doubt that they are condemned already, and many of them are receiving tonight this medicine, this gospel, this good news of who I am an what I came to do. So imma spend some time with these guys. Later!" And I can imagine Jesus throwing up deuces, walking back inside the house, grabbing a steak, and chowing down with some new followers.

By doing that, by not only calling a Publican to follow him, but by spending time with and loving those that society and religion itself considered unlovable and unredeemable, Jesus exposed the narrowness of the Pharisees, and for that, he became known as "the friend of sinners." This was in no way a friendly remark; it was an accusation.

In recent events we have heard of Jeffery Epstein. This evil, evil man that was heavily involved in trafficking minors. A copy of his black book got released to the public and those in it have been referred to as friends of Epstein, and it is not a good mark for them. Many, simply for having their contact information appear in that book, whether they too were aware of what he was involved in or not, now have the distinction of being referred to as a friend of Epstein. Not a good thing. This was the way the Pharisees were looking to affect Jesus' reputation by calling him a "friend of sinners and publicans."

But that was exactly what Jesus came to do. He never participated in their sin, but he was a true friend of these sinners. Jesus stated a particular truth in John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

But the truth is that Jesus did not just lay his life down for his disciples, whom after that conversation he called friends very deliberately. He laid his life down for those people at that party in Matthew's house, even the ones that did not believe him and follow him. He laid his life down for those Pharisees that were criticizing him. He laid his life down for the salvation of the entirety of humanity, of sinful humanity.

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die [for a very righteous man, a man that has as perfect a track record as you can get, somebody might be willing to die for him]: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die [and maybe, maybe for someone that is pretty good would someone die for him]. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners [while we were not righteous or even good at all, but very, very bad], Christ died for us.

That, church, that is true friendship and true love. And we could stop there and celebrate that Jesus loved sinners; that he was a friend of the publicans, of the drunkards, of the adulterers, of the thieves. We could be amazed that his grace reached even us, while we were yet sinner, Christ died for us. I could end the sermon here and we could all go home and feel really good about ourselves because of God's grace.

But I am bound to preach the whole counsel of God. Paul, as he preached his farewell address to the Ephesian church, said this in Acts 20:26-27 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

He said, "I am innocent of the blood of anyone here at this church. I have preached all of the counsel of God to you, the easy stuff and the hard stuff. If you didn't listen and you don't follow it is on your head, not on mine."

I could end this sermon now and, like I said earlier, we could all go home feeling really good. But that would not be the whole counsel of God. Yes, Jesus was a friend of sinners. He loves them unconditionally, welcomed them with open arms, preached to them, fed them, loved them, and allowed them to be in his presence. But here's the kicker: We need to do the same thing.

We cannot call ourselves the church of Jesus, the Body of Christ, the representation of the Kingdom of God on earth if we are unwilling to do the same thing to others. To others deemed by society and religion as outcasts and sinners, to others that are known by the world to be bad people. We might as well turn off these lights, bar the doors, shutter the windows, sell off this property and never have a service again if we are not willing to go to the pariahs of society.

This church does not exist to cater to the wants and whims of its members, this church exists to reach people with the love of Christ through the gospel and make disciples that impact the world with that same message! And if we aren't willing to do that, what is the point of all of this?

The world sees men and women as felons, as drug addicts, as drains on society, as illegal immigrants, as rioters, and so many different things. But church, we need to see these people as souls that are going somewhere! Someday they will die, and where will they be? And how will they know without someone to introduce them to Jesus? How will they ever be changed and forgiven if we do not show them Jesus?

How will they ever feel loved by Jesus if we don't allow them in this building, in the seat next to us, in the home groups, in the life groups, in the Bible studies?

If we do not have the inclination to love them like Jesus loves us, we are no better than the Pharisees.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's about to get real. In a few moments we will have an invitation, and you need to get real with God, because a few minutes after this invitation there will be a call to action. You and I will be presented with an opportunities that will undoubtedly make you uncomfortable to consider.

If you take any of these opportunity, you will probably have to adjust your schedule. You will be around people that others may consider unredeemable, unwanted, or unlovable, and you will have the opportunity to love them and show them that Jesus wants them and can redeem them.

Would you be a Matthew? Would you be a Levi? Because this is true Christian style. This is the style in which we reach others. This is the style for our story as a church. This is the style: for the saved to tell the love of Jesus to every sinner, of which we should consider our own selves to have been the worst.

Let's pray.

Invitation:

Maybe you are here this morning without Christ. Maybe you have wondered if Jesus even wants you. Perhaps you have felt unloved and unaccepted by all others. Let me tell you about my Jesus: He loves you with an everlasting love. He wants to save you. He is calling today for you to follow him in faith.

Perhaps you are here today and you are saved. But maybe you have never told others about Jesus. Maybe your circle of friends "isn't the best." That is good. Those are the people that Jesus wants to save! Let me encourage you this morning to be a Matthew. Gather your friends together for the sake of introducing them to Jesus. Bring them to church, bring them to a Bible study, invite them to a home group. Organize your own home group and invite them... DO SOMETHING for the sake of the Gospel!

Is there anyone that has a friend or a close coworker that needs to know the Gospel and you have the opportunity to tell them?

Maybe your here this morning and you have been content with those that are coming to church so far. But in your mind, those quote-unquote "awful" people can stay out. Those immigrants can stay away, those ex-cons can just stay outside these walls, those drug addicts better not come here.

Let me tell you, if that is your attitude, this is not the right church for you to stay in and keep that attitude. However, if you are aware that this is the wrong attitude, and you want God to do a work in your heart to change that to a more Christ-like one than this is the perfect church you.

Is there anyone that would be honest and say, "Bro. Mike, pray for me, I have an attitude that like this that needs to change. If I am honest, there are some people that I would rather not see in this church, but pray for me, that God will change my heart."