Jesus and the Unlikely Disciples

Hook: Think about the last time you went to dinner at someone’s house…Who was at the table—and who wasn’t? Most of us choose our tables carefully.

Have you ever thought about how you choose your guests? Are they people you are comfortable with? Are they people you like? Are they people you know best? Or is there something else going on when you choose who you share a meal with?

If Jesus showed up to your table, would He be comfortable? Or would He want to avoid your table?

Mark 2:13–17 ESV

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.”

“The most controversial thing Jesus did in Mark 2 wasn’t the miracle—it was the meal.”

Mark 2:13–14 ESV

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 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.

He went out again beside the sea: One of the commentators I read this week pondered if Jesus liked to walk on the beach.

The crowd was coming to him: One of the things we see in Jesus repeatedly is that even when He was resting or on the move, crowds followed. I wonder why?

He was teaching them…and he SAW Levi: He was always looking and seeing people and had compassion for them.

1. Compelling Call of Christ

“sitting at the tax booth”: The tax booth scene. Describe it. There are tons of things Jesus could see. The money from people being extorted. The record books and spreadsheets showing how much Matthew took from people. The items Matthew took for collateral. The fish, the goods taken as tax. Some how Jesus was able to look past all of that stuff and see Matthew/Levi.

And he rose and followed Him.

No matter what we think or have been taught…The Call of Christ was not only for the Romans or the Jews. It wasn’t only for the perfect, ordered, welcomed, and accepted. It is not only for the conservative, democratic, socialist, or communist. It is not only for us here, or those over there. It is for all. IT is for the adulterous woman. It is for the tax collector. It is for the fisherman. It is for the demoniac. It is for the cheats. It is for the sinful. It is for the arrogant. It is for the humble. It is for all.

The compelling Call of Christ is this…come will you follow Christ…and some will say yes and some will say no.

Sometimes we need to just be with people and see if they will follow Christ wherever they are, even if they are in the middle of their sinful lives. Sometimes we need to not rule people out or wait until we think they are “deemed” ready.

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Mark 2:15 ESV

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.

He reclined: He was comfortable.

Many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Him: they were comfortable with Jesus.

Jesus was criticized for…

2. Dining with the Disgraced

STORY: One of the greatest criticisms of my ministry as a pastor is related to my desire to see past peoples sins and just be comfortable with them. (For the most part) I think it is because God made me this way and that I finally gave my life to Him when I was in High School. So I still remember a big portion of my life without living for HIm. The criticism I get is why do we allow people to act this way at the church? Why do we allow people to cuss at the church? Why do we allow people to do this or that at the church? Hats? Fill in the blank.

I don’t believe I have EVER asked someone not to cuss around me. If I see someone drinking too much beer, smoking, chewing, or whatever the sin is for the day. I don’t take it out of their hand and throw it on the ground. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it Although, I don’t like it. I just never have. Don’t think this was a skill I developed or worked on. This was the way God made me. And it has served me well.

(Pause)

And yet I am criticized for it. Because people want me a pastor to stop people from sinning! Or stop people from doing the thing that they don’t like.

(Pause)

And here is how God worked through all of that. When I see someone I stand with, talk with, sit with, eat with, spend time with no matter how deep or less deep they are in sin. And you know what happens…God calls them, God saves them, God changes them. Yes…Sometimes it is my words, teachings, or whatever. But God does it.

Sometimes we Christians are so concerned with people doing stuff the right way, right order, our preferences that we miss this thing about Jesus…

He was comfortable with sinners and they were comfortable with Him!

The people Jesus was not comfortable with were religious people who were so arrogant that they couldn’t see the error of their ways.

But with sinners…he was comfortable with.

QUESTION:

Are you comfortable with sinners?

Are sinners comfortable with you?

Mark 2:16 ESV

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?”

When they saw: in direct contrast to what Jesus saw (potential in the tax collector) , the scribes of the Pharisees saw what they didn’t like.

They questioned the disciples. They questioned Jesus. These weren’t genuine questions in an effort to learn. These were questions meant to criticize. These questions revealed the HEART of the scribes of the Pharisees.

3. Questions Reveal Qualms

Matthew 7:1–5 ESV

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Application:

The longer with walk with God, there is a tendency for us to becoming inward focused and self-centered. And in that self-centeredness we stop seeing our own problems, and focus on the problems for others. We need God’s help to remind us of this truth!

Mark 2:17 ESV

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.”

We rarely see a doctors office waiting room filled with healthy people.

Don’t get this twisted and think Jesus means that the scribes of the PHarisees are healthy. No they all needed the Savior.

4. Purpose of the Physician

We all need to acknowledge our need for Jesus healing touch, regardless of your spiritual status.

We all need to remember the efforts Jesus took to help the sinners seems over and above, but that was His purpose.

And if we are to be like Him…that is our call as well.

Conclusion:

“Some of you walked in today wondering if you belong here. Mark 2 answers that question before you ever ask it.”

You are welcomed at the table with Jesus.

The questions I hope to have us all know the answer to are this before we leave. I can answer one for you, but not both.

Is Jesus comfortable with you?

Are you comfortable with Him?

YES!

He is comfortable with you. He loves you. The great call of Jesus is for ALL! And he will dine with you. He will sit with you. He will listen to you. And then as we spend time with Jesus, He changes us.

Are you comfortable with Him? That answer is the one I don’t know the answer to this morning.

Some of you aren’t comfortable with the fact that Jesus calls people who are in your opinion not worthy, unclean, not good enough. Some of you aren’t comfortable with the fact that there people that when you look at their lives, you see all they have done wrong or are doing wrong. That might be where some of you are today. You need God to help you see more clearly. Yourself and others. You haven’t dined with a sinner, spent time with a sinner, not welcomed a sinner. Who needs God to help them. You know…if the conviction is in your gut and heart right now you know. Because the people and their habits that you are irritated or disgusted by have been on your heart this whole sermon.

Salvation