How Far should We Go?

Mark 2:13–17 NKJV

Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

This last verse is well known to many Christians today. Even if you’ve never read it you’ve probably heard someone say it.

But, do we understand the full gravity of its meaning, or what’s required from us in order to see it play out!

Looking back at verse 15, we find the key that unlocks this mystery:

I. Jesus was open and unafraid of mingling with undesirables.

There are many Christians with phobias now a days!

Christians are marginalized and stigmatized because the unsaved people of the world see us with fears and hangups.

We are labeled as homophobes.

We are labeled as xenaphobes

We claim that we are not, but our prejudice in these areas shows through loud and clear!

We avoid, distrust, and alienate sinners.

We immediately judge unworthy anything that is foreign to us.

And we justify doing these things in the name of righteousness, and even propose Jesus to have done it Himself!

But there lies the problem, Jesus never did!

Our text couldn’t be any clearer:

Jesus mingled and enjoyed being with sinners!

He liked it so much, that He even invited Himself to their homes!

Everything about the way Jesus behaved with the most sinful of people was unconventional to say the least, and shocking to most!

He hung out with tax collectors who excelled financially by extorting money from the population.

He hung out with prostitutes and thieves!

But why did He do this?

A. He wasn’t bothered or moved by class.

When the world categorizes people according to class, it relegates their worth according to status.

Are you a blue collar worker? a white collar worker?

What side of the tracks were you born on? or, what neighborhood do you live in?

These are ways which we judge and value people.

B. He knew His purpose.

Jesus Himself said that He came to do the will of His Father in Heaven.

Luke 22:42 NKJV

saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

His purpose was to heal the broken hearted, and not just the good ones.

His purpose was to save that which was lost, and as He says in our text today, the sick are the ones who need the physician.

And so, this is why He spent so much time with them.

Contrast the way we do ministry and Jesus did it:

Jesus

Spent little time with religious people.

Spent the majority of His time with poor, sick and sinful.

Chose out 12 men that no one would ever have chosen.

2. Us

Spend the majority of our time with the good religious people.

Spend very little time with the undesirables of the community, and we prefer it that way.

We generally choose people to lead and minister based talent or looks.

Another reason He wasn’t afraid to mingle with undesirables was:

C. He didn’t expect sinners to act like saints.

This is probably the most obvious place we as believers stumble, we expect those of the world who are...

born in sin,

live in sin,

can’t help but sin,

not to sin!

Have we lost our minds?

And here’s the irony of the whole thing:

We expect unsaved people to act saved, but we who are saved don’t even do it for the most part!

This is why we stay away from sinners, because we have unrealistic expectations.

II. Jesus was highly attractive to sinners.

There was always something magnetic about Him.

III. Jesus was not bothered or moved by class or status.

People couldn’t resist being around Him, and found Him to be highly approachable.

The accusations against Him were that He ate with sinners, and drank wine with them.

The word that describes His dining with them is, one that describes the relaxed attitude He had with them.

How relaxed are you when around a crowd of undesirable people?

Don’t we for the most part have a difficult time at work, parties, family reunions?

People could also have a conversation with Him about life and things relevant to them.

How relevant are we in our conversations with people?

His attraction was because He was there for them, and did look condescendingly upon them.

People felt that He was really with them because He cared for them!

I believe we are confused about just how Jesus behaved because, we take Paul’s writings too far and don’t balance them out with the gospels.

The gospel accounts of Jesus’ life are not theologically pre-Cavalry and Paul’s writings post-Calvary!

Jesus’ model of interaction with people is the norm and the pattern He set forth for us. Paul’s warnings are specific to certain cultural problems and situations that were dividing the church.

If we see these scriptures in context and compare them to the gospel accounts, we would do well.

III. Jesus expects us to follow Him.

Following Him is much more than just doing right and preaching at people:

it’s about loving people the way He loves people!

It’s about seeking out the undesirables for the kingdom of God!

It’s about being peace makers!

It’s about caring for the hurting, and those trapped by sin!

It’s about doing life with those around us for the kingdom and not living a monastic lifestyle!

Jesus Came for sinners, died for sinners, rose from the grave for sinners, loves sinners, and sent us to reach sinners!

Why are we playing games?

II. Jesus was highly attractive to sinners.