Jesus Shocks the Norm of the Day - Mark 2:13-22

Mark 2:13-22
Jesus shocks the norm of the day.
Jesus shocks the norm of the day by His grace which thwarts all barriers and
prejudices of man
INTRO
Who here has ever seen the filming of an atomic bomb explosion? Shocking footage
is it NOT? One thing I find disturbingly impressive when viewing one is the vast
reaches of the destruction by the mere shock wave from the explosion. It’s frightening
to see how this shock wave absolutely pulverizes, annihilates, levels everything in it’s
path. Everything! Cars, buildings, forrests....you name it....are blow away to
smithereens like anyone of us blowing dandelion seeds oﬀ the stem. They don’t
stand a chance. Gone in an instant by our mere breath same as a shockwave
generated by an atomic explosion levels everything within the radius the wave reaches.
It’s power is shocking to behold.
NEWS can be ‘shocking’ as well, right? Learning of something you would of thought
otherwise impossible...like Buddy the Elf learning that the Claus-o- meter which
powers Santa’s sled is at an all time low.... “Shocking” was his response as the news
of it moved through his body.
WELL, in a similar manner, a shock wave in the form of both news and power has
been taking place in the life and person of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Mark starts oﬀ with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God.” And from the explosion of Jesus on the scene a shock wave has been
moving throughout every quarter of Judea and Galilee. Wherever JESUS went He was
preaching and teaching..proclaiming the gospel of God with Authority...with
Power....the likes of which was never seen before.... It was “Shocking”.
Furthermore, Jesus demonstrated His ‘Power’ over all things. His Power over satan
both in defeating his temptations in the wilderness and in casting out demons who
were subject to Him,...they obeyed Him...period. NO battle to be fought. At the

command of Jesus who holds all power, they obeyed. His power over sickness was
demonstrated over and over...healing many by a mere touch or word spoken and upon
one occasion of healing the paralytic man, JESUS demonstrated His power over
sin...that He, being equal with God has the authority, the power on earth to forgive
sin.
It wasn’t too long where this shock wave of news and power in the life and person
of Jesus Christ moved throughout the region not bringing destruction like an atomic
bomb, BUT on the contrary, LIFE. Great crowds of people formed and flocked to the
epic center....to JESUS no matter how far removed from the cities and towns
these desolate places JESUS was at....were. His fame was steadily amassing and
YET, Jesus took no pleasure in popularity....only one thing pleased Him and that
was the Father...and doing the Father’s WILL.....fulfilling what the Father sent Him
to do. And today, we are going to see more of this in our passage in consideration
this morning. (Mark 2:13-22). Here, we’ll see Jesus shock the norm of the day. A
continued gospel shock wave emanating from Him who is revealing to us the
Father. How will Jesus shock the norm of the day in our passage this morning?
By His grace which thwarts all barriers and prejudices of man.
Jesus shocks the norm of the day by His grace which thwarts all barriers and
prejudices of man.
We’ll see this first in The Grace of Faithful Preaching. Our first point
BODY
1) FIRST POINT - (Mark 2:13). The Grace of Faithful Preaching
Ben preached about the significance of preaching the past couple Sunday’s back. If
you haven’t heard that message, I’d encourage you to listen online. It will be time
well spent. With complimentary eﬀorts, I’d like to add a few more tidbits on the
subject starting with God’s saving Power in it. How you ever pondered that? The
primary means by which God works to save is through the grace of faithful preaching.
It’s stated no more plainly than how Paul attributes preaching in his letter to Corinth. (1

Corinthians 1:17-24) Paul writes “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach
the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied
of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who
is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made
foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, the world did not know God through
wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
For the Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a
stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power (shock wave power) of God and the wisdom of God.”
Do you believe in that Grace? That through the Faithful preaching of God’s word...God
works powerfully to save. And not only at initial conversion but also the grace in
sanctifying His people, the community of faith, who gather together to sit under the
preaching of God’s word. There is a saving/sanctifying power present and at work
when God’s word is Faithfully Preached through Holy Spirit filled vessels of mercy. Do
you believe in that Grace? The unbelieving world sees it as foolish. I recall a lyric in
song of a band I enjoyed listening to in my earlier days. Their music wasn’t vulgar by
any stretch but there was this one particular lyric that, even as one who wasn’t taking
the christian life seriously, though I claimed to be one...the lyric always bugged me...
the lyric went “I’ve heard a lot of talk about this Jesus, a man of love, a man of
strength, but what a man was two thousand years ago means nothing at all to me
today”. Every time I heard that it left a foulness in the air about me....because to this
artist and the unbelieving world...all this talk about Jesus is foolishness to them....it
means nothing, while to me, whom God was at work in, calling me to Himself, the
talk...the preaching of Jesus I was hearing was Christ the power of God and the
wisdom of God. Is this what you hear Or is your thinking more aligned with what the
song lyric described? Which I pray to God you are hearing a warning if that is the case.
Do you believe in the saving power of God through the grace of Faithful preaching?
Not long back, On behalf of the church, Ben and I reached out to Nathan and

Vanessa to see if there are any further ways that we, as a church, may greater assist
them through this adoption process. Nathan’s reply “The church’s greatest assistance
is in loving our family, caring for our children while we are away, faithfully preaching
the word of God each week, and seeing ways to stay connected to us. In short,
encouraging us to care for the fatherless, the widow, and the poor.”
It’s clear that Nathan and Vanessa believe so...does this resonate equally with you?
And if so, are you grateful to God for it? Do you value it? Was it not primarily through
the preaching of the word of God by which faith came to you? (Romans 10:17) “So
faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Was it not the
shock wave of the gospel message being preached that rattled your cage awakening
you to your need of a savior? That apart from the hope of JESUS you remain dead in
your sins and destined for hell. It was for me and still is. How do you hold faithful
preaching? Faithful meaning - Holy Spirit power filled Sound Doctrine preaching by
which your spirit is moved to exalt Christ, to confess sin and repent, hating every evil
way and to have your faith bolstered, and your whole being equipped and ready to put
into action that which you are compelled to do BY the Truth of God’s word received
through the faithful preaching of God’s word in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you
value Faithful preaching? Jesus provided Faithful preaching. Look at our 1st verse
(verse 13) - read
All the crowd was coming to him...all the crowd from every quarter as noted in the
last verse of chapter 1. JESUS, not able to openly enter towns but rather had to go
out to desolate places to which people from every quarter were coming to him. And
hear me. This ‘every quarter’ was NOT a small quadrant....Like Parkdale or even Hood
River Valley. Far from it. It was over a vast area that people were traveling long
distances to see and hear JESUS teach and preach. Commentators noting it to
encompass upwards of 2,800 square miles to put some figures to it. It’s like from
here to Troutdale to Madras to give a conservative landscape visual. People went to
great lengths, put much eﬀort forth to sit under faithful preaching. Do we do likewise
in making it a priority to regularly sit under it with our Bibles open, pen and paper in
hand ready to take notes and receive nourishment to our souls from God through it?

One of the saddest verses I’ve read in the Bible comes from (Amos 8:11-12)
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on
the land - not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the
Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and
fro, to seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it.”
Does that break your heart? It’s one thing to have so many disinterested in hearing
Faithful Preaching...which I believe is what we see today in the culture which we live,
the masses just don’t care to hear it...but at least Faithful Preaching is out their...is
accessible. I shudder to think of a day when it is not as spoken by the prophet Amos.
Faithful Preaching in the Power of the Holy Spirit thwarts all barriers
Therefore....Pray for it...God knows we need your prayers. Pray for faithful
preaching, sound in doctrine and empowered by God from on High that would send
forth a gospel shock wave that would call a great multitude in this land to repentance
and saving faith in Jesus Christ. PRAY, pray regularly for God to equip and empower
vessels of mercy across the nations to faithfully preach His word. On this thought I
leave you with Pauls opening words to Titus. (1-3) - turn there.
Through the preaching. Through the Grace of Faithful preaching God thwarts all
barriers eﬀectually calling His own to saving faith in Christ.
The Grace of New converts.
Our Second point.
2) SECOND POINT (Mark 2:14-17)- The Grace of New converts
The Grace of new converts of all types...a plethora of sorts...even the black sheep of
the fold. (verse 14) JESUS, teaching God’s word to the crowds of people, passes by
one who’s employment is in the area by the sea, (Levi the tax collector)....and by
proximity, most likely heard at least some of Jesus’s teaching and preaching.
And Jesus invites Levi to make a decision. “Follow me” Jesus says. Oh, the glorious
eﬀectual call of God that is irresistible to those to whom salvation is appointed.

Even tax collectors like Levi may respond to the call to follow Jesus. Now a couple
things to note on this man. In the other gospels he is called Matthew. Matthew is the
Greek name and Levi was the Hebrew name... you got that?....One in the same guy
who is the son of Alphaeus which makes him brother to one of the 12 apostles and
additional close family relations with other followers of Christ.
His occupation was that of a tax collector. Matthew (using his Greek name) worked for
Greek-speaking Romans. He gathered taxes, get this, from Hebrew- speaking Jews
who also new Matthew by his (Hebrew name) Levi.
He is positioned by the sea to fulfill his tax collecting duties which likely means that
he taxed fishermen whom were his brothers and relatives. Can you say scandalous?
You see, it was rare to find a faithful and fair-dealing tax collector. They were more
commonly known for being corrupt, oppressive, taking bribes and accusing falsely.
How’s that for a rap sheet? Levi was probably not getting invited to many family
gatherings, or any for that matter.
It’s often depicted that Matthew was a loose extravagant young man, for otherwise,
how could he, being a Jew, work as a publican taxing his own kinsmen. YET that is
exactly what he did and shockingly...shockingly...Jesus eﬀectually calls him into
ministry as one of his apostles. The shock wave of this grace of our Lord Jesus
thwarts all barriers and prejudices of man. This Black sheep of the fold “Levi” whom
Jesus said “follow me” is the arguably the first that put pen to paper, and the fullest in
writing the life of Christ.....As one commentator noted. One whom a family considers
a disgrace, who just doesn’t seem to belong. The Black Sheep. The origin of this
phrase arising from the rare presence in a flock of white sheep of a sheep with black
fleece. This metaphor is based on the idea that black sheep were less valuable than
white ones because it was more diﬃcult to dye their wool diﬀerent colors. Also, in
the 16th century, their color was considered.....the devil's mark.
Is there anyone you know, whether in your family tree OR not...just someone you
know that fits that bill? Where you think “there is no way they will become a follower
of Jesus. I just can’t see it. They are too intellectual,...everything has to be mapped

out and add up logically for them. There head is too dense for the heart to be
reached.....or they are too far oﬀ the deep end....they operate out of la la land and are
far to gone in scandalous or carefree living for a life change of following Jesus to
occur. I simply don’t see it happening.”
JESUS is pleased to go against the grain, to shock the norm of the day and choose a
black sheep to be amongst the fold. Truth be told...WE are all black sheep, all filthy in
sin. That is what Jesus is meaning (as we’ll see here in a minute) when He tells the
self righteous Scribes and Pharisees that he “came not to call the righteous but
sinners.” Unless you see yourself as a filthy sinner in need of a Savior, listen...your ears
are not tuned to hear the eﬀectual call of God upon your soul.
The grace of our Lord thwarts all barriers and prejudices. He calls Levi to follow him.
And what is Levi quick to do?
A converted BLACK sheep has many friends he wants to introduce to Jesus. This is
fantastic! The publican becomes an evangelist. Picking up in (verse 15) - read through
the end of (verse 17).
The overflow of the shock wave of this grace upon Levi’s soul quickly gives way to him
having Jesus over for supper along with all His friends whom he is introducing Jesus
to. Friends, that are of the similar likes of Levi before Jesus called him to follow. Levi
is not ashamed of Jesus. Levi makes him (JESUS) center stage in his life, in his house
as the honored guest whose practice was....to teach and faithfully preach. LEVI gives
no concern to the cynical Pharisee’s glaring eyes upon what they perceived as
scandalous, disgraceful to ones reputation. “How could Jesus be spending time dining
with the likes of these people?”...is what they were saying.... Strong prejudice, and for
good cause, these were indeed great sinners but no match...no match for the grace,
compassion and mercy of our Lord that thwarts all barriers and prejudices.
Perhaps your here and your thinking “That’s me!” “I’m the Black sheep whom Jesus
called to follow him.”. WELL, follow Levi’s example. Levi wanted to be with Jesus....do
so likewise by regularly spending time in his word and sitting under the faithful
preaching of God’s word. Regularly get together with other followers of Jesus...the

church... Like Levi, introduce your unsaved friends to Jesus whom, by the grace of
God, may also become new converts to Christ just as you are, shocking those who
knew you before.
The Grace of New converts. God converts souls. One (servant christian) plants the
other (servant christian) waters but it is only “God who brings the growth” (1
Corinthians 3).
Therefore, prayer for it (It’s a Spiritual work) patiently and faithfully pray our eﬀorts are
not in vain but rather that they would be a means of grace through which Christ...the
master builder builds His church. “Unless the Lord builds the house we labor in
vain” (Psalm 127:1). Pray for the Spirit of Christ to put into powerful eﬀectiveness our
labor of love...our..yours and mine...work of faith.
In His time, He is faithful to fulfill His promise take make disciples of all nations
through us as commissioned by Him to do. And when new converts come... have
Grace with them.
Our 3rd and final point in consideration this morning.
3) THIRD POINT - Grace with New Converts (Young Christians)
The workings of this grace from our Lord is seen in his care shown to his followers
whom he insists should not be mourning during this time but rather celebrating.
There is a shock wave to the norm of the day. A common practice for the godly, and
rightly so, is to regularly fast. An act of humbling oneself before God, denying an
earthly hunger to help stimulate a spiritual one. A time given to place sacrificial focus
upon God above while actively denying an earthy desire. Fasting, done properly...not
for public show and praise but for God alone, is a good healthy practice for a child of
God. A regular and to be encouraged formative christian discipline. JESUS here
doesn’t say “fasting is wrong” to the people who asked him in (verse 18) “why do
John’s (John the Baptist’s) disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your
disciples do not fast?” It’s a reasonable question to ask. And Jesus doesn’t reply in
(verse 19) because “fasting is wrong”....NO.. rather he said in essence...“now is the
time for them, (his disciples/followers) to celebrate and not mourn. “Can the wedding
guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom

with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away
from them, and then they will fast in that day.” And then he provides two separate
illustrations to make clear his one point of... “As long as they have the bridegroom with
them, that cannot fast.” They just don’t go together. (read 21-22) then reiterate “No
one...” Something all present would readily connect with as to being simply absurd.
LIFE with and in JESUS,...ought to be celebrated. BIG TIME. To do otherwise would
be absurd. “Rejoice in the Lord.." Rejoice to hear his voice, Rejoice he called you by
name, Rejoice you have faith to believe and that you wake up every day with that
same faith being kept by the power of God, Rejoice conviction of sin has come and
(2 Timothy 2:25, Acts 11:18) “repentance that... leads to a knowledge of the
truth...that leads to life” has been granted to you, Rejoice you can be forgiven and
reconciled to the Father...Rejoice that by faith in Jesus you are no longer a child of
wrath destined for hell but now, in Christ, an adopted child of God who is a citizen of
Heaven. Dear child of God...fellow Christian...Rejoice in Jesus...again I say rejoice.
(Philippians 4:4) “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
CELEBRATE Jesus...as Christians we have every reason...countless reasons to
celebrate Jesus and we should. We also should mourn...for we are not at this time with
the bridegroom. He’s “been taken away.” We see Jesus through the eyes of faith and
not face to face. We are in the already not yet period where we both rejoice in
celebration over our hope assured of in Christ Jesus and also mourn as we wait the
consummation of it.
YET, even in our mourning, while fasting...what does Jesus tell us to do? (Matthew
6:16-18) “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure
their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you fast, anoint you head and wash your face that your
fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your
Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Abbreviated version. It’s a heart thing
between you and God. Whether individual or a call to fast involving multiple...while
fasting make every eﬀort to present yourself as who isn’t fasting...if anything, present
yourself as one rejoicing while on the inside you are also mourning. You see that? In

essence, both can rightly operate together. Celebration and mourning at the same
time. We are in the already not yet period where we both rejoice in celebration over
our hope assured of in Christ Jesus who has come and conquered sin once and for
all....and mourn as we wait the consummation of it.
And to model after the tender care shown by our Lord Jesus. Permit me to say... to
known oneself in putting this into practice. Whether new to the idea of fasting, OR one
who currently practices it as expected by Jesus...apply the grace of this spiritual
discipline to the capacity you are able. As one commentator stated... “Take heed of
over-tasking oneself and of making the yoke of Christ otherwise than as it is, easy, and
sweet, and pleasant.”
Remember, it’s a heart thing between you and God. Start simple, start small and
prayerfully purpose for it to build. It could be as simple as going without lunch for the
day once a week. Maybe breakfast and lunch...but not coﬀee because the caﬀeine
deprived headache you would get by 2p is just too much to bear. Over time, and
added grace, that may extend to dinner as well OR perhaps twice a week you go
without 2 meals. And it is not limited to food. It could be, as John Piper defines it, “as
any temporary renunciation of something that is in itself good like ‘food’ in order to
intensify our expression of need for something greater...namely God and His work in
our lives.”
The point being, there is not one way to apply this christian practice and for it to be
done rightly at the heart level. Especially for the new convert. I don’t see it helpful to
impose upon a new convert, a babe in christ, to one recently brought into a
covenantal relationship with the bridegroom.... In the honeymoon phase if you will...
to impose upon them equal measure of exercising devotion to the spiritual
disciplines you yourself have grown to love and benefit from over years of maturation
in the life of Christ. Encourage them in them yes, but let’s meet one another where
we are at...amen?
How easily we can be well intended but actually causing harmful discouragement to a
brother or sister in Christ in our eﬀorts. We all need grace shown to one another as

we progress in maturity. Remember Paul’s instruction to the church of the
Thessalonians. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,
encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”
All christians ought to be such toward one another. Parent’s to children. Brothers and
Sister’s in Christ to one another. We are all in the process of growing in Christ..being
further sanctified by His word in the powerful working of His Spirit.
CONCLUSION
Like Jesus, who shocked the norm of the day by His grace which thwarts all barriers
and prejudices of man.
Shock the norm of our day....Faithfully preach God’s word. You may not be called to
preach from the pulpit but all followers of Christ are called to share on the gospel
way of salvation and exhort to repentance... Do so from across the lunch room table,
to the person next to you on the bus or airplane, to the neighbor you bump into at the
store....wherever the setting, when opportunity comes, send forth gospel shock wave
and preach Christ crucified the power (shock wave power) of God and the wisdom of
God.” and Pray...pray for faithful preaching in the pulpit both here and abroad,..sound
in doctrine and empowered by God from on High that would send forth a gospel shock
wave that would call a great multitude in this land to repentance and saving faith in
Jesus Christ. Lastly, shock one another in showing grace upon grace toward each
other as we strive together for holiness in the fear of God.
COMMUNION
Jesus invited Levi to make a decision. “Follow me” he said to him. AND..Levi, in that
moment, made the decision to follow Jesus. Have you? Have you denied ownership
of yourself and joyfully come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? If you have, the
bread and wine is prepared for you this morning. The bread, representing his body
that was broken and the cup representing his blood that was shed on the cross.....is
ready for you to partake in remembrance of him who sacrificially laid down his life of
His own accord “making purifications for sins” by which those united to him through

faith may be forgiven of sin and cleansed of all unrighteousness. The sacrament
celebrating his death by which our salvation comes is prepared for you believer to
come declaring his death till our risen Lord Jesus returns to take us home.
Benediction (Psalm 20:1-5)


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