Sermon Tone Analysis

Scene: Jesus is walking with those who are seeking to learn from him.

Our episode that we will look at today is the calling of Matthew/Levi in and Jesus’ teaching moment at a reception that Matthew held for him afterward at his house.

There are 4 “characters” in this story that raise 4 questions for us as we seek to have God teach us about ministry and God’s Character.

Levi

To Do:

Disciples Already Following Christ

Time: 20-25 minutes

Pharisees and Scribes

Tax Collectors and Sinners

Scripture: Luke 5:27-32

Let’s start from the End…So that we can see God’s heart

Tax Collectors and Sinners

(1) 3 difference in your mind of being someone who goes to “church” or attends a church” vs. being a christ-follower?

(2) Why do you think we struggle with being merciful but not receiving mercy?

(2) Why do you think we struggle with being merciful but not receiving mercy?

Pharisees and Scribes

2. Pharisees/Scribes - Jesus cares about people in a way I do not, what does he understand that I do not?

That he wants none to die - but all to be with Him

In our natural proclivities we do not want this

Pproverbs 10:12

Disciples already following Christ

3. Disciples already following Christ - as you are already following what does it look like for someone to join your ranks?

Illustration of Jesus’ disciples following him, calling others out of their old lives and joining the family

It looks like treating them as Christ has treated you, that he cares for you

what does Jesus ask John in - if you love me feed my sheep

Pharisees are asking - “why do you do ministry like this.

They understood people and what they needed differently than Jesus

They thought people were in or out.

Those in had to act like it and those out were not to be associated with.

Jesus thought that those in should pursue those who were out to teach them how to be as they were.

Levi

4. Levi - How does Levi/Matthew come to follow?

(A) We must notice others, particularly that they are ready for something else

(B) We must ask them to come with us on this journey of following Christ

(C) We must bring Christ in to every place we are and every relationship we have

A disciple of Christ is one who studies under Christ, who submits himself to the teaching of Jesus, who listens as the Master speaks, who seeks to understand what the Master is saying, and to emulate the response that the Master requires.

The life of a disciple is one of service, study and obedience.

(RC Sproul)

mercy implies compassion, compassion implies intention - we must intend to want better for others

Illustration of Jesus’ disciples following him, calling others out of their old lives and joining the family

Is is because of God’s desire to reconcile people to himself for them to again find life that he needs to teach us his heart and his methods

When Jesus saw Levi, he walked over to him and simply said, ‘Follow me.’

These words can be seen as an invitation to join the intimate group of disciples that surrounded Jesus during his earthly ministry, but there is a literalism involved in that command that is often overlooked.

Jesus, as was the case with other rabbis in the ancient world, was what we call a ‘peripatetic’ teacher.

He would move about the countryside with a group of students around him who would follow him wherever he went.

As Jesus walked down the street or through the community, the disciples would walk along behind him, committing to memory the words he uttered.

Thus a disciple was a person who joined himself to the company of a rabbi and was committed to mastering whatever it was that the rabbi could transmit to him by way of teaching.

The word, disciple, is the word, mathetes, which means, simply, learner.

A disciple of Christ is one who studies under Christ, who submits himself to the teaching of Jesus, who listens as the Master speaks, who seeks to understand what the Master is saying, and to emulate the response that the Master requires.

The life of a disciple is one of service, study and obedience.

Our episode that we will look at today is the calling of Matthew/Levi in and Jesus’ teaching moment at a reception that Matthew held for him afterward at his house.

There are 4 “characters” in this story that raise 4 questions for us as we seek to have God teach us about ministry and God’s Character.

(A) We must notice others, particularly that they are ready for something else

(B) We must ask them to come with us on this journey of following Christ

(C) We must bring Christ in to every place we are and every relationship we have

Illustration of Jesus’ disciples following him, calling others out of their old lives and joining the family

It looks like treating them as Christ has treated you, that he cares for you

what does Jesus ask John in - if you love me feed my sheep

That he wants none to die - but all to be with Him

In our natural proclivities we do not want this

“I desire compassion more than sacrifice” - I am so

Pharisees are asking - “why do you do ministry like this.

They understood people and what they needed differently than Jesus

They thought people were in or out.

Those in had to act like it and those out were not to be associated with.

Jesus thought that those in should pursue those who were out to teach them how to be as they were.

Jesus is not teaching us to simply feel bad for people or to understand where they come from

His compassion is wrapped up in “helping” us

we are to be with others the same as we are with each other

the relationship that he models is the same - it aims to call them out to call them back to himself

He is here to call us to repentance, out of his great compassion for us.

Examples of God’s Compassion

Adam and Eve in the garden - teach them to teach others

Noah - gave his family a way out

Abraham - opportunity to be a blessing to the nations

Moses - raised up a deliverer and mouth piece for the people of God

the Law given the Jewish people -