You Have A Place Here

Introduction

Good Morning. We are about in the middle of the summer season it’s warm, the trees are full, the flowers are in full color, the grass is green and the birds are out. This past spring when everything was starting to come into bloom, we were curious what was going to be coming in this season at the house. Out front there were some existing planters and an old wooden barrel planter. We were trying to decide what to plant. We needed something that would be easy, something that we could look in every now and then and sprinkle some water when we thought of it. So, I suggested a flowering plant called 4 O’Clocks. As the days were getting warmer and the memory frequency of watering was fresh, it was fun when we were outside, seeing the new growth. They were growing so fast, that from day-to-day we were able to notice the new growth. When we panted, the seeds fell at random. We didn’t give much thought as to equal spacing. As they started to grow, I noticed a whole bunch that were growing together, and one that was off by its self near to the edge of the barrel. I thought, aw man, that little guy is going to be lonesome. But as they started to grow, they started growing together.

Have you ever felt like you were on the edge of barrel, away from everyone else? Perhaps you feel like that way today? Our passage this morning is title “you have a place here.” We’re going to look at some during Jesus’ day who were on the edge of the barrel, some who could have felt that they didn’t really fit-in. I’d like to invite you to open your Bibles with me to the 2nd Chapter of Mark. Let’s ready together verses 13 through 17.

Mark 2:13 ESV

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

Mark 2:14 ESV

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.

Mark 2:15 ESV

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.

Mark 2:16 ESV

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?”

Mark 2:17 ESV

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.”

Pastoral Prayer

[Display Verse 13]

Background: We are still in the early stages of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is calling His disciples. IN verse 13 we can see Jesus is doing what He loved doing: that is teaching the Word of God. Jesus is outside, most likely because it would have been easier to teach given all the people that were around. We see this morning “the crowd was coming to him.” So what did he do, he kept on teaching.

Verse 13 can be thought of as a summary of Jesus’ ministry with the words, “he was teaching them.” This describes the essential role that teaching played in Jesus ministry. If we look just to the Gospels, we can see how Jesus was teaching at every turn and straight-a-way. When the opportunity presented itself, Jesus was teaching someone about something. Seeing Jesus beside the sea and the crowd kept coming to Him, it’s unlikely Jesus would have been speaking to the crowd that would have been tailored or understood by a small number of people with specialized knowledge or interest. Jesus is a public teacher with a message for everyone. That’t the thing we see about Jesus, He looked to the term that I like to call “trench-work,” which is being at the level with the people. But, here’s the thing. Being on this level, started what you could consider a bit of a controversy that was going to blow-up as we go along. Jesus does not concern Himself with who’s around. Jesus did not care how the world viewed His social circle. Jesus knew people needed to hear His teachings. This whole thing gets kicked off with verse 14. Look at what happens!

[Display Verse 14]

Jesus passes a tax collector named Levi (who we learn later that this is Matthew). We have this guy named Levi who is “sitting at the tax booth.” What’s significant about this? There’s a good chance Levi was collecting taxes. Who likes paying taxes? I don’t see hands going up right now. We generally don’t like paying tax. Tax collectors had earned themselves quite a reputation. They were known to be corrupt. The tax collectors abused their own people. Something severely, that when word was out that the tax collector was coming, people would leave town. Tax collectors were known to accept bribes. Some compare tax collectors to a mafia-like organization. This caused strong feelings among the Jewish people. Generally speaking, tax collectors were thought of as traitors. This gives us a idea of how the culture viewed tax collectors. In sight of the religious leaders, tax collectors were considered outcasts who were spiritually bankrupt. Here’s the fulcrum, Jesus looks to Levi, and with two simple words of “follow me.”

You’ve heard the expression, “a picture is worth a 1000 words.” “This is a simple detail of the call of Levi.” The graphic representation is worth a 1000 words. Look at the last sentence of verse 14, “and he rose and followed him.” We have stirring picture of what happens when Jesus calls to a life and that life responds! Jesus lifted a man out of a sitting position to his feet, and not just to a standing position, but to a forward stride. To the religious leaders, am underlining question could be what did Jesus see in this guy? He saw a man named Levi. He saw His redeemed, His disciple, His biographer. This shows Jesus knows what He’s doing. It shows that sovereignty is not blind, but acts in boundless wisdom.

Jesus found people sitting in grief, and His words comforted and lifted them. Jesus found people sitting in sin, they stood up in the newness of life, forgiven, and regenerated (we all know someone like this). Jesus found people who were idle in heart and mind, they sprang to their feet to answer His call. Think back to the moment you first believed in Jesus Christ. Where were you? What booth were you sitting at, when you heard the words “follow me?” You rose in response. At that moment you were brought into the family of God. You knew you had a place with Jesus. You had a place where you knew you belonged. That’s the thing about Jesus, He knew how to draw people in close. We see that where Jesus is seen reclining with other tax collectors and sinners.

[Display Verse 15]

The word reclining means that Jesus with “many tax collectors and sinners,” along with “his disciples,” were at Levi’s house having conversation and most likely sharing a meal. They were all hanging out in fellowship. From the looks of it, it looks like Levi invited some of his pals, other tax collectors and sinners. We heard who the tax collectors were. But who are the sinners? “The term sinners can be thought of as technical term for the common people who did not live by the rigid rules of the Pharisees.” The religious leaders do show us an important point. They show us how bias and intolerance can blind the heart toward others. This is what rubbed the religious leaders wrong. It was the grace. Jesus sees in us what no one else can see. This really echoes the words of Jesus, “learn from me.” That’s the thing, Jesus did not view these people as social outcasts or someone purposely kept out on the edge.

[Display Verse 16]

To the scribes and Pharisees, they could not make the connection, prompting them to ask the question, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” There’s two aspects we can pull from this. It appears the scribes and Pharisees are not objecting to His words, but rather to His actions. It was about eating, essentially with outsiders, that caused a disruption to their tradition and code of cleanliness. This is what really heated up the disagreement, especially with the Pharisees; He did not follow traditions and associated with unclean people. This is what got Jesus in trouble with the Pharisees. Jesus did not follow the status-quo! Action can bring trouble. But! Action brings the message of grace! Who does He think he is? He is the great physician!

[Display Verse 17]

So here is the Messiah surrounded by tax collectors and sinners, and He catches wind of the question, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus gives them a direct answer (verse 17). When you are sick or hurt, typically that’s when you go see a doctor. If everything’s going alright, there’s no need to go to the doctor. It would be a waste of time and resources. It’s when you’re sick that you seek out a doctor. Jesus says, “I came not to call the righteous but sinners.” Jesus uses a bit of irony to expose the narrow thinking of the religious leaders. The irony here is that the religious leaders saw no need to repent and believe. After all, they considered themselves to already be morally upright and righteous. What they had missed was they “were just as in need of a spiritual doctor, healing and medicine, as the tax collectors and wicked.” The Pharisees don’t see that; they don’t see that they themselves were just as much sinners as the people they despised; they simply saw a list of rules which Jesus is putting right into the paper shredder.

Conclusion

Jesus is a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Jesus came to turn strangers into friends, to a build bridge to God instead of legalistic barriers for all. That means the tax collectors and sinners have a bridge to God. The tax collectors and sinners had table-fellowship with Jesus, in turn, they had table-fellowship with God.

What can we gather about the church of Christ, seeing our Lord sit in fellowship with tax collectors and sinners? It means His church is filled with people who are not perfect. It means His church is filled with people who recognize their need of a Physician. It means His church is filled with people who need grace. The world might see you as a tax collector, a sinner, or someone who is on the outskirts. That’s not how Jesus sees you. Jesus sees you by your name.

If you get nothing I have said today, get this: your religion, your works, your righteousness, your whatever, will never be enough to save you. Until you have trusted Jesus for your salvation, you are lost, and you will never be saved until you understand that truth!

Salvation is a simple thing. Belief in the finished work of Jesus is all that is required. The Bible says in:

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

The plan of salvation is available to all who can see and admit their need of a Savior.

[Display Verse 14]

Look back briefly to verse 14 when Jesus was walking by, who did he see? Jesus saw a man named Levi. The Bible does not say he saw a tax collector, a sinner or an outcast. Instead of putting people into classifications, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, righteous and sinner, Jesus gathers them under the wings of God’s grace and love. Jesus crossed the line for a tax collector named Levi. That means He crossed the line for you too!

If you’ve never been saved, but you see your need for grace, come in belief and faith to Jesus and He will save your soul. You have a place here.

Perhaps Jesus is calling you to cross the line to reach someone for His glory. What’s stopping you? He wants His Gospel taken out of the church in the places where the lost live. We need to reach out to them where they are.

Maybe you’ve judged others by either your or the world standards. This is the time of repentance and to ask the Lord for a softened heart like His for others.

If there are other needs, this alter is open, Jesus is the Friends of sinners. If you need a Friend like Jesus today, then you come to Him right now! If I can pray with you on something else, I’d like to invite you up, and let me know how I can pray with you.

Closing Prayer