Jesus, Friend of Sinners
#LoveLikeJesus Week 4
Pastor Kris Freeman
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Revolution Church
Scripture: Luke 5:27-32 (NLT)
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)
27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” 31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Who was Matthew (Levi):
1. A Jew who served as a tax collector for the Romans (a publican)
2. A Galilean, the son of Alpheus
3. Became an evangelist after Jesus was crucified
4. One of the 12 disciples and the writer of the first Gospel
Matthew’s PROFESSION is a very critical part of the story.
Why were publicans hated by the Jews?
- Tax collectors often robbed from the poor, taking extra. Many were crooks!
- Two of Jesus disciples were zealots - revolutionaries who wanted to overthrow the Romans. Because tax collectors worked for the Romans, zealots would have hated them - and likely used robbery, violence and assassination to get back at them.
- Jesus picked some unexpected people to WORK TOGETHER!
2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
#LoveLikeJesus is a reminder that:
1. Jesus Forgives Sinners
2. Jesus Serves (washes feet)
3. Jesus Feeds the Hungry (breaks bread)
4. Jesus is the Friend of Sinners (loves people)
If Jesus had called Matthew and Matthew ACCEPTED, why would Jesus go to his party where other tax collectors and friends with a low reputation were gathered?
1. God desires everyone to be a part of his kingdom.
Quote this: God is not interested in your resume as much as he is your restoration!
Most of the people Matthew knew would have NEVER associated with Jesus! The connection of Jesus to those people was THROUGH Matthew.
2. God grows his kingdom through community.
Quote this: You can be overlooked by being present. You can never be insignificant by being involved.
Church hype vs. Church health:
Hype Health
Energy and Enthusiasm Passion and Worship
Cliques Community
Motivational Speaking Transformation and Expository Preaching
Programs Discipleship
Building, Bottoms, Budget. Life Change, Love, Service
Cool-Factored Christ-Centered
Hype would not REACH Matthew’s friends - and it won’t KEEP yours.
Jesus was criticized for eating with sinners, but that’s exactly where he SHOULD have been and WANTED to be.
Quote this: If all your friends are already Christians, you’re not an evangelist. You’re just a cliche’.
Jesus wants to develop YOU so you can reach THEM and He can transform BOTH together!
#LoveLikeJesus
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