And after these things He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He said unto him,
“Follow Me.”
And he left all, rose up, and followed Him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against His disciples, saying, “Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” And Jesus answering said unto them,
“They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 5:27-32
tax collector
Words of Jesus; Son of God, God the Son – 081020
“And He went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him,
‘Follow Me.’
And he arose and followed Him. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, ‘How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?’
When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them,
‘They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ ” Mark 2:13-17 (KJB)
Two Went to Pray
“And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’” Luke 18:9-14 (KJB)
Two men are mentioned who went to pray. That is not to say that it could be members of the feminine sex as well, because there are those two kinds of women as well.
One full of themselves; and the other repentant and humble, realizing they are in need of God’s bountiful grace and mercy.
The Pharisee knew the law, and exalted himself in his own purity, and talk about judging others unjustly; this Pharisee certainly did. He saw himself as better than the publican. The Pharisee being a “great” religious leader.
The publican (not Republican), was a despised, and hated tax collector. He gathered taxes from his own people (the Hebrews), and many counted them as traitors to Israel. Matthew was a tax collector when Jesus called him to follow, and he left his table and followed Jesus (Matthew 9:9; 10:3).
It is the heart that our Lord sees. Repentance, humility, before the throne of God is what He desires.
God does not hear neither grant request from an arrogant and prideful heart. It was the hated, despised tax collector who went home justified by God.
The apostle Paul writing on the matter of Justification said,,,
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2
It is by God’s own declaration of justification that we are made just; not our own. Who then are made just? Those who come before the cross of Jesus Christ, lost, lonely, sinful, broken, and ashamed, and plead for His mercy, love, and grace.
Sinners Follow the King
Sinners Follow The King
Matthew 9:9-13
When an individual joins a branch of military service in the United States, they are practically owned by the government, and are at the beckoned call of the military brass where they serve. If a troop is ordered to jump; they jump. If they are ordered to sleep; they sleep. They are also supplied with all their necessities for life and living. They are provided a uniform, a weapon, their meals, their shelter and their health care.
When Jesus comes and calls us to follow Him we forsake all and follow Him. That is exactly what Matthew did, realizing Here was a man who was interested in him, cared for him and could meet his every need.
THE KING EXTENDS AN INVITATION TO A DESPISED TAX COLLECTOR TO FOLLOW HIM (v. 9).
* Tax collectors were a despised group of people in Jesus’s day, and they were considered as traitors to the Jewish people.
* Jesus seeks those who are forsaken, broken, despised, and rejected by the self-righteous, elite and “powerful”.
THE INVITATION IS ACCEPTED AND INVITES JESUS AND SOME FRIENDS TO HIS HOME (vv. 9b-10).
* Matthew is interested in seeing many of his friends follow Jesus as well, and has them come to his home to meet the one who shows him acceptance.
* When we have come to Jesus it is the desire of the heart to tell others about this great, wonderful, powerful Lord, Savior, and King who calls the despised to Himself.
THE JUDGMENTAL PHARISEES CONDEMN SINNERS AND JESUS FOR HAVING ANY PART WITH THEM (v. 11).
* The self-righteous find no joy in Jesus, or His mercy and grace, their greatest joy is in themselves and their supposed righteous life they live.
* The one’s who will come to Jesus must come denying all their own righteousness, and receiving only the righteousness that Jesus gives.
ONLY THOSE WHO SEE THEMSELVES AS SINNERS ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE DIAGNOSIS AND THE HEALING FROM THE GREAT PHYSICIAN (vv. 12-13).
* As long as a person sees themselves with no need for healing they will not seek the aid of a physician, and such was and is the case of the self-righteous.
* Jesus alone can give healing, renewing and salvation for the sickness of sin, which is in every one of us.
* Hear the Great Physician as He calls you by name, and follow Him.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Fire and Hammer 