When Jesus Called Levi

Luke 5:27-32

27 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. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29 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. 30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Introduction

Today we arrive back on the scene in Galilee. The name of Jesus has become a household word. He has healed the sick, cast out devils, preached the word of God and declared that he is the messiah of God sent to save humanity.

It’s the first year of his ministry and it is called the year in popularity! While crowds are following him to receive and hear his words, the opposition is also mounting to question every thing that he does as soon as he does it.

These opposers are called pharisees, Sadducees and scribes. They were the religious leaders who did not believe that Jesus was the visible image of the invisible God, sent to earth to redeem mankind.

On last week we see them corner, question and doubt that Christ has the power to heal and forgive sins. After the miracle of the paralyzed man, the crowd began to say to themselves and abroad….we have seen strange things today.

Then Luke turns the page and takes us to the next big “out of the ordinary” thing that Jesus would do. He would interact with unpopular, unwanted, unappreciated and hated people. He would even dare to enter into strange relationships while being a Rabbi that teaches the word of God.

This was totally unheard of, counter cultural, non traditional and around upon by those who made the religious rules and protocols.

That's where our text brings today; Jesus is at it again, and this time he does what no self respecting Rabbi would do; call, hang out with and affiliate with societies most hated villains.

I have four points I would like to share with you today, they are

• The call of Christ,
• The call of community,
• The criticism of Christ, and
• The chastening of Christ

Let’s walk through the text and examine what Luke is trying to teach us on today.

27 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. 28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Note

When we come to this portion of the text we get to see some powerful things.

• Jesus is on the move when he see’s a man who is hated by society.
• He is a man with sinful issues and wicked tendencies.
• He is a tax collector and oppressor of his own people.
• When Jesus see’s Levi he is in the place of Sin…working in the tax business mistreating people and oppressing the poor.

According to historical records, Levi was the son of Alphaeus, and was a publican or tax gatherer at Capernaum.

Levi’s residence was at Capernaum and He was a party man. He was a hustler. He was hated among all of the Jews because of his occupation.

Some believe that he was probably a ruthless brother who showed no pity or mercy on his own people.

The call of Christ was so powerful upon his life, that he left his sinful activity to follow the Master to investigate who he was and what he was all about!

Application

Can I stop right here and simply say, I believe that this is correct. When Levi sees the crowds Jesus is drawing, and miracles he is doing, and he hears the chatter at the tax collecting booth about this man named Jesus…

And then Jesus suddenly appears at his station and invites him to come and follow him, Levi is compelled to follow him and examine this life that he lived and the work that he was involved in.

Can I tell you that there is really something to the call of Jesus to follow him. When he calls it is a supernatural draw to come and investigate what God is doing in the earth!

Question

• Is there anybody here that can remember what that call was like?
• Is there anybody ever remember what you were doing when you got the call to come and follow Christ?
• I remember that I was up to my neck and drowning in my sins…
• And his call was so attractive, it was so refreshing, it was so exciting and it was so appealing that it trumped anything else that I had going on in my life…
• Just like Levi, when I got the call I dropped everything to come and follow Him.
• Just like Levi, I had to come and see for myself!
• Just like Levi, I was intrigued to know just what he meant by coming to follow him.

Observation

Can I retrace my steps for a minute and bring up a critical point for you. He first of all called him in the middle of his sins. He called while he was doing unrighteous stuff. He wasn’t surprised, shocked, startled, stunned by what Levi was doing. Jesus saw him and while he was sinning ….he called him to come follow him. It wasn’t that Levi was perfect, and had a good life, good parents, a productive role in society or had never committed anything wrong.

Levi had his entire being wrapped and tangled up in ungodly behavior, Yet Jesus had need of him!
That’s what I wanted to say. God wanted him just like he was, doing just what he was doing, while he was doing it. That’s the kind of God that he is. Your sins don’t surprise him or disqualify you for being used, called and invited by God to come to him today.

Can I get a witness?

We have looked at the Calling of Christ, let’s look now at the call of community.

29 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.

Note

When we come to this portion of the text. We get to see a pause in the narrative. There is a break between verse 28 and 29. What we don’t see in the text is everything that happens to Levi after he gets a call from Christ. The bible says that immediately he followed him.

• He left the Tax collecting station.
• He left his hustle to follow Jesus.
• And he came to follow the master….

And then we see that he throws Jesus a party! A lot went into this next verse… he had to gather people, inform people, prepare to host people and bring this unlikely crowd of tax collectors into his home to meet this Rabbi.

Here it is…

Levi was so impressed with Jesus, that he wanted his community to meet him. He wanted the fellas in the career to meet him. He wanted the brothers that he committed crime with to meet him. He wanted the people that he hustled with to meet him. That’s the kind of change that came over him. That's the kind of effect that Jesus had on him. That's the kind of impression that the Master left on him…

Question

• Is there anybody here that can relate to Levi today?
• Did God have an effect on you like this?
• Is there anybody here that can say I know what Levi was feeling?
• Is there anybody here that can say Jesus made an impact in my life too?

Is there any body here that can say since he came into my life I want everybody I know to meet him too.

Levi is so moved at what Jesus had called him to do he called his own community to come and to follow Jesus.

Did you catch it?

• The call to be around Jesus is a community call….
• The call to fellowship with Jesus is a community call…
• Can I look at the party?

Note

1. Here we see the ministry of Jesus in its rarest form! Engaging sinners, entertaining sinners, and evangelizing sinners…
2. Jesus is hanging with societies rejects and most hated individuals in the community.
3. What a beautiful picture to see. The Son of God in his display of mercy. He is among the neediest of men, drawing them unto himself.
4. This is the picture of Grace, a Holy God giving men what they don't deserve. Unmerited favor, incredible kindness, unconditional love, while displaying a profound commitment to save lost souls.

What a joy to see that Jesus loved all peoples. He was interested in all people. He was drawn to those who needed him most.

Application

• We all need a ministry that will reach out to those who are without a Savior.
• We all need a ministry that will cross over to those who don't know how to draw close to God.
• We all need a ministry that will not forget those who are rejected by society and in need of a personal relationship with Jesus.

Story

Christopher Sercye was playing basketball with his friends on May 16, 1998 when he was shot in the chest, and a bullet perforated his aorta. His friends helped him get to within forty feet of the entrance to Ravenswood Hospital and then went inside and asked for help.

The hospital staff refused to help Christopher saying that it was against the hospital’s policies to administer aid to those outside the hospital.

Eventually a policeman was able to get a wheel chair and wheeled Christopher into the hospital where he was helped by the hospital staff.

It was too late, however, and Christopher died about an hour later.

Many times it seems that churches are surrounded by people that desperately need to hear the Gospel, yet Christians are content to share it only with those that manage to come inside their church. What a tragedy that we don’t have a heart like Jesus to help the friends of Levi in the church. New beginnings we got to do better in reaching the wounded in society. We've got to do better at being Christ like and fellowshipping with those who need the gospel.

Can Get a witness?

We have looked at the calling of Christ, we have looked at the calling of community let’s look now at the criticism of Christ.

30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Note

When we come to this portion of the text we see a sad commentary on the foolishness of men. Because these religious leaders don't have eyes to see, and hearts to understand they accuse Jesus of being with sinners. What a pity! They could have seen God’s heart if they only had his eyes to see. They could have seen his generosity if they only had his hands. They could’ve seen Gods desire if they only had his concern for the depravity of man.

• However, because they couldn't they missed what God was doing in the earth.
• They wrote these men off, so they couldn't see a rabbi teaching them.
• They wrote these men off because they were sinners, so they assumed that a holy man wouldn't have anything to do with them.
• They hated tax collectors and because their hearts were evil, they hated anyone who didn't hate them, or who spent time with them.
• In their thinking if he spent time with them then maybe he was just like them.

Application

• We've got to be careful about our criticism of people.
• We've got to be careful about who we write off.
• We've got to be careful about who we think the lord should minister to.
• We've got to be careful about our attitudes in ministry.
• We've may be ignoring the very one that the lord is interested in serving and saving.

Story

Dodie Gadient, a schoolteacher for thirteen years, decided to travel across America and see the sights she had taught about. Traveling alone in a truck with camper in tow, she launched out. One afternoon rounding a curve on I-5 near Sacramento in rush-hour traffic, a water pump blew on her truck.

She was tired, exasperated, scared, and alone. In spite of the traffic jam she caused, no one seemed interested in helping.

Leaning up against the trailer, she prayed, 'Please God, send me an angel … preferably one with mechanical experience.’

Within four minutes, a huge Harley drove up, ridden by an enormous man sporting long, black hair, a beard and tattooed arms. With an incredible air of confidence, he jumped off and, without even glancing at Dodie, went to work on the truck.

Within another few minutes, he flagged down a larger truck, attached a tow chain to the frame of the disabled Chevy, and whisked the whole 56-foot rig off the freeway onto a side street, where he calmly continued to work on the water pump.

The intimidated schoolteacher was too dumbfounded to talk. Especially when she read the paralyzing words on the back of his leather jacket: ’Hell’s Angels—California.’

As he finished the task, she finally got up the courage to say, ’Thanks so much,’ and carry on a brief conversation.

Noticing her surprise at the whole ordeal, he looked her straight in the eye and mumbled, ’Don’t judge a book by its cover. You may not know who you’re talking to.’ With that, he smiled, closed the hood of the truck, and straddled his Harley. With a wave, he was gone as fast as he had appeared.”

Did you catch it?

Jesus knew who he was fellowshipping with and he knew what service Levi would bring into the kingdom, but the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes didn’t have the mind of Christ and as a result they judged Levi, his friends and the intentions of Jesus.

What a tragedy!

We have looked at the calling of Christ, the call of community, and the critique of Christ. Let’s look now at the chastening of Christ.

31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Note

When we come to this portion of the text we get to see Jesus use two powerful quotes to give his opposition the definition for his ministry on earth! He says, people who are not sick, don’t need a doctor, but people who are sick need to have a doctor.

Wow!

That was a clear statement to say that I didn’t come for you all who don’t have a need for me….But I came for the people who know they need God in their lives. Secondly he says “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” This is a direct declaration of what Jesus was going to be about when he came to earth! He was going to be about “Calling people”… but not calling everyone!

He was going to be calling sinners, like those at the party.

• Sinners who had need for salvation.
• Sinners who had a need to be saved.
• Sinners who were in need of a savior.

Thirdly, Jesus adds what he would be calling these sinners to do. They were not going to be called to stay the way that they were but rather they would be called to repent!

Here it is….

In his call is a call to follow and a call to repent! What is repentance? Repentance is a turning from self, sin, and rebellion and turning to God’s will and way for one’s life. It is not so much an emotion as it is a change in priority and lifestyle. It is willingness to change.

Application

• The believer needs to take heed to this so that we may always know who it is that the Lord has called unto himself!
• He has not called the “righteous acting person who thinks they have never sinned” but he has called the ones who know they are far from him and in need of him!
• Make sure as a believer that you never forget that you have a need for God, and are in deep desire for him.
• We should always be in the position where we desire more of Him than we currently have.
• Sinners are in the best position to be blessed by the presence of God!

Conclusion

What a word! What a statement! What a mission! What a declaration! The stage has been set for Jesus earthly ministry. It is clear who he is focused on reaching.

As we leave this text today let’s remember the mission of Christ, the call of Christ and the chastening of Christ! He chastens the pharisees, Sadducees and scribes because they judged and rejected those that He came to save.

Let's remember his words as we go forth from here: “I didn’t come to call the righteous, but I came to call sinners to repentance…

I'm closing now but this sounds to me like Jesus came to call the un-qualified!

Story

Her name was Gladys Alyward, and she served as a missionary to China in the 1930’s. Alyward was a London-born woman from a working-class family, and while that may not sound particularly significant to us, back then it meant she was living at the bottom of the social ladder.

When Alyward first applied to be a missionary, she was rejected because of her background and lack of education. Not to be deterred, Aylward traveled to China alone.

What happened next can be read in an old article ironically named "Unqualified."

“As the years passed, the people of the city gave Alyward the name Ai-weh-deh, meaning ‘Virtuous One.’ Her inn expanded to become an orphanage where she cared for over 100 children, and when the Japanese threatened to invade in WWII, it was she who led the children over the mountains to safety. Alyward continued to spread the message of Christ all her life until she died in 1970.”

God loves unqualified Christians.

• Look at Paul – a zealot who was actively persecuting believers for their faith.
• Look at Mary - a young woman with no experience beyond her own faith.
• Look at Levi - who was a tax collector and pariah in his own community.

God can take one unqualified believer and use them to change the world. It’s time we let go of our fears, our guilt, and our pride. Christ is calling us to the Great Commission, will you answer?

That’s why Calvary matters…Calvary made everything possible because he died for the unqualified they can now become servants of God. He paid it all….paid for salvation…paid for eternal security…paid for your sins…paid for your ability to serve him in the earth. He died was buried and rose again from the dead!