Stop the Fast and Start the Feast!

A Crazy Night at Choir Practice

“We’re not here to have fun! We’re here to worship the Lord!”

Those words rocked my world. I didn’t know what was wrong with what was said, but I knew it just didn’t make sense. But it sure seemed to me that a lot folks believed fun and Jesus were mutually exclusive.

The scene is the choir room in a midwestern baptist church. The names have been changed to protect people I love and respect (and some I honestly can’t remember). My best guess is this happened in 1972. Slightly after the Jurassic Period and Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic.

When Practice Becomes a Party

It was the era of Watergate, but that break-in is a misdemeanor in my mind compared to the scandal I witnessed one night at youth choir practice. Okay, we were out of control. I admit that right up front. WAY more laughing than singing.

We had been so consistently rowdy that the church thought it was a good idea to bring in some parents to keep us in line. As we did everything we could to turn this practice into a party that night, one of these bouncers attempted to keep us in line.

“We’re not here to have fun! We’re here to worship the Lord!”

A No Fun Zone?

Wait! WHAT?!? While I had never exactly found church to be Six Flags over Jesus, nobody had ever announced it was a No Fun Zone. I got up and walked out. I wasn’t giving up on Jesus but if this is what church is about, I’m out. I had no plans of ever going back.

Over the years, God wooed me back by showing me how joy and celebration are a big part of worshipping the One who has saved me. Once I began to wrap my brain around all Jesus has done, it was time to get this party started!

The Fun Police

Jesus Himself had a similar experience. No, not at youth choir practice. It happened in the wake of a big shindig in Galilee. The religious fun police call Christ and His crew on the carpet for cavorting with the wrong crowd and enjoying themselves WAY too much (Mk 2:18-22). In their minds, He and His boys aren’t taking their faith seriously enough. Instead of feasting, they should be fasting.

“We’re not here to have fun! We’re here to worship the Lord!”

In his bio of Jesus, Mark tells us that our Savior and His followers have just been the guests of honor at a party over at Levi’s place (Mk 2:13-17). The host is a local tax collector who filled his home with all sorts of rejects, losers, and outcasts so they could meet this amazing Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth.

Inviting the Uninvited

A group of party crashers accuses the Lord of hanging out with the local scum. Jesus responds by telling them that they just don’t get it. Those folks are EXACTLY why He’s here. His mission is to invite those who know full well they’re uninvited.

At this point, the charges against Him move to not taking God seriously enough. “Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, ‘Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?’” (v18).

Feast or Fast?

In other words, the fun police are out in full force. How dare you enjoy yourselves! Wipe that smile off your face. Religion is super serious and is no place for fun. If you REALLY understood what’s at stake, you’d wouldn’t be living it up. Stop feasting and start fasting.

Mark drops the Greek word for “fast” (Gr. νηστευω/nesteuo) six times in just three verses (v18-20). As a matter of fact, this is the ONLY place it shows up in his entire Gospel.

Specifically, νηστευω/nesteuo describes going without food for religious purposes. It literally means “no eating.” But the bigger idea is to stop doing any activity in order to set your focus on God. Fasting is a way to express deep sadness, either over failure to meet God’s perfect standard or to mourn the death of a loved one.

Fasting to Focus

We see all sorts of people in the Bible avoiding food as a means to repent, seek God, and hear from Him clearly. There’s fasting in the OT (Ex 34:28; 1Sam 7:6; 2Sam 1:12; 12:16-17; 1Ki 21:27; Ez 8:21-23; Neh 1:4; Est 4:16; Ps 35:13-14; 69:10; Dan 9:3-5; Joel 2:12; Joh 3:5-8) as well as the New (Mt 6:16-18; Lk 2:37; 18:12; Acts 13:2-3; 14:23).

Let’s face it. You don’t hear a lot of folks fasting in the 21st Century. Oh, there’s plenty of people who are more than happy to tell you about their dietary restrictions. No meat. No gluten. No lactose. No thanks! The sad truth is I’m way more likely to belly up to the buffet than skip lunch to hear from the Lord.

Jesus’ Weird Cousin

Meanwhile back in Mark 2, the author tips us off about a couple of different factions of folks are currently going without food. The first group is the followers of John the Baptizer. You may remember him from the opening of this particular Gospel (Mk 1:1-11).

He’s Jesus’ weird cousin who wears a lot of leather and eats a lot of bugs. God commands John to get the world ready for the arrival of the Messiah. Suddenly, he’s the hot new thing that everybody wants to see. But John leverages his popularity in order to point to the true Star of the show, the Lamb of God.

The Baptizer’s behind Bars

While they’re related, John and Jesus are VERY different. The Baptizer lives more like a somber monk than his fun loving cousin. John is known for fasting while the Lord has earned a rep as the life of the party (Mt 11:18-19; Lk 7:33-38).

Chances are John wouldn’t have been caught dead at Levi’s big blowout even if he was able to go. But he’s not available due to a previous engagement. You see, the Baptizer is behind bars (Mk 1:14). His followers would have every reason to fast and pray for their leader’s release from the slammer. Spoiler alert: he doesn’t (Mt 14:1-12; Mk 6:14-29).

Hangry?

Maybe John’s crew is freaking out because Jesus should be focused on getting their guy out of the joint rather than having fun at parties. If You REALLY cared about Your cousin,You’d stop feasting and stop fasting like the rest of us!!

Makes you wonder if John’s boys are just a wee bit hangry. That’s when you’re so hungry you get angry. It’s like the Snickers commercials. The ones where people aren’t themselves when they’re hungry. Munching on a candy bar transforms them from a grumpy Steve Buscemi or Roseanne Barr back into their kinder, gentler selves.

Chances are, you’ve fasted for a medical test or procedure. Ever noticed that’s EXACTLY when everybody around you is eating a cheeseburger? And why do they call it a “fast” when time seems to stand still? Whatever reason for their fast, John’s disciples are understandably cranky when Christ doesn’t seem to care.

Taking It up a Notch

But they’re not the only ones skipping meals at the moment. The Pharisees are also fasting at the time. Most of us immediately see them as the bad guys in the story of Jesus. But back in the day, these boys are the religious superstars of first century Judaism.

Nobody but nobody is as fanatical about keeping God’s rules than the Pharisees. How fanatical? They tithe from of their spice rack (Mt 23:23: Lk 11:42)! While God only commands one fast a year at Yom Kippur (Lev 16:29-31; 23:27), the Pharisees took it up a notch. To show everybody just how serious they are, they actually fast TWICE A WEEK (Lk 18:9-14)!

Image Management

You see, the Pharisees are ALL about image management. They want the world to see just how pious and holy they are. Their Facebook and Instagram feeds are nothing but prayer meetings, church services, and mission trips.

That’s fine but honestly God really doesn’t give a hot hoot about what we look like on the outside. He cares deeply about what’s going on inside our hearts. He’s NOT impressed with our phony fasting. Matter of fact, it REALLY ticks Him off.

Don’t believe me? Buckle your biblical seat belt and see what He tells the prophet Isaiah (Is 58:3-7). I’ll wait right here humming the Final Jeopardy music. Oh, you’re back. Any questions?

Jesus’ Forty-Day Fast

Don’t make the mistake of thinking Jesus always feasts and never fasts. The Gospel writers tell us He did it at least one time. And it was BIG time. We’re talking forty days…IN THE DESERT IN THE FACE OF THE DEVIL (Mk 1:12-13; Mt 4:2; Lk 4:2-4)!

And when He did, our Savior fasted it in private. He didn’t call a news conference or announce it on social media. He didn’t try to grab the spotlight so He could make a run at the top spot in the power rankings of the pious (Mt 6:16-18).

You can bet the farm that if this is a time for scripturally mandated fasting, Jesus would be fasting. But He’s not. And neither are His followers. It’s all about timing. There’s no doubt there are times to be serious. But never miss a moment to celebrate.

The Wedding Reception

As He so often does, the Lord flips the script on His critics and turns this into a teachable moment. In the process, He drops three mini-parables. Little stories with a big impact. One about a wedding reception. A second about patching holes in your clothes. A third about the best way to package your pinot noir.

First, you don’t start skipping meals when you’re heading to the wedding reception. “Jesus replied, ‘Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them’” (v19). Christ tells His critics to forget the fast and start the feast!

God as the Groom

This is Jesus’ not-so-subtle way of saying He’s the One God has promised to send to save our eternal bacon. For a couple of thousand years, Old Testament prophets compare God to a “bridegroom rejoices over his bride” (Is 62:4, 5).

God tells a guy named Hosea that He’s totally committed to His chosen people like best hubby you could ever imagine. “I will make you My wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you Mine, and you will finally know Me as the LORD” (Hos 2:19-20).

Jesus wants them to know that now that the Groom has arrived, it’s time to get this party started! He clearly takes fun seriously. VERY seriously. Don’t believe me? His very first miracle was turning several barrels of water into fine wine in order to keep a wedding reception going (Jn 2:6-11).

The Heavenly Hootenanny

And once Christ makes His final comeback, He’s inviting all of His followers to the ultimate heavenly hootenanny. It should come as no surprise that it’s a wedding reception (Rev 19:6-9). That’s the Lord’s point to the party poopers. There’s a time and place for fasting. This is neither the time nor the place. Once God is in the house, stop the fast and start the feast.

Grieving the Son of God

Christ does admit there’s a day on the calendar when set aside for sadness. “But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (v20). He’s dropping a VERY strong hint at what’s about to go down. His betrayal, arrest, torture, murder, and burial. When that happens, you can bet His boys will fast and mourn.

Since that has happened, shouldn’t WE still grieve that the Son of God is gone? Absolutely not! Since He came strolling out of the cemetery on Sunday, the mourning period for His death lasted for just three days!!

A Command So Nice He Says It Twice

The Apostle Paul tells Jesus’ followers in Rome not to be sad but celebrate. When we trust in what He has done for us, His life becomes our life. He lived the perfect life of obedience we should have lived. He died the bloody death for our sin we should have died. And He rose to a jaw dropping new life that we don’t deserve (Rom 6:4-5)!

So why do so many Christians walk around like they’re headed for their own crucifixion? Once again, our man Paul says stop being so stinking sad! “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). It’s a command so nice, he says it twice!! And don’t try to tell me the man from Tarsus doesn’t know hard times. Dude, he wrote that from prison!!

The Gospel is NOT an Upgrade

Back in Mark, Jesus moves from a mini-parable about the party to mini-parable about a patch. “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before” (v21).

He’s letting us know that the Gospel for knowing God isn’t simply fixing a couple of bugs with the way we did it before. I love how Mike Lee puts it. Jesus brings a new system that is NOT just a better version. It’s NOT simply an upgrade! In other words, trusting in Christ is NOT Old Testament 2.0.

Oh, you can be sure there’s plenty about the coming Messiah all throughout the Hebrew Bible. After all, He IS THE Hero of THE Story! The writers of the OT are continually dropping hints, clues, shadows, prophecies, and predictions of the One who is to come.  But once Jesus arrives, He blows out what came before by fulfilling God’s perfect standard for us (Mt 5:17).

Box Wine without the Box

Mini-parable number three is also about how the crusty old religious system can’t hope to contain the explosive power of God’s grace. This time Jesus uses the picture of packaging wine. Starting to see why He’s the life of the party? “And no one puts new win into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins” (v22).

In the First Century, people didn’t make wine in big barrels but put grape juice into smaller animal skins. Goat skins to be exact. Kinda like box wine without the box. Instead of the plastic bag, it’s a goat skin. Pretty sure you won’t find one of those on the shelf at your local Walmart.

Mentos and Diet Coke

As the juice fermented, the pressure would build and the hides would expand. Once it was stretched out, the skin would lose its elasticity. The wineskin is a one-and-done. You don’t rinse it out and reuse it again. You’re asking for a big mess. Better have the club soda and OxyClean handy.

In the same way, Jesus totally blows apart the old Jewish belief system. He opens the party up to anyone and everyone who places their trust in Him. He transforms God’s Kingdom into a whole lot more than a Hebrew house party. Even non-Jews are encouraged and welcome. Just try pouring THAT into an old wineskin. You probably ought to step back. And you thought dropping a Mento in a Diet Coke was cool!

We ARE Here to Have Fun!

One thing is for sure. Jesus takes fun very seriously. So much so that He commands it. Stop the fast! Start the feast! He invites us to the party and ensures that He’ll keep it going. His Gospel is no upgrade. Trying to cram His grace into the old system is only going to make you made and make a mess. 

The bottom line is we ARE here to have fun! And there’s not better way to do that than worshipping the Lord!

©2017

Jay Jennings

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Inviting the Uninvited

Dinner for Schmucks

I admit to having a soft spot for goofball comedies. That probably says more about me being a goofball than anything else. You’re more likely to catch me watching “Airplane!” or “Anchorman” than cracking open a copy of Madame Bovary or The Tale of Two Cities.

So when I read Mark’s version of Jesus inviting Levi into God’s kingdom and then Levi inviting Jesus to a party he throws for local outcasts, the first thing that comes to my mind is the movie “Dinner for Schmucks.” I wanna be clear. This is a terrible flick. Two thumbs WAY down. Absolutely awful. Don’t waste your time. It’s almost two hours of your life you’ll never get back. Ever.

Weirdos, Goofballs, and Knuckleheads

It’s not the movie’s execution but its premise that reminds me of Mark 2:13-17. The plot goes something like this. Some people invite a bunch of losers over for a big bash. The guest list includes all sorts of weirdos, goofballs, and knuckleheads you would NEVER be caught dead with.

But they’re not there out of some act of goodwill or compassion. Far from it. They’re invited to provide the punchline. They’re not in on the joke. They ARE the joke. The winner of the dinner is the one who invites the biggest buffoon.

Rejects and Riffraff

At first glance, there’s not much difference between this piece of cinematic trash and Mark’s description of a similar shindig. Once again, outcasts pack the place. Just like the movie, there’s a cocky crew who thinks it’s better than everybody else.

The HUGE difference is the presence of one Man. Actually, one God-Man. Jesus is there. He shows up because of the rejects and riffraff. Not to make fun of them. He’s in the house because these folks know where they stand. He’s there to have dinner WITH schmucks. He’s there to invite the uninvited.

Buying a Local Franchise

But before we get this party started, let’s set the scene. It’s First Century Galilee, a backwater region in what we know today as Israel. Back in the day, it was an forgettable sliver of the Roman Empire. No big cities. Just tiny villages full of the working poor. Blue-collar folks like fishermen and carpenters.

The government makes sure they stay that way. The Romans heap a tax burden on folks unlike anything we could ever imagine. The empire slaps a fee on anything that moves. If that’s not bad enough, the Romans actually sell local taxation franchises.

An Israelite franchise holder not only collects revenue for the government but can LEGALLY charge as much they want and keep the rest. Talk about multilevel marketing! And you think the IRS has a bad rep. Please.

Tax Collecting Traitors

You can understand why these tax collectors aren’t just disliked, they are hated. There are few things worse in Jewish society. Not only have you sold your soul to the occupying evil empire, but you’re making a boatload of bucks in the process. You may own a tax franchise, but you’re now a traitor, disenfranchised by just about anyone and everyone.

Okay, I realize NOBODY likes talking about taxes…except if you’re a politician, CPA, or work for H and R Block. So why does all this matter? Because Mark’s story all turns around a Galilean tax collector and his circle of slimy associates.

Jesus shocks the crowd when He goes out of His way to hang out with them. He’s the guest of honor at the dinner with schmucks. But our Savior goes even further. In the face of religious insiders, He’s interested in the outsiders. Christ invites the uninvited.

Back to the Beach

We pick up the story of Jesus in the second chapter of Mark’s Gospel. As we look down the beach of Lake Galilee, we see the radical Rabbi/Carpenter headed this way. “He went out again to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to Him” (v13).

It wasn’t that long ago that the Son of God called His first four followers near this same spot on this same shoreline (Mk 1:16-20). The buzz about Him continues to build and the crowds continue to grow (Mk 1:45). In the face of tremendous popularity, Christ refuses to lose His focus on preaching and teaching (Mk 1:38-39).

A Face in the Crowd

As the Lord makes His way through the crowd, somebody catches His eye. “As He walked along, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth” (v14). Jesus doesn’t just see an audience, He sees individuals. He sees Levi. He sees you. He sees me.

How often do I see a big crowd as an obstacle in my way rather than individuals dealing with their own issues? I need to stop looking at the pack and start looking at people. Make eye contact. Say “hello.” And why not? God has made everybody I meet as I’m walking down the street in His image. Jesus died for every single one of them.

Rebranding Levi

As the Lord heads up the shore, He notices a guy trying to make a buck. Mark tells us his name is Levi. He’s Alphaeus’ boy. Over in Matthew’s version of the same story, the author says the dude’s name is…well…Matthew! Becoming a follower of Jesus changes everything. For some of us that includes changing our names.

It actually happens a lot. Christ rebrands Simon as Peter or “Rocky.” He rebrands a couple of brothers as the Sons of Thunder. He rebrands Saul as Paul. Why not? Jesus’ Dad did the same in the Old Testament too. Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah. Jacob becomes Israel.

I don’t think it’s any coincidence Jesus mentions something similar to the Apostle John. One day the Lord will give each of His followers a personally engraved stone with “a new name the that no one understands except the who who receives it” (Rev 2:17). Is there really anything more personal than someone you love giving you a nickname? Imagine your Savior giving you one. That sounds pretty sweet to me.

Lots of Traffic and Lots of Tolls

Mark describes how Jesus sees Levi/Matthew who has set up shop next to the big lake. Robertson says this would have been along the Great West Road from Damascus to the Mediterranean. It’s a busy highway. Lots of traffic. And that means lots of tolls.

There’s also a pretty good chance he’s also putting the squeeze on the commercial fishermen who work the waters. Historians let us know the Romans never missed the chance to slap a tax on anything. Locals not only had to pay for the hefty cost of a license but probably on their catch as well.

Jesus Makes an Offer

Christ sees Levi “sitting at his tax collector’s booth” (v14). Not exactly a place anybody goes if they can avoid it. But instead of steering clear, Jesus does the opposite. He walks up and extends an amazing offer, “Follow Me and be My disciple” (v14). That’s right, He asks a traitor to be part of His team. The Son of God invites the uninvited.

We need understand that’s NOT how the system worked back in the day. Rabbis don’t recruit disciples. It’s the other way around. People apply. There’s a waiting list. Only the best and brightest make the cut. No self-respecting religious teacher lowers himself to actually seek a student. Especially a lowlife tax collector like Levi.

That’s because Jesus isn’t like other hotshot religious celebrities of the day. He knows exactly the kind of follower He’s looking for. He’s not building an impressive roster of five-star super saints. He’s building a series of individual relationships. The Lord is still inviting the uninvited two thousand years later to come along for the ride. Just so we’re clear, I’m talking about people like you and me.

A Traveling Partner

As scandalous as our Savior’s invitation to Levi was, the taxman takes Him up on the offer. “So Levi got up and followed Him” (v14). To be sure, Levi didn’t blindly respond to a stranger’s offer out of the blue. He would have been VERY aware of the crazy stories of miracles flying around Capernaum. He may not have met Him, but he would have known who Jesus is.

What exactly is His offer? “Follow” is a Greek word ακολουθεω/akoloutheo, which comes from a root word that means road. Jesus invites Levi to be His traveling partner. Allow the Lord to determine the direction and the route. It speaks of a relationship. Where you go doesn’t matter as long as you’re together.

It’s Okay, I’m with the Band

In the original language, “follow” doesn’t describe someone who simply heading in the same direction with a random stranger. You identify strongly with the person you’re following. You’re linked with the one leading the way. It’s like the old line, “It’s okay, I’m with the band.”

Following Jesus unlocks the door to the most remarkable places. Forget Costco or that ritzy country club. Cruising with Christ gains us access to the most exclusive joint you can imagine. The Kingdom of God. Somebody may be surprised to see you in heaven. If they ask for how you got in, just say, “I’m with Him. I’m with Jesus.”

Following the Lord, Following His Commands

But following Jesus is more than just downloading a few songs, attending a couple of concerts, and buying a t-shirt. It’s trusting totally in His leadership. Following the Lord means I follow His commands. What He wants for me is better than what I want for me.

Did I obey Him perfectly from the get-go? Not even close. Do I obey Him perfectly today? Are you kidding me? But following Him means I’ve given myself to His lifelong process of becoming His disciple. He won’t give up on me when I stumble and fall. My Lord promises to finish the job He starts in me (Phil 1:6). And He makes the same guarantee to each one of the uninvited He invites.

Things Get Awkward

We go from Jesus asking Levi to follow to Levi asking Jesus to a party. “Later, Levi invited Jesus and His disciples to his home as dinner guests” (v15). Things are about to get awkward. Not only is the Rabbi there, but so are His disciples. At least four former fishermen are in the home of the same man who was jamming them for taxes not long ago.

Following Jesus radically changes our relationships. People we used to avoid (are I say “hate”?) are now our brothers and sisters. Enemies become friends. That’s because Christ came to knock down the walls we’ve built between races, cultures, religions, and all the other artificially imposed social barriers (Rom 10:12; 1Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:14; Col 3:11).

Losers, Rejects, and Outcasts

They aren’t the only guests. They’re joined by “many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners” (v15). Levi has invited a bunch of his tax collecting buddies. Mark’s description tips us off that Jewish society sees tax collectors as such dirtbags that they have their own special category of sinfulness. 

Levi also opens his doors to all sorts of people shunned and dissed by the world. His guest list includes “other disreputable sinners” (v15). This is the author’s junk drawer term for the rest of the riffraff in attendance. These are far from the best and the brightest. This is a motley collection of losers, rejects, and outcasts. You know what they say, “Misery loves company.”

This party makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Levi has just met Someone who has radically transformed his life. He wants his friends to meet Jesus too. Why not do the same thing? Invite your friends who don’t know Him over to your house and tell them all about your Savior. You’re not cramming Christ down their throats. You’re simply making an introduction.

Turning Outsiders into Insiders

Don’t miss Mark’s little parenthetical comment: “(There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.)” (v15). Clearly the folks hanging out with Jesus at Levi’s big shindig fit the profile of most of Christ’s followers. Not a couple. Not a few. Not a handful. Many.

I’ll betcha nobody had to tip them off about their standing in society. They knew better than anyone where they stood. And where they stood was on the outside looking in. But here’s the crazy thing. That’s EXACTLY who Jesus came to save. He loves to turn outsiders into insiders. He loves to invite the uninvited.

Crashing the Party

However, the uninvited aren’t the only ones invited to Levi’s party. “But when the teachers of the religious law who were Pharisees saw Him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, the asked His disciples, ‘Why does He eat with such scum?’” (v16).

Apparently the religious police are staking out the joint, hoping to catch Jesus redhanded doing such dirty deeds as hanging out with the dregs of society. These are the ones in charge of who’s in and who’s out at the local synagogue. In other words, they decide who’s invited and who’s not.

Ironically, there’s little chance Levi invited them to be there. These religious teachers have crashed the party just so they can blow the whistle on Jesus and anyone else breaking their rules. Boy, do they love to throw their weight around. They’re like an HOA board run amuck.

Self-Righteous Windbags

Notice how the Pharisees don’t have the guts to challenge Christ directly. Instead they take their complaint to His followers. Do we even need to discuss this? Anytime we have a problem with someone, don’t go all passive aggressive. Instead, pull up your big boy (or big girl) pants and talk directly to them. Tell them what’s wrong. Work it out. Person to person.

Well, Christ cuts out the middle man and confronts these self-righteous windbags. “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (v17). Just as He did at Simon and Andrew’s house (Mk 2:1-12), Jesus sees Himself as the Physician who can treat spiritual sickness.

Saving the Bacon of the Broken

This is the Son of God’s way of saying, “Okay, let’s go there. Let’s assume for a moment you’re right. Let’s assume that you’ve got you’re act together and really are perfect. Let’s assume you’ve got a clean bill of spiritual health.” Well, we all know what happens when we assume.

What these religious bullies don’t realize is that EVERYBODY needs a Savior. You, me, us, them (Rom 3:10-13, 23). What Jesus tells the Pharisees is He came to save those who KNOW they need to be saved. If not, He really can’t help you. Christ didn’t come to rescue the self-righteous. He came to save the bacon of the broken and humble.

Declaring Spiritual Bankruptcy

That’s exactly what Jesus talks about in the opening lines of His most famous message, the one we call the Sermon on the Mount. “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Mt 5:3). Our debt of sin toward God is so great, we must declare spiritual bankruptcy. When we do, Christ writes a check on the cross to cover our cost.

Here’s the crazy thing. The scribes think they’re spiritually hot stuff. They think they’re healthy. They think they’re the only ones who’ve truly earned an invitation from God. The irony is that because they believe they’re invited, they are actually UNinvited! The only way to ensure our invitation from Jesus is know we don’t deserve one.

Nobodies and Somebodies

t’s like what Paul said to some friends at a church in Corinth. “I don’t see many of ‘the brightest and the best’ among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these ‘nobodies’ to expose the hollow pretensions of the ‘somebodies’?” (1Cor 1:27-28 The Message).

It’s almost like Paul is describing Levi’s crazy house party in Galilee. Jesus showers His grace on Levi and this long list of losers. They readily receive His love because they know they need it. They’re not arrogant insiders but grateful outsiders. They’re simply beggars who’ve figured out where to find the bread.

Dinner WITH Schmucks

This is no Dinner for Schmucks. Jesus has come to have dinner WITH them. And they know they’re schmucks. They know their losers. Nobody has to tell them. Levi and his friends realize they’re on the outside looking in. And for that reason, they’re just the kind of people Christ has come for.

Jesus loves inviting the uninvited.

©2017 

Jay Jennings

The Time Ezra Almost Forgot the Levites

Road trips make for great stories. It never fails. If you want memories, take a trip with some friends. Here in Ezra 8:15-20, the Big E looks back on one of the critical moments in the resettling of the Promised Land. He backs up and tells us the story of how they almost forgot some of the most critical members of their returning team. You can almost hear him tell the story of the day he almost forgot the Levites and their temple assistants. A huge part of this return focuses on worship at the temple. Zerubbabel and the boys have rebuilt the house of God in Jerusalem. As a high priest, Ezra understands the importance of the worship of God to the people of God. To leave for Judah without the Levites and their assistants would be a bonehead maneuver. It’s funny now, but it certainly wasn’t that day in Babylon. You see, road trips make for great stories.

Earlier in the book, Ezra runs down the roster of those making the trip back to Jerusalem (Ez 7:7). Israelite citizens? Check. Priests? Check. Levites? Check. Singers? Check. Gatekeepers? Check. Temple servants? Check. But there’s a crazy story about how the Levites and temple servants eventually made the trip. What the author seems to do here in chapter 8 is flashback to the time they almost left without the Levites and temple servants. Have you ever forgotten your plane ticket when you showed up at the airport? Have your ever left your suitcase sitting at the house? Have you ever left a member of the family behind when heading out on vacation? If you have, you’re not alone. Even Jesus’ earthly parents gave the Savior of the world the “Home Alone” treatment once (Lk 2:41-51). Ezra may have mad skills when it comes to the Bible (Ez 7:6, 10-11, 25), but apparently isn’t the most organized of leaders. And I feel a little better in knowing that. 

We flashback to before the Israelites ever leave Babylon. Remember, Yahweh put them in the penalty box for 70 years for choosing to worship other gods. About 150 years ago, God moves the king of Persia to let Zerbbabel and a team of almost 50,000 Jews head back home to Jerusalem (Ez 1). After the Z Man and his boys rebuild the temple, the LORD taps another pagan dictator to let another group of Hebrews return under the leadership of Ezra (Ez 7:6, 11-26). Just before they hit the road, Ezra sets up base camp to double check everything. “I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped for three days” (v15). This is still in Babylon. The Ahava River is probably a tributary of the mighty Euphrates. This is a place where returning Israelites could get themselves spiritually prepared for going home to the Promised Land.

This Babylonian base camp is also a place where Ezra can check his list and see if they have everything and everyone they need. “As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi” (v15). He had priests. That’s a good thing. But where are the Levites? Where are the people has set aside to assist the priests in the various sacrifices and kinds of worship at the temple? Oops. It’s as if Ezra realizes what he’s done and says, “My bad.” Praise and worship is a huge part of why they’re headed to Jerusalem. They can’t hit the trail without these folks.

At this point, the Big E and the boys scramble to find some Levites. He assembles a team of the best and brightest from his roster, “men of insight” (v16). He points them in the direction of “Iddo, the leading man at the Casiphia” (v17). Iddo is apparently the top dog of the temple servants, the men who assist the Levites and priests in worshiping God. We don’t have a clue who this dude is or where this place is. But chances are this is the site of the temple servant training camp. They make their request “to send us ministers for the house of our God” (v17).

These temple servants aren’t Jewish. They are actually descendants of the Gibeonites. Other translations refer to them as Nethinim (KJV, NKJV, YLT). Earlier in the Old Testament, God included these Gentiles in worship by allowing them to serve the priests and Levites at the temple. A good sized crew of these temple servants made the original trip back with Zerubbabel in 538 BC (Ez 2:43). But that’s been almost 150 years ago. And when Ezra ran down his roster for the return, he had exactly a big fat zero when it came to these temple servants.

Not surprisingly, God comes through once again. “And by the good hand of our God on us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, son of Israel, namely Sherebiah with his sons and kinsmen” (v18). Iddo comes through with descendants of Levi! Ezra certainly appreciates all the help he gets from Iddo, but he totally understands that this is all because of God. Yahweh’s got a firm grip on this entire project. This is the third of five times that the Big E uses this picture of being in the good hands of our great God (Ez 7:7, 9; 8:22, 31). There’s clearly an element of Ezra’s faith in  the LORD to provide everything they will need for their trip. Not only does God deliver Levites to Ezra’s team, He also supplies “220 of the temple servants whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites” (v20). And this is just one more example that God’s hand is on His people as they resettle the Promised Land. This team is small in number but critical to the worship of God at the temple in Jerusalem.

That was a close one. It’s just one of those crazy stories from a road trip. This one just happens to be of biblical proportions. Remember the time Ezra almost forgot the Levites?