Who's the G.O.A.T.?

I Am the Greatest!

I love sports. Always have. For me, there’s a lot to like. The passion. The performances. The stories. The drama.

But if there’s one thing I can’t stand about athletics, it’s the non-stop self-promotion and boasting. Just about every sport has 

more than its fair share of egomaniacs who brag that they’re the G.O.A.T. The Greatest of All Time.

It seems to have started with Muhammad Ali. Back in the sixties and seventies, he constantly made the claim, “I am the greatest!” Chances are, in his sport, he was and still is.

How Ironic

In Mark’s Gospel, there’s the story of a similar argument about who’s the best. Yup, long before Ali, a group of guys try to make the case for which one is the greatest member of Jesus’ team (Mk 9:33-35). And the crazy thing is, they’re the closest followers of the MOST humble yet MOST deserving person to ever walk the planet. Ironic, isn’t it?

We pick up the story with the Lord and the Twelve returning to the home office in Capernaum. They’re fresh back from a trip to the mountains of northern Palestine near Caesarea Philippi and Mount Hermon (Mk 8:27; 9:2).

On the Way Home

On the way back, the Son of God heals a young man of demon possession while filling up the faith tank of his desperate dad (Mk 9:14-29).

During the trip home, Christ tells His team what to expect in the coming weeks (Mk 8:31-33). Get ready, boys. You’re gonna see the radical Rabbi/Carpenter betrayed, tortured, and murdered by the leaders of Judaism.

Pulling back the Curtain

But that’s not all. He’s going to rise from the dead!!! The problem is, the guys clearly don’t get it. Peter pulls Jesus aside and tires to tell Him that real Messiahs don’t die (Mk 8:32).

Then there’s the mountaintop meet-up with Moses and Elijah that Jesus allows Pete, James, and John to witness (Mk 9:2-8). Next thing you know, God pulls back the curtain of heaven to reveal His Son’s spectacular glory.

Some Sort of Blowup

On the return trip, the boys are having some sort of blowup. And they clearly don’t want Christ to know what they’re bickering about. Once they’re home, the disciples haven’t even set down their suitcases when our Savior asks them a question.

“After they arrived Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked His disciples, ‘What were you discussing out on the road?’” (v33). Before we get to the question, let’s set the scene geographically.

A Blue Collar Bump in the Road

Capernaum is a little fishing village on the northern tip of a large freshwater lake called the Sea of Galilee. We’re talking blue collar bump in the road inhabited by the working class poor. It’s also become the headquarters of Jesus’ team.

Pete grew up just down the shore in Bethsaida.  But he’s since gotten married and moved here (Mk 1:29-30). He shares a home with his brother Andy and their extended family.

Jesus’ House

The town may be tiny but it’s big enough to have a synagogue. That’s the equivalent of a Jewish church community. Jesus has the honor of being the guest speaker on a few occasions (Mk 1:21). The ruins of that place of worship are still there today.

There’s an interesting little tidbit that might be easy to miss in the NLT. In the original language, Mark literally describes how the Lord “was in the house” (v33 ESV). The use of “the” tips us off that this is where the Son of God is living at the time. It could be Pete and Andy’s place. Who knows, maybe Jesus knew the joy of home ownership.

Trying to Keep It from Jesus

Whatever the case, Christ has a question for His crew. “What were you discussing out on the road?” (v33). It seems the boys were chatting it up while they were on the way back. And for whatever reason, they didn’t include the Teacher in the conversation.

Clearly whatever they were talking about, they tried to keep it from Christ. Don’t mistake His question for His ignorance. You can be sure He knows EXACTLY what the guys were chewing the fat about.

Coming Clean before Christ

Jesus asks them because He wants them to admit and repent. He knows. He simply wants them to come clean and realize how ridiculous they are. There’s no need to think He doesn’t already know.

He knows.

Jesus Doesn’t Need a Transcript

Christ offers us the same opportunity. He’s fully aware of everything we say, everything we do, and everything we think. He doesn’t need a transcript. There’s no reason to compose an executive summary.

He knows.

Before You Say It

Over in John’s Gospel, we read how our Savior didn’t need anyone to explain others’ motives “for He knew what was in each person’s heart” (Jn 2:25). King David wrote a song about how intimately God knows each one of us. “You know what I am going today even before I say it” (Ps 139:4).

He knows.

The Open Door of Confession

The reason He asks is to give them the opportunity to confess and repent. He’s not putting them on the spot to embarrass them. The Son of God wants them to realize their ego battle is exactly the wrong approach for one of His followers. He’s graciously opening the door of confession for them. He does the same for you and me.

We not only need let God know what He already knows but have the courage to confess to fellow followers of Jesus. The Lord’s little brother James tells us that this is a critical part of life in God’s family. “Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16).

That is why it is critical to find a group of believers where you can let our guard down and be the real you. Here’s the deal. If you can’t confess and come clean to the people who love you in the Lord and want His best for you, where can you do it?

Christ Gets Crickets

Back inside the house in Capernaum, it’s quiet. Too quiet. After Jesus asks the question,  the disciples don’t say a word. “But they didn’t answer” (v34). Christ gets nothing but crickets. There’s little doubt they’re too embarrassed to tell Him.

He’s thrown open the door of confession. But the Twelve is standing on the front porch and won’t come in. They’ve got nothing to say. You can see them looking at the floor and shuffling their sandals. The boys are busted.

A Silly Squabble

It’s at this point that Mark let’s us know what the disciples are unwilling to tell their Leader. “They had been arguing about which of them was the greatest” (v34). Seems kinda stupid to have this sort of silly squabble when you’re in the presence of the sinless Son of God, don’t you think?

This is another example of the author of the second Gospel giving us behind-the-scenes info we don’t find anywhere else. What’s his source? Early believers thought Peter is the one feeding Mark these crucial details.

The Guest List for the Transfiguration?

Could this argument have started over who got an invite to the Transfiguration and who didn’t? Did the other nine feel jealous when Jesus asked Pete and the Thunder Brothers to up on the mountain without them?

Any chance the Big Three felt cocky about what they were on the Son of God’s guest list and rubbed the noses of the other nine in it? I’m sure you’ve never been part of a group that didn’t have its fair share of drama. *wink wink*

A Teachable Moment

Instead of chewing His team out, He turns it into a teachable moment. “He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to Him” (v35). Back in the First Century, rabbis sat down to teach. When the Son of God grabs a seat, the disciples know that class is in session. They probably have a good idea He’s about to go deep on God’s view of greatness.

Despite the disciples’ silence, Jesus puts all His cards on the table when it comes to any claim to be the best. “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (v35).

Right out of the chute, notice how the Lord doesn’t dismiss the idea of wanting to be great. There’s nothing wrong with ambition. It simply must be focused on godly goals.

Last Is First

Somewhere along the way, many of the followers of Jesus have gotten the idea that greatness has no place in God’s kingdom. Heaven’s definition of success is a complete 180 from how we see it here on earth.

Christ tells His crew that it’s okay when someone wants to be first. So if that’s you, take a deep breath. But instead of fighting for the front of the line, it’s just the opposite. Jesus wants His followers walking to the back of the line. You see, for His disciples, last is first. Least is best.

Success Centered on Self

Society has sold us on a picture of success that puts us at the top of the org chart. The truly people have got it all going on. An corner office in the c suite. Countless employees. A sizable staff. Maybe even servants to respond to their every want and need.

Greatness here on the third rock from the sun is all about power, money, and influence. that use to your advantage. It’s success centered on self. What can I get out of it since I’ve got the leverage?

Don’t Buy a Fast Pass

But true greatness in God’s eyes turns the whole thing on its head. According to Christ, success means being in last place and serving everybody else. So if you see a long line, don’t look to buy a Fast Pass. Simply move to the back. That’s because in God’s view, the back of the line is actually the front.

Our Savior uses this very logic when wrapping an illustration about payday for employees at a vineyard. The workers hired in the morning get their undies in a bundle when ones hired late in the afternoon get the same check.

In the story, the owner of the company steps in and explains his pay structure. “Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others? So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last” (Mt 20:15-16).

The Mother of the Thunder Brothers

This idea that last is actually first becomes a HUGE theme in Jesus’ last days. He makes it the point of His teaching not once, not twice, not three times, but a grand total of four times! It sure seems like He doesn’t want us to miss the point!

The first time is when the mother of the Thunder Brothers goes to bat for her boys and asks Jesus to give them positions of power in His kingdom. Helicopter parenting is not a modern invention. The Lord tells her that’s the wrong way to go about it.

“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:26-28).

The Choice Is Yours

The second comes a couple of days later when Christ speaks before a big Passover crowd in Jerusalem. “The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exactly themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Mt 23:11-12).

Let me put it another way. Humble yourself or suffer humiliation. The choice is yours.

A Real Leader Waits Tables

Number three is just hours before His betrayal and murder when He settles yet another battle for power among His team. “Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like the servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course! But not here! For I am among you as one who serves” (Lk 22:26-27).

Washing Filthy Feet

Moments later, the Son of God shows the boys how it’s done when He grabs a bucket and a towel and washes their filthy feet. “I gave given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. 

Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them” (Jn 13:15-17).

Our Savior Serves

A few hours later, Jesus would provide the ultimate example of servant leadership by giving His life for us. Dying a brutal death for our sin so that we could live. By doing for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves, our Savior serves us and saves us.

The Man from Heaven Humbled Himself

The man God used to spread His message of grace around the Mediterranean Rim writes how we are to model our Savior’s humility. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Phil 2:3-8).

Leveraging Your Position

This doesn’t mean to success is evil or that greatness is ungodly. First of all, let God examine your heart. Why do you want it so badly? Is it so the world will be impressed? Or is it so you can leverage your position for others and shine the spotlight on our Savior?

Here are a few subtle symptoms of pride from Fabienne Harford. Do you love to find fault with others? Do you have a snarky spirit that enjoys putting folks down? Are you more worried about your image than your integrity?

Do you go on the defensive when criticized? Are you desperate to be the center of attention? Do you neglect the needs of others? Oops, did these hit a little too close to home? Sorry, not sorry.

The Lamb is the G.O.A.T.

Last is first.

First is last.

Greatness in God’s eyes is serving others.

Follow the Lamb. He just happens to be the G.O.A.T. The Greatest of All Time.

©2018

Jay Jennings

A Desperate Dad

Living the Sweet Life

You’re one of the big dogs around town. The perks are crazy good. Best seats at the best restaurants. Tickets to all the big games. Absolutely no waiting for anything.

Okay, that might not be an exact picture of the sweet life Jairus is living in Galilee, but you get the idea. But as one of the head honchos down at the local synagogue, life indeed has its privileges.

Kind of a Big Deal

You might think I’m overstating the status of leadership at a local house of Jewish worship. But the synagogue is so much more than the building where folks go each Sabbath to praise the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

You see, the synagogue is hub of the wheel for life in town. Remember, in first century Israel, EVERYBODY is Jewish. And EVERYBODY you know goes to the same synagogue.

So as one of the rulers of the local synagogue, you’re kind of a big deal.

Is That Jairus?

That’s why people do a double take when they see you sprinting through town at top speed. That’s not Jairus, is it? No self-respecting leader of the synagogue would act the fool and run like a madman down to the docks!

But that’s EXACTLY what we seen in Mark’s Gospel when Jesus and His personal posse land their boat back on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Let’s just say they’ve had a quick and rather eventful trip to the far side.

A Late Night Storm

Our Savior and the boys found themselves in a vicious late night squall (Mk 4:35-41). If the disciples aren’t freaked out enough by the swirling winds and stinging rain, they really lose their minds when Jesus yells at the storm to stop…and it does! I mean who is this Guy?!?

Once on the eastern shore, a naked man living in a cemetery under demonic control confronts Christ (Mk 5:1-20). It seems the evil spirits living inside him know EXACTLY Who they’re dealing with.

Mass Swine Suicide

Our Savior tells them they don’t have to go home but they can’t stay here. The few thousand demons leave the man and cause a herd of pigs to commit mass swine suicide.

More concerned with the financial hit over lost livestock than the man gaining back his life and sanity, locals beg Jesus to go back where He came from. So with that, He heads back home.

Welcome Home, Jesus

“Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around Him on the shore” (v21). It’s quite a scene along the shore when the Lord and His crew land.

It appears that Jesus and the Twelve come ashore back in Galilee very near where they left. Luke points out that “the crowds welcomed Him because they had been waiting for Him” (Lk 8:40). Just picture a bunch of people on the beach wondering when the radical Rabbi/Carpenter will come back home.

Back home? Matthew tips us off that they arrive back in Jesus’ “own town” (Mt 9:1). If you’re keeping score at home, that’s Capernaum. He may have been born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, but our Savior has made Capernaum his base of operations (Mt 4:13; Mk 2:1).

Harmonizing the Gospels

While we’re looking at Mark’s version of the story, don’t miss out on using the other Gospels to fill in the gaps and add color to what you’re reading. It’s what smart folks who study the Bible call “harmonizing the Gospels.”

God inspired a wide variety of human authors to tell His story for a wide variety of audiences. For instance, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John share a lot of the same stories. But they were each writing to different groups of people.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke

You can find this particular story in three of the Gospels (Mt 9:18-19; Mk 5:21-24; Lk 8:40-42). Feel free to flip back and forth between them. Take advantage of the resources He has provided to you!

Comparing the different versions, we see that Mark is the only Gospel writer to describe the welcoming party as a “large crowd” (v21). He uses a word we translate “large” (Gr. πολυς/polus). It describe something near the top end of the scale or the greatest magnitude. The crowd may be large but Jesus is in charge.

A Leader of the Synagogue

Suddenly the mood changes. One moment the mob is cheering Jesus’ return. The next moment someone is frantically trying to get His help. “Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived” (v22).

As a “leader of the local synagogue (Gr. αρχισυναγωος/archisunagogos)” (v22), Jairus is one of the top dogs in the community. The elders would handpick a handful of men to direct the affairs of the local Jewish assembly.

Jairus the Pharisee

It’s his job is to choose the various readers and teachers in the synagogue, go over the messages and lessons to be taught, and make sure everything in the assembly is done properly especially according to Jewish tradition.

Jairus is almost certainly a Pharisee. You see, the Pharisees control the synagogues in the various towns while the Sadducees run the temple in Jerusalem. When you can’t make it to worship at the house of God in the big city, you gather with your friends and family at the local synagogue on the Sabbath.

When the Temple’s Not an Option

The idea of the synagogue came about 586 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple and hauled God’s people into slavery back to Babylon. Even if the temple wasn’t a pile of bricks, you’re still 900 miles away.

With temple worship not an option, the synagogue became central not just to honoring God but living in community with His people. Because Jewish law limited travel on the Sabbath to about 1,000 yards, people would live in villages and towns near their meeting place.

Falling at the Feet of Christ

Christ certainly has his share of run-ins with the leaders of the local synagogue (Lk 13:14). But we also several of these influential Jewish leaders place their faith in Jesus as Messiah, the long promised Hero coming to save God’s people (Acts 13:15; 18:17-18). I suspect it won’t be long before we count Jairus among them.

The normally dignified Jairus is clearly out of sorts. He’s freaking out. He’s desperate. He’s there for one reason. He’s there for one Person. Suddenly, he spots just One he’s looking for. “When he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet” (v22)

In describing how Jairus falls before the Lord, Mark uses the Greek verb πιπτω/pipto. It does NOT paint a picture of propriety and decorum. This word means to collapse, come down forcefully from a higher to lower level, tumble into ruins, or falling on your face in worship and desperation.

Crumbling and Tumbling Down

Remember the story of the drowsy teenage boy in Troas sitting in a window listening to Paul? When the apostle’s message runs till midnight, the kid doses off and “dropped (Gr. πιπτω/pipto) three stories to his death below” (Acts 20:9). Yup, the very same word. You’ll be glad to know that the apostle miraculously brought him back to life (Acts 20:11).

We find it again when the writer of Hebrews flips through the scrapbook and talks about the crazy conquest of a key enemy city. “It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the wall came crashing down (Gr. πιπτω/pipto)” (Heb 11:30).

Jairus crumbles at the feet of Christ. He’s clearly a broken man as he crumbles to the ground. This proud religious leader is in ruins. Mark doesn’t say anything about his tears but if we squint, I think we can see them.

A Devastated Dad 

What in the world could wreck Jairus this way? Well, he’s about to tell Jesus. He “pleaded fervently with Him. ‘My little daughter is dying,’ he said” (v23). A dying daughter  has totally devastated him.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Desperate times call for Jesus.

Face Down in the Dirt

This one verse drips with this dad’s desperation. Face down in the dirt, Jairus begs Jesus. The word the NLT translates as “pleaded” (Gr. παρακαλεω/parakaleo) emphasizes the physical closeness and intimacy of the interaction between the two.

It’s not so much calling 9-1-1 but physically running to someone who can help, getting in their face, and almost forcing them to help. And the grammar tells us Jairus cries for help are non-stop and unrelenting.

Begging and Pleading

Just so we get this dad’s distress, Mark adds that he pleads “fervently” (v23). In doing so, the author uses that very same term (Gr. πολυς/polus) he uses to help us get our heads around the big crowd back in verse 21.

In other words, Jairus’ can’t get much more urgent. He doesn’t ask once. He doesn’t ask nicely. He begs. He pleads. Incessantly. Relentlessly. Persistently.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Desperate times call for Jesus.

His Baby Girl

If this father’s love is not tearing your heart in half already, just wait. He pleads with the Lord to come help his “little daughter” (v23). The word in the original language (Gr. θυγατριον/thugatrion) is a very special and very tender term of endearment.

Most Bibles translate it as “my little daughter” (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, NRS, YLT, BBE, NLT). I suggest we read it as “my baby girl.” A little later Mark tells us she is twelve years old (Mk 6:42). Dr. Luke adds that she’s Jairus’ only daughter (Lk 8:42).

This is daddy’s baby girl. I don’t need to tell you that the father/daughter relationship is special. Just ask any guy who’s stopped by to meet his date’s dad. Jairus’ little girl has her daddy wrapped around her finger. As her first hero, that’s a very good thing.

A Terminal Diagnosis

His twelve-year-old daughter is “dying” (v23). In the Message, Jairus says, “My dear daughter is at death’s door” (v23 The Message). Dr. Luke describes her diagnosis as terminal and that “she was dying” (Lk 8:42).

Matthew goes even further and says she “has just died” (Mt 8:18). Does Jairus actually believe Jesus has the power of resurrection and could bring her back from the dead?

A Touch from the Healer

Whether she’s still hanging on or not, Jairus knows there’s only one Man who can help. Can’t you see his tearstained face begging Jesus? “Please come and lay Your hands on her; heal her so she can live” (v23).

It’s interesting that the very same word we read here as “heal” (Gr. σωζω/sozo) is the one we see lots of other places as “save.” It has a wide range of meanings depending on how it’s used. Everything from save from death, deliver, preserve from harm, rescue from danger to cure from sickness or disease, or restore to health and well being.

Christ Is the Only Cure

What a powerful reminder that Jesus is not just our Savior but our Healer. He comes to our rescue and yanks us out of the pit of sin and pride (Ps 40:1-2). Christ is the only cure for our terminal case of sin sickness.

The Law is like an MRI that diagnoses our spiritual disease. It’s a great tool but no matter how many times we go in for tests, God’s rules can’t heal us. The only remedy for our sin is the Gospel. Only when we place all our trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done are we cured forever.

Doubling Down on Jesus

But Jairus doubles down on Jesus’ ability to heal his baby girl. She’s so young and has so much life left to live. Only if he can convince Christ to come and cure his daughter will she have a chance to grow up.

Little does this dad know that the Lord has something even better in mind for her. Something better for ALL of us. Jesus says He’s come to give each one of us a lavish, overflowing life (Jn 10:10).

Hoping for a House Call

But in the desperation of the moment, Jairus doesn’t give a rat’s rear end about any of that. He just needs the Great Physician to make a house call. And there’s no time to waste!

Imagine his joy when the Lord says agrees. “Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around Him” (v24). What a wild scene! A frantic father. The miracle-working Healer. And a mob that crushing to get to the Christ.

So what happens next? We’ll have to wait. On the way to Jairus’ house, Jesus gets sidetracked by someone else at wit’s end. But that’s another story for another day.

Take a Walk in Jairus’ Sandals

In the meantime, put yourself in Jairus’ sandals. What would it take for you to toss your status in the toilet? To set your pride aside?

A personal crisis has a way making us throw our pride aside. Managing our image no longer matters. It reveals who we really are. It exposes us. We take off the mask.

When that happens, we suddenly realize we're powerless. We've got nothing. No answer. No cure. No hope.

All you can do is cry out. Call out to God at the top of your lungs. Who cares if you look foolish? You don’t care. You need help. You need Him.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Desperate times call for Jesus.

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