A Second Trial

 Here we go again.  In these verses, Luke gives the account of the apostles second trial before the Sanhedrin.  

The first time, the council basically gave them a warning ticket (Acts 4:18).  Peter and John told the Jewish leaders this wasn't going to stop them from telling others about Jesus (Acts 4:19-20).  

These religious big wigs toss the apostles in the clink a second time for continuing to proclaim the Gospel (Acts 4:17).  But this time God sends an angel to bust them out of the joint and continue preaching the Good News (Acts 4:19-21).

When the high priest and the Sanhedrin reconvenes the following day, they send for the 12 prisoners (v21).  There's only one problem.  They are not there (v22).  

And they are stunned at what they do find.  The cell block is still locked tight.  The guards are still standing at each cell door.  "But when we opened them we found no one inside” (v23).  

That left everyone scratching their heads (v24).  What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on?  

Suddenly, someone runs in to report that prisoners are actually "standing in the temple teaching the people" (v25).  They immediately send out the temple security detail to bring them in.  

But the cops don't make a big scene.  They don't use force.  But this has very little to do with civility and everything to do with public opinion.  "They were afraid of being stoned by the people" (v26).

It is interesting to note the difference in the reactions of the apostles and the captain of the temple guard.  

The Twelve didn't care that the council would most certainly arrest them.  They were going to obey the Lord.  They feared God.  

On the other hand, the temple cops worried about the people's reaction to putting the apostles in a paddy wagon.  They feared man.  

The Apostle Paul had the right priorities.  "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man?  If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Gal 1:10).

Once the hearing gets underway, the high priest reminds them of the warning ticket he gave them just the other day.  

What particularly ticked him off was that these men were teaching the people that the Sanhedrin played a central role in Jesus' execution.  "You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this Man's blood upon us” (v28).  

Clearly, the Gospel is turning the city on its head.  It's all the buzz.  

As they have done many times before, Pete and the boys boldly accuse the Jewish leaders as being culpable in the death of Christ (Acts 2:23, 26; 3:15; 4:10).  The apostles pulled no punches.

As leader of the Twelve, Pete responds.  And the Sanhedrin's not going to like what he has to say.  "We must obey God rather than men” (v30).  He says they really have no choice.  

When the ruling authority demands a follower of Jesus to sin in disobedience, there is but one godly response.  Obey God.  

We've come to call it civil disobedience.  A better term would be godly obedience.  This call to obedience was such a burden for Martin Luther King that he led the American Civil Rights movement.  

Throughout the Bible, we read of God-fearing individuals thumbing their noses at sinful authority (Ex 1:15-17; Dan 6:4-10).

Pete goes on to proclaim Jesus' resurrection before the council.  "The God of our fathers raised Jesus” (v30).  

Let's be clear on this.  This is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who brought the Rabbi/Carpenter back to life.  

This is OUR God!  This is the God these Jewish leaders claimed to follow.

Then the fisherman drops the hammer and accuses the Sanhedrin of murdering Messiah.  "Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree” (v30).  

And the Greek word used here is διαχειριζω/diacheirizo.  It means to lay hands on violently, to seize and kill, to murder.  

Pete doesn't want the high priest to miss his point.  Yes, Jesus' blood IS on his hands!

But it didn't end with simply a risen Jesus flaunting the council's failed plot to eliminate Him from the scene.  "God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior” (v31).  

Jesus has returned home to heaven.  And His Dad was saving a chair for Him.  It was the throne of authority at the Father's right hand (Ps 110:1 Lk 20:41-44; Acts 2:34-36; Phil 2:9-11).

God has given His Son the authority "to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins" (v31).  We often think of the forgiveness of sin as a gift, but how about repentance?  

Peter is teaching that repentance itself is a gift of God.  The Lord doesn't have to let us turn back to Him.  Our holy God could simply damn us to hell for a single sin, no questions asked.  

But He doesn't.  He grants us the gracious gift of repentance.  We should take full advantage of this wonderful gift each and every time it is needed.  For me, that is all too often.

Peter goes on to testify that the followers of Jesus "are witnesses to these things" (v32).  And they aren't the only ones.  “So is the Holy Spirit” (v32).  

God's Spirit also testifies to the truth of the Gospel.  And God gives His Spirit "to those who obey Him” (v32).  What a marvelous promise!  

And notice the appearance of the Trinity here in these verses.  The Father is at work.  The Son is risen, ruling and reigning.  The Spirit testifies.

In essence, Pete tells the council that if they make the apostles choose whom to follow, they will follow Jesus every time.  

How 'bout you?  

©2011

Jay Jennings

3,000...if You're Counting

 Peter has just preached the church’s first sermon.  He has deftly explained the coming of the Holy Spirit.  

He used the OT to tell how Jesus is both the divine Son of God and the long awaited Messiah.  And with the subtlety of a jackhammer, he accused his audience of murdering the Christ.

Scholars don’t hold up this message as an example of contextualization, but it really is.  Like Paul on Mars Hill, Pete knows and understands his listeners.  

They are Jewish.  They understand the Torah.  They know the OT Scriptures.  And he uses their cultural context and sacred literature to prove Jesus is Messiah and to preach the Gospel message.

I find it very interesting that Pete simply and bluntly ends his sermon by accusing them of crucifying Jesus.  No application.  Just a punch in the neck.  “Whom YOU crucified!”  

Not one hint of what to do with the information.  Was there a great silence?  Was there a gasp?  

We pick it up in verse 37 as the people are “cut to the heart.”  The Greek verb here is katanuasomai, which means to be cut, stabbed or pierced.  

Pete’s message had its intended effect.  He had stabbed them in the heart.  Today we might say he punched them in the gut.  

His sermon evoked an emotional response.  So much so, that they begged the apostles for what to do next.  “Brothers, what shall we do?”  

Rocky responds with the message of repentance.  “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v38).  

“Repent” is one of those wonderful words that has been hijacked over the years.  It’s a word associated with legalism, religion and fanaticism.  

But the idea of repentance is a beautiful word that drips with the grace of God.  It’s a word that we must reclaim with love and tenderness of the Lord.

A look at the original language is helpful.  The Greek metanoeo means to repent, to have a change of hear and mind.  Literally it means to think (noeo) after or again (meta).  

It is the idea of taking a second thought of our sin after we understand how God sees it.  It is a turning from and a turning to.  In order to turn from my sin and I must turn to God.  

It is that wonderful 180.  John MacArthur describes repentance as a radical turning from sin that inevitably became manifest in the fruit of righteousness (Lk 3:8). 

When I’m faced with the realization that something is terribly wrong, I immediately want to make it right.  Sometimes I know what to do.  Sometimes I don’t. 

When it comes to my own sin and sinful behavior, I know what to do.  Repent.  Confess my sin to God.  Agree with Him about my sin.  Turn from my sin.  Turn to Him.  

Repentance is not a one time act.  It is not something I did once in 1970 at the summer revival at First Baptist Church in Farmington.  It is certainly that.  

But repentance is so much more.  It is a lifestyle.  And it is a gift to be used regularly.  God has granted me the gift of repentance so that I can continually turn back to Him.

Peter commands the crowd to repent and be baptized.  There is forgiveness of our sins offered by Jesus.  

But there is so much more.  We also receive the Holy Spirit.  His powerful presence in our lives enables us to obey God’s commands when we otherwise are powerless to do so.  

Preacher Pete tells the Pentecost congregation that they can enjoy and experience the gift of God’s Spirit just as the 120 have.

He tells them, “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself” (v39).  Once again, the Holy Spirit is referred to as the promise of God (Acts 1:4; 2:33).  

The Third Person of the Trinity is a vitally important part of the great benefit package of salvation.  And this salvation is available to EVERYONE!!!  You.  Your children.  All who are far off.  

Everyone whom the Lord calls to Himself.  Pete preaches a compelling Gospel.  If Jesus calls you, you are coming.  

And don’t miss the fact that Peter is apparently opening the door to Gentiles.  This very term “far off” is also used by Paul to describe non-Jews (Eph 2:11-13).  

This is a very important point of the Gospel of Jesus.  Previously, salvation was available only to and through the Jews.  

The other thing that makes this interesting is the fact that Peter continually struggles with the inclusion of Gentiles throughout the Book of Acts.

God’s offer of repentance, baptism, the Holy Spirit and salvation is made to ALL.  Every people group.  Every strata of society.  Every language.  Every nation.  Every person.  

And I have been granted the precious privilege of being His ambassador to carry this Gospel of grace to a lost and dying world (2Cor 5:20).  Lord Jesus, open my eyes and allow me to see others as You see them.

Peter continues teaching and explaining the Gospel (v40).  When he finished, there was a massive response.  Three thousand people were baptized and added to the 120 in the upper room.  

Not a bad first day of church.  And that was only the beginning.

©2011

Jay Jennings

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

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