29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Lk 5:29-32, NIV)
Right before this an amazing thing happened, Jesus is walking along, spots Levi and simply tells him, "Follow me". What's amazing is that he does, in fact vs. 28 tells us he left everything and goes. Levi is so grateful for Jesus, that he wants Him to come to his home for dinner and introduce his "friends" to Jesus. Sound familiar, it should because we should want to introduce our friends to Jesus as well.
Anyway, Jesus saw this as a great opportunity to try to help others who needed to know him. However, the "religous people" of the time felt they were not "worth" reaching out to. Does this sound familiar, it should Jonah got mad at God for helping the people of Ninevah, because he felt they were not "worth" reaching. I love Jesus' response in vs. 31 and 32. It's one of those "oh snap" moments.
The Religious people had lost sight of what it was there were supposed to me doing, reaching out to those in need. If we are not careful the same thing can happen to us, we can get comfortable in our "churchy" surroundings, with our "churchy" friends around us, and only hanging out with "churchy" people. When this happens we lose sight of what we are supposed to be doing: inviting them to have dinner with Jesus.
please note i have taught and do still firmly believe you are who you hang with, and the Bible clearly teaches that we are not to be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers, but that doesn't mean that you aren't around any.
have a blessed day, and go to worship somewhere this weekend, and invite a friend :)
chris
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