Jesus Came to Call Sinners

Luke 5:17-32

Key Verse 32 

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance”

In today’s passage we see Jesus who has authority on earth to forgive sins and who came to call sinners. Through the passage, we want to learn who Jesus and what it means Jesus came to call sinners.

Read verses 17-19. Who was there and why? (v.17) What did some men try to do? (v.18) What did they do to bring him to Jesus? (v.19) 

Read verses 17-19.

Luke 5:17-19 “¹⁷ One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. ¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” 

Who was there and why? (v.17) 

*

Phariesses and teachers of the law. They were there probably to find fault with Jesus.

What did some men try to do? (v.18) 

*

They tried to take a paralytic and to lay before Jesus. Obviously they wanted to heal their friend.

What did they do to bring him to Jesus? (v.19) 

^{* 19} When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.”

Their action shows their desperate attitude to bring their friend to Jesus. It also shows their firm faith that their friend would be healed as long as they could bring him to Jesus. 

They believed that it was possible to bring their friend to Jesus when it seemed almost impossible to take him to Jesus. 

In helping people we face many times impossible-looking situations where we feel that we cannot bring our friend to Jesus. But where there is faith there is a way. They found a way to bring their friend to Jesus. 

Read verses 20-26. How did Jesus see their action and why did he say concerning their action ‘your sins are forgiven’? (v.20) What did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law think about God’s forgiveness? (v.21) What authority does Jesus have and how did he prove it? (v.24-25) What was the response of the people? (v.26)

Read verses 20-26.

Luke 5:20-26 “²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." ²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" ²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? ²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."” 

How did Jesus see their action and why did he say concerning their action ‘your sins are forgiven’? (v.20) 

* Jesus saw their action as ‘faith’. Jesus did not judge their action morally or humanly. The existence of faith was very precious to Jesus because faith is the basis for forgivenes and relationship with God.

Jesus wanted to bless their faith by touching more fundamental problem of the paralytic, the sin problem. In addition Jesus forgave his sin order to teach the Phariesses and teachers of the law that he has authority on earth to forgive sins.

Jesus called the paralytic ‘friend’. When he had faith in Jesus he accepted him as a friend instead of a sinner. 

Paralytic is a sinner because he is so powerless in doing anythings productively. Spiritually we see many able bodies who become powerless because of their sin. One man did nothing for his school study and other obligations but he did only comptuer games and watching ponorgraphy. He became paralytic. People who waste their lives not doing anything productively are like paralytic.

What did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law think about God’s forgiveness? (v.21) 

* They knew only God can forgive sins. It is true. So sin has deep root. If unbeliever just say to others “I am sorry” but that does not mean his sins are forgiven.

Spiritually speaking when we sin against others  we sin against God. We only see men but our sinning is direct against God. (Ps 51:4) That is why Jesus regarded our behavior toward others as our treatment of him. (Mt 25:37-40) 

Psalm 51:4 “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.”

Matthew 25:37-40 “³⁷ "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' ⁴⁰ "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' “

What authority does Jesus have and how did he prove it? (v.24-25) 

* To forgive sins. The pharse “on earth” could mean Jesus is the only person who ever lived on earth and has authority to forgive sins because he is God.

Jesus’ authority to forgive sins is invisible. But Jesus’ authority to heal the paraylytic is visible. Jesus’ healing of the paralytic can be a sign of Jeasus’ authority on earth to forgive sins.

What was the response of the people? (v.26)

^{* 26} Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."” 

Read verses 27-28. Whom did Jesus meet and what did he tell him to do? (v.27) What does “Follow me” mean? How did Levi respond to Jesus’ calling? (v.28)

Read verses 27-28.

Luke 5:27-28 “²⁷ After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” 

Whom did Jesus meet and what did he tell him to do? (v.27) 

* Levi. He said to him, “Follow me”. There must be certain mutual understanding between Jesus and the Levi because Jesus just needed to say one command, “Follow me” and Levi followed him. 

What does “Follow me” mean? 

* It means 1) physically speaking, Levi had to follow Jesus. So he would not be a tax collector anymore. He would be Jesus’ disciples. So his physical life has been changed. His career has been changed from a tax collector to Jesus’ disciple. 2) Spiritually speaking, Levi’s life purpose would be changed. So far Levi lived for himself but from now on he would live for Jesus. 

How did Levi respond to Jesus’ calling? (v.28)

* ²⁸ and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.” 

Matthew and Mark gospel also shows the same response. He simply followed Jesus. By following Jesus in his practical life Levi shows what it means to become Jesus’ disciples.

However we need to pay attention to the phrase “left everything”. In order to follow Jesus Levi had to leave everything. To follow Jesus we need to leave all other things. We want to follow Jesus. But we cannot follow Jesus if we want to follow Jesus with our old belongings.

Read verses 29-32. How was Levi changed after he followed Jesus? (v.29) Why did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complain? (v.30) How did Jesus answer them? (v.31-32) In what sense were Levi and the paralytic sick “spiritually”? What does it mean ‘I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance’?

Read verses 29-32.

Luke 5:29-32 “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."” 

How was Levi changed after he followed Jesus? (v.29) 

* He held a great banquet for Jesus. Levi spent money for Jesus. Levi wanted to please Jesus. He also used money for Jesus instead of himself. 

Holding a banquet also shows Levi’s inner joy inside of him.

Why did the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complain? (v.30) 

^{* “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'?"

They could not understand the fellowship between Jesus’ disciples and tax collectors and sinners. They did not know that they were also sinnerse before God in one way or another. 

They judged Jesus when Jesus forgave the sin of the paralytic. They judged Jesus and his disciples for their fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. They were critical and judgmental. 

How did Jesus answer them? (v.31-32) 

* 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."” 

Jesus taught them 1) he is a doctor for sick people 2) He came to call sinners rather than the righteous. 

When people think they are not sick they do not need Jesus. Only sick people will seek spiritual doctor Jesus. So if we do not know that we are not spiritually sick we are in darkness. We will miss the healing of Jesus.

In the same way if we think we are righteous we will miss Jesus’ calling because he came to call sinners. “The righteous” could refer to all people who think they are ‘righteous’. Even thieves and robbers can be righteous before their eyes. But no one is righteous before God. (Ro 3:10)

Romans 3:10 “As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one” 

In what sense were Levi and the paralytic sick “spiritually”? 

* The paratyic was sick because he was not using God-given talents and abilities. Levi was sick because he was using God-given talents and abilitites for himself. Parayltic was sick for not using his ability, and Levi was sick for using his ability for himself. 

What does it mean ‘I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance’?

* Jesus will be able to minister for those who know they are sinners. He will help them to repent. To call sinners is not the end but to help them to repentance is important. To have fellowship with sinners is not a starting point but to help them to repentance is where we need to go. 

The end. 

Message #2 Group Study Notes – 2012 UBF Spring Bible Conference

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