Jesus calls Levi
Luke 5:27-32
Key Verse 5:32
“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.””
Good morning! How are you? We had a wonderful wedding yesterday. Natalka and her father’s dancing was fabulous. I thought they practiced a lot, but I heard that they never practiced. I don’t know how they could dance so well without practice. The title for today’s message is “Jesus calls Levi”. The key verse comes from verse 32. May we read this verse together? “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.”” Let’s pray.
One man told me. It is about 4 or 5 weeks ago. I don’t remember exactly. He is one of our Sunday messengers. And after delivering a wonderful message he told me “I found a way I can write better message in a faster way.” When I heard that I was fascinated by the idea. “You can write Sunday message faster and even with better message?” “Is there really such a way?” That was what I was thinking. But since he is a trustworthy man with curiosity I asked him, “What is it?” And he said, “It is an older way.” Then he paused a little bit and said, “You accept one word of God and write it.” And I was amazed because even I lost this older way which is still good way; that is to hear the one word of God and write the message. So along the line one of my main problem was exposed as I applied the word of God in my personal life. I decided to apply the word of God to me because I delivered many messages, but when I think about what I learned or what I repented I cannot say much. So it would better for me to repent and deliver the message.
As you see in today’s passage Levi had a problem. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law had a problem. I have a problem and we all have problems. In addition, the worst thing is we cannot solve our problems. All of our problems are symptoms of our real problem. We have many symptoms, symptom of lust, symptom of anger, symptom of jealousy, symptom of pride, symptom of human recognition, symptom of inferiority complex or superiority complex, gambling, drinking and all those are symptoms. And these symptoms shows one thing about us including myself that we are sick and that we are sinners. And our inner sickness and our sin produce all kinds of symptoms. That is a bad news. We cannot help us. What is the good news? The good news is God sent Jesus to heal us. The good news is Jesus came to help us. So in today’s passage we want to see how Jesus healed Levi and how Jesus can heal us as well. Basically Jesus healed Levi in two ways. They are ‘calling’ and ‘repentance’. ‘Calling’ is the beginning time and ‘repentance’ is the main part.
Part I. Follow me (v.27-29)
Let’s read verses 27-28 together.
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.
These verses show that Levi had one serious problem. Can anyone quit his job immediately, giving up everything, leaving his office? If someone does it it shows that that man has a serious problem. Levi did that and Levi had a serious problem. Levi was ready to give up everything immediately as soon as Jesus called him, “Follow me”. He had a very serious problem. What was his serious problem? His serious problem was ‘he became a slave of money.’
When he started to make money as a tax collector he never thought that he would be a slave of money. He would be happy making a lot of money. So he didn’t mind he would be mocked and insulated by his own people. And in those days the Israel people were under the Roman Empire. So the Roman Empire invented a way to collect taxes from the Jewish people. Jewish people were special people from Roman Empire’s point of view. They regarded themselves as chosen people of God. And they regarded all other people including Romans as the Gentiles and idol worshipers. And Jewish people regarded Romans as those who should repent their idolatry and come to God.
And to help these Romans is like encouraging idol worshipers to worship idols even better. No one would do that. And these tax collectors, Jewish people, were doing this. They were working for the Romans. They collect taxes from their own people and give it to the Romans. So the tax collectors were regarded as ‘prostitutes.’ “Prostitutes’ sold their bodies for money, and the tax collectors sold their identity as God’s chosen people for money. What is worse is tax collectors collect taxes more money that is required to. If someone comes to you and ask you to pay more taxes would you be happy with that person? You gonna sue him, right? You hire a lawyer and sue that person. IRS cannot do that. Roman government allowed tax collectors to do that at that time.
The problem is tax collectors is also revealed in Luke 3:12-13. Let’s read Luke 3:12-13. “Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “What should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.”
It is so obvious that they collected more taxes than was required too. So they were hated by people. They had such a low standing in the society that they were not allowed to enter the temple and worship. Their credit was so low that their testimony was not accepted in a court. But there was one good thing about them. What is it? They were rich, rich men. There are some people who don’t care as long as they can be rich. And tax collectors were one of those people and Levi was one of them.
When Levi sought the money to be rich one mysterious thing happened which he never imagined. That is he became a slave of money.
Let’s read HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6:24&version=NIV" Matthew 6:24 together.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Jesus revealed the truth there are two masters, God and money. You cannot serve both of them. You cannot serve both. You have to choose either one of them, God or money. As Matthew chose to make money he ended up becoming serving money. He became a slave of money.
Let’s read HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13:22&version=NIV" Matthew 13:22 also.
“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
One of the spiritual thorns that make us unspiritual is ‘the deceitfulness of wealth.’ “Wealth” has a deceitfulness in itself. What is the deceitfulness? It says, “You will be happy if you have me by seeking me.” But when we do it we become money’s slaves. But money never says ‘you will be my slave.’ It does not say.
Let’s read HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%206:10&version=NIV" 1 Timothy 6:10. Let’s go.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Money says “Love me. You will be happy.” But the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. We become very strange people, unspiritual, and ungodly men. When Levi realized he became a slave of money he also realized one more thing. He could not get out of it by himself. He might quit his job but what he would do after quitting his job? So he had to stick to it not knowing what to do.
When Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth he must have seen his inner agony. He was so miserable enough to get up and leave everything and follow Jesus. So Jesus told him, “Follow me” and Levi left everything and followed him.
Jesus’ calling of Levi was very controversial in those days. Think about it! Tax collectors were regarded as prostitutes. If you get a wife will you go to prostitutes and get a wife? No one would do that. If you are a teacher or master and you want to recruit your disciples from good people. No one will go to tax collectors and invite them as his disciples. No man would do that as if no man would go to prostitutes and find his wife. But Jesus did that.
When Jesus called Levi to follow him Levi got up and left everything and followed him. It shows one thing about Levi. Levi was so happy that he was accepted by Jesus just as he was. Acceptance is a big issue, though, especially being accepted just as we are.
When a man and woman married this acceptance, to accept each other just as they are, becomes very serious because husband and wife are one.
Long time ago I was working for a company. In my accounting department there were two women. And one just married. It was just within a year after marriage. She complained a lot about her husband. And her complaining topic was ‘my husband throws his dirty socks anywhere and everywhere.’ It was a still honeymoon time. But she was suffering so much. Her husband dropped his dirty socks everywhere in her house. To me our us it could be a very simple thing. What is the big deal? But she suffered so much that she complained everyday.
It was so hard for her to accept her husband just as he is, as a man who drops his dirty socks everywhere. It was so challenging to her. To accept someone just as he is or she is requires God’s divine power. (Someone in the audience says ‘Amen’). (Laughter). Who said that? Missionary Philip? (laughter) He is an honest man. We all have a demand. We all have expectations. When our expectations are not met and when our certain standard of demand is not met we become angry. “Why can’t you do this? Why can’t you drop your dirty socks in the laundry bag? It is a simple thing. Can’t you do it?” And husband may say, “What about you?” (laughter)
But Jesus accepted Levi just as he is as his disciple. So Levi was so happy. “Okay. I am done with my career and everything” and he followed Jesus. He was happy. After he accepted Jesus’ invitation, something happened in his heart.
Let’s read verse 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.”
He held a banquet and it was not a mere banquet, but it was a great banquet. I don’t know how great it was. It must be a great banquet, a lot of people and a lot of delicious food. Who doesn’t like great banquet if he is invited for free? At his house for Jesus.
Now this verse shows Levi had a great banquet because of two reasons. The first reason is for Jesus. “In the honor of Jesus”. The second reason is his compassion for his friends, tax collectors. He wanted to honor Jesus just as he was. He was so thankful that Jesus accepted him just as he was and made him his disciple. He was thankful.
And he also had a great compassion for his fellow tax collectors. He wanted them to have the same fellowship with Jesus. He wanted them to be called by Jesus and have the same change which happened in his heart. So he invited a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were eating and drinking happily and joyfully.
Terry’s banquet in every Sunday evening at his house is a small version of Levi’s banquet at his house. I am sure Terry is thankful for Jesus who called him just as he was. Isn’t it, Terry? He said, “Of course!” So his opening of his weekly banquet was because he was so thankful to Jesus who called him and accepted him just as he was and just as he is and just as he will be. And he wanted to share this grace of Jesus to other people. So he opened his weekly banquet at his house for Jesus and for others. If you are hungry around Sunday dinner time go to his house. I am not Terry but I am inviting you. If you are hungry and if you don’t have anything to do go to his house. You will be fed with the love and grace of Jesus. Where did he get all this money? I don’t know. Ask him.
We studied the first and second Samuel. Right? Among all the studies Lani was moved by one passage the most. Lani, where are you? Lani, you need to be quiet. Lani was mostly moved by one passage. Guess what? Can anyone know except Lani? (Missionary Deborah Chang said,) “God’s kindness”. That’s right. Do you know what it means “God’s kindness”? It is the story of Mephibosheth.
King David invited Mephibosheth saying, “Is there anyone that I can show God’s kindness?” Mephibosheth was a crippled man, a son of Jonathon. But he was invited to the king’s table not because he deserved but because of God’s kindness. And Lani was moved so much saying, “I am like Mephibosheth.” And around the time Greg Newmaster also sang a special song in our conference, ‘Carried to the table’. I was really moved. I cannot forget it. “Carried to the table”. We do not deserve, I do not serve but we were carried to the table by the grace of God. We were invited to the king’s table and eat and drink with him; eat and drink the love and grace of God.
And I feel like I am like Mephibosheth too. I do not deserve, but I was invited to the king’s table. I was invited to be his disciple and I was invited to eat and drink with Jesus in his king’s table. We were carried to the table, king’s table, even though we were like Mephibosheth.
Second, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (v.30-32)
Let’s read verse 30 together.
“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?”
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law had a different problem. Their problem was self-righteousness problem. They did not do what the tax collectors did. But then they became righteous. Let’s read Luke 18:9-14 responsively. I will go first.
“9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
It is good not to sin like tax collectors. But the problem of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law was self-righteousness. They became very self-righteous. “Self-righteousness” in a simple term is ‘we think we are right.’ Don’t you think you are right? I do. We all think we are right. If we go to courts there are tons of cases where two parties come together to prove that they are right and other party is wrong. Simply speaking ‘self-righteousness’ means ‘we think we are right.’ Understandable. But when we think about things before God, everything changes as Jesus said in verse 14, ““I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.” “Before God” is the issue. “Before men” we are all right. But ‘before God’ no one right. No one is perfect as in words and deeds. No one is perfect. So no one can be righteous before God. Everyone can be righteous before men. But no one can be righteous before God.
The problem of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law is self-righteousness. Because of their self-righteousness they did not want to accept tax collectors just as they were. Acceptance problem came out.
This is Jesus’ answer. Let’s read verses 31-32 together. Let’s go. ““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 helped them with plain truth. It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. When we are not sick, we do not go to a doctor. In order to go to doctor we need to call and make an appointment. When you go to a doctor you still have to pay a copayment and you may need to have a needle poking or whatever. Who likes the idea of needle poking in your body or taking medicine? So we don’t go to a doctor when we are not sick. In my case even though I am sick I don’t see a doctor unless I am sick enough. It is because the cost of seeing a doctor is more than my pan that comes from sickness. So it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick.
We honor a doctor when we are sick. We seek a doctor when we are sick. When we are healthy we don’t seek a doctor. If we think we are spiritually healthy we don’t seek Jesus. “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Jesus calls sinners but it is not to help them to remain in their sin in the name of grace of God but to help them to repentance. Calling is the beginning of Jesus’ healing but Jesus helped Levi and all of his disciples to repent. Jesus’ healing comes through calling and repentance. “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” There should be repentance through Jesus’ help.
And our problem appears. As we live we see new problems appear. For example, in my case, until I married I did not know I have anger problem and serious nerve problem. Seriously I didn’t know at all. I studied hard. But then after marriage this problem appeared and Jesus took probably 10 or 20 years to heal me. And then I realized and recognized “Wow! I have had a serious problem.” Now these days probably in 3 or 4 weeks ago I realized my problem. It appeared after I became pastor of this church. It was there but it was not serious enough. But now it appears as a very serious problem because of many responsibility. It is ‘dark and negative thinking’.
It made me so anxious that I reached the point where I felt that I went to almost depression. I tried to figure out where it is coming from. And I realized that it is coming from inside of me. For example, even if you hear the bad news you can find something good in interpreting bad news. But I interpreted it as worse news. You read a newspaper. There is full of bad news. These are all symptoms that show that we are sick. We are sinners. What is worse, some of us interpret bad news even into worse news making the situation even worse.
For example, I am a Amazon.com customer, even a prime member. One of good things that I like from it is they have customer rating. Five stars best and one star worst. The tricky part is 3 stars. 3 stars is exactly in the middle. On the top of 3 stars there is 5 stars and 4 stars. Bellow 3 stars there are 2 stars and 1 star. So you need to make a decision classify these 3 stars to good side or bad side. Guess what? Which side did I classify the 3 stars in the past? (Audience say ‘3’) That’s right. You listened to my message very well so far. (laughter). I classified 3 stars as bad. Why? To have more security. To make sure that what I choose will be a really good one.
But I made a decision within a week that I decided to classify 3 stars as ‘good’. Why? Why did I do so? This was my situation. ‘Dark and negative thinking’ gave me so much pain that I reached the point where I needed to give up everything. So, I need to find a way to survive and breathe. So, “Okay, I decide to see everything positively, starting from Amazon.com customer rating” (laughter) It happened within a week.
Then I found that many good restaurants and good products. (laughter) Interesting! So, in the unbearable situation I was changed. You know, we sinners, do not change when we are able to manage. We are changed when we reached the point where we cannot manage at all and when we reached the point where we cannot do anything and when we are ready to give up everything because of pain. Then God changes us because we are ready to be changed. So God changed me to a certain degree. And I hope that he will change me, and the bible says ‘He will’. Apostle Paul says that ‘the one who started his good work in you will carry it onto completion.’
So until the day we see Jesus, until the day when we appear before him as spotless and blameless like shining star, Jesus will carry on his healing on me. It was so painful for me to be surrounded by bad news. Bad news are symptoms we are sick and we are sinners. We see others’ weaknesses more easily. We focus others’ shortcoming more easily. I do too. Then we suffer more. We are suffering and we make ourselves suffer more. In my case because of ‘dark and negative thinking.’ It is in me.
There is always good side, something positive even in the worst situation of things and worst kinds of people. There should be. Why can’t I see good things? I need to think about positive sides and I can have hope and I can happier. My reason to have negative thinking was to be more secure. But I realized that it does not make me more secure. It makes me suffer more. And it took a long time to realize this.
So the good news is ‘God sent Jesus’ and he called us to repentance. Through calling and repentance Jesus heals us. Isn’t is a good news? Yes, it is a good news.
One word: It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick.
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Jesus helped the Pharisees and the teachers of the law by revealing simple truth. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick.” If we think we are healthy we work instead of going to a doctor. We seek doctors when we are sick or try to prevent from being sick. Those who do not know they are sick cannot receive of blessing of healing from Jesus or calling.
Jesus’ healing comes from not only calling but also repentance. Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus calls sinners to repentance. Jesus did not call sinners to dwell in their sins in the name of God’s grace. Ultimately Jesus calls sinners to repentance.
In the case of Levi, his healing started when Jesus called him. But ultimately Levi repented through Jesus’ calling and he was healed.
God has healed my sensitive nerve in the course of following Jesus although I was not aware of Jesus’ healing. Now my other problem is exposed and it is like more serious sickness. It is my dark and negative thinking.
There is a reason why I became a patient of dark and negative thinking. I ended up being like that because I sought more security by trying to make sure everything is going all right. But I would not easily persuaded by anything unless they are really good. It shows how I read customer rating in Amazon.com. Amazon.com have customer rating. They rate products from 5 starts which is best to one start which is the worst. The tricky part is 3 stars. 3 stars can be classified as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ because it is exactly in the middle of 5 and 1 star. In the past I regarded 3 stars as poor evaluation because of my conservative idea. But I changed it this week classifying it as ‘positive.’ I changed it because I reached the point where I cannot bear the pain that comes from dark and negative thinking. The benefit of being more secure by classifying 3 stats as negative becomes almost nothing because I reached the point where I cannot bear the pain that comes from dark and negative thinking and anxiety.
I realized I am sick. But I do not know how to overcome it. Thank God at least Jesus called me and I am in the way of following him. Now I reached the point where I need to repent of my dark and negative thinking. But it is impossible. Jesus healed me a little bit during 3 weeks, but it is long way to go.
My repentance is probably around the ‘faith’ issue. So I longed to hear good news which Jesus mentioned. “Good news of the kingdom of God” because I am suffering from hearing all kinds of bad news in the news papers. All of these bad news are the symptoms that we are sick. All of bad news I hear is also a symptom that I am sick. If I am not sick I can even find some good things from bad news too. But I find even worse things from bad news. I make bad news worse. I find that we all have this problems although degree may be different. That is why the world is full of bad news. I have tendency to focus on negative things rather than positive things.
Why did Jesus say that he was sent by God to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God? It was because we are mainly suffering from all kinds of bad news which is symptoms of our sickness. We are sick and we are sinners. Sinners are sick people and they do not know how to heal them. Just to realize they are sick itself requires God’s divine revelation.
Yesterday I was moved by sh Andrew’s testimony when he realized that he needed to trust God even if God brings a bad wife according to his eyes. Indeed that was the beautiful testimony, trusting God and his sovereignty over our lives and trusting his goodness over our lives. I am glad that God helped him to have such faith in trusting God.
Bad news shows our evilness and weakness and sinfulness. But we cannot heal ourselves. Even to know we are sick is not easy.
About a month ago one man amazed me. He is such a wonderful messenger of Sunday messages. Then he told me, “I found a better way to write message and even faster.” When I heard it I was fascinated by the idea. There is such a way that you can write Sunday messages faster and it becomes even better? Who does not want it? Is there really such a way?” So I asked him with curiosity. “What is it?” He told me ‘it is old way.’ After a little pause he said ‘it is to hear one word of God personally and write the message.” I was amazed by his finding because I myself also lost such a good old way. I delivered many messages and when I think about ‘what I learned ‘or ‘what I repented’ I could not think about it.” So I decided to follow his good example and my dark and negative thinking is exposed along the line.
So what could be my repentance? It could be trusting God for his sovereign will upon my life, taking everything as the expression of God’s goodness and sovereign upon my life which Andrew learned in the course of his marriage. I really bless him from the bottom of my heart because God taught him such precious truth.
I became so anxious when I tried to serve God with my own strength after I became a new director and I fell down humbly. Simply it is not working. So even for my own survival I need to repent my unbelief and trust God that God will work out. In that way I will get out the dark and negative thinking.
Most of all I should think about the good news, God’s final victory against evil and all of our weaknesses and the power of sin and death.
So in conclusion, Jesus called us by his grace. We were carried to the king’s table by grace alone. And the grace of God’s calling also has a blessing to be healed of our sickness. Jesus heals us by calling and repentance.
One word: I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
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