He Came for Sinners (Mark 2:13-17)

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Mark 2:13–17 (ESV)

¹³ He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. ¹⁴ And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

¹⁵ And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

 

1. Call of Levi
   1. Tax Colllector
      1. Romans sold collection of tariffs to highest bidder
      2. Despised profession.

• Unclean (worse than leper)

1. Disowned by family
2. Compared to murderer
3. Both Shimei and Hillel permitted lyiung to tax collectors

1. Matthew – on of the Twelve
2. Levi left his tax booth to follow him.
   1. Reasonable Service (Romans 12)
   2. Invites his only friends
3. Jesus has come for sinners
   1. Pharisees and Scribes why he eats with tax collectors and sinners
      1. Sinner is anyone who doesn’t study the Law
      2. But these are likely what we consider unrihteous

• Pharisees thought they were righteous

1. Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners
   1. Who is righteous?!
   2. Who could Jesus be amoung except sinners?!

• The error that some are righteous

1. Christ is the only Mediator
2. Christ alone brings life and reorients our thinking.