Session #6

Matthew 19:16-22

"Real Revealing Real" • 10.27.09 • Jesus Christ: The Man Of God, Session #6

Intro

- When Jesus came onto the scene, there were many other models for success and abundance. Jesus was a man that bucked all the traditional paradigms, and became the new envy.

- There was genuine power and authority in His words. When He spoke, something different happened to people. Of course, as we have seen, there was enormous power in His actions.

- None had ever seen the types of things that Jesus was doing.

- But then, there were those around Him who were exposed. The religious leaders, most of whom had risen from the vaccuum of the inter-testamental period, were at a loss to explain Him.

- When Jesus came on the scene, they were exposed by the reality of life that Jesus carried in Himself. The Pharisees and Sadducees would never have the same type of influence again.

- They were not all who were exposed. Other men came to Jesus, men who should not ever have to come to another men, but especially a man from Nazareth.

- These were powerful men. Men not used to genuflecting to another. Self-made men, who when exposed to Jesus, realized in short manner, the lack in their own life.

- In the natural order of our society, there are men who have everything, but in reality have nothing. They are on top of the world, but they are empty. They have little to show for their conquest.

- These men came to Jesus to seek what they could not have gained without His help, and yes, they did not even know that they lacked it until He came!

- Jesus has a way of deconstructing us all. For those who would fall upon Him to be broken in humility, there are rewards that never end. This brings us to our subject today.

- Jesus is walking along, when He is unexpectedly joined by a man, rushing in to have an audience with Him. He is the Rich Young Ruler. He'll teach us three lessons about abundance.

- If he were with us today, I feel that he would communicate what he learned that day in these three sentences:

I. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Are!" (v.16,17)

II. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Do!" (v.18-20)

III. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Have!" (v.21,22)

Text

I. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Are!" (v.16,17)

• Matthew 19:16,17 : "Now behold, one came and said to Him, 'GoodTeacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?' So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good?No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.'" : All three of the synoptic gospels cover this same story, so I'll allude to them as we cover each section.

- Mark 10:17 tells us that this man came running to him! There is urgency in this man, a man that is not likely used to doing things himself, but an opportunity has presented itself.

- He is a respectful man, noting immediately who Jesus was. He was "Good Teacher."

- We see the word "good" and think of it as a verb that means "less than great." However, nobody would have used the word "good" to describe a rabbi of that day.

- It implied sinlessness. Those who heard it understood that this is what that meant.

- His question is telling. "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life." This man is used to accomplishment. He is used to getting whatever he wanted.

- All three stories tell us that he had great possessions. Verse 22 tells us that he was young and Luke 18:18 tells us that he was a ruler.

- Think of the top 10 desires of any person on Earth. If we were to take a survey of any number of people, all the lists would include at least one thing that is represented in this man.

- Most would contain at least 2, if not all three things: Wealth, Youth and Authority.

- Yet for all that he was positionally, he could not find the formula necessary to obtain eternal life. All of what he had accomplished, the mountaintop of his experiences had left him empty.

- There is no position, no accomplishment, no thing on earth that will bring eternal life to us! It is outside of the realm of this existence.

- Testimony after testimony bears this out. You hear of men reaching for something that was never meant for them find in what we are. It must come from an external source.

- Turn with me to Ecclesiastes 3. Solomon was a man that was well acquainted with the vanity of life. Solomon is quoting that song from the 60's, commenting on the existence of men.

• Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 : "What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."

- It's a reality that God has planted in our hearts, but we can never grasp it. In desperation, the Rich Young Ruler comes to find out from a peasant, what the secret was.

- Jesus just asks him, "Why do you call me good?" There is such a truth here that is inescapable. Why does He look to Jesus? Why does He come here and not another place?

- This was not a rebuke, but a leading question. "There is a reason that you call me good. Why do you perceive that?" It’s because Jesus is God in the flesh and this man was right there.

- Because He recognized Christ's deity. He was unable to articulate it, but he sensed it and Jesus is trying to draw him in.

II. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Do!" (v.18-20)

• Matthew 19:18-20 : "He said to Him, 'Which ones?' Jesus said, 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 'The young man said to Him, 'All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?'" : Jesus' answer from verse 17 to keep the commandments drew a perplexing response. "Which ones."

- This is typical religious thinking. Can I boil it down? Can I find that one activity that approves me to the Lord? Can I find my purpose?

- "Which ones?" as if the commandments can be separated from each other. They are a chain, with separate links, but nonetheless, bound together. If you break one you break all!

- Jesus clarifies by listing what we know as the second table of the law. Each of the commandments that deal with the issue of "loving our neighbor" is covered.

- Jesus leaves out the first table, which are the first of the commandments relating to our relationship to God.

- To the question, the man feels certain that he has kept these from his youth. He had been charitable. He had been kind. He had been honest.

- He is confident that he has done these things. As he understood the commandments, he had been faultless and Jesus doesn’t argue with him.

- He had been taught by the religious leaders of that day that eternal life was to be had by following the law, but that did not bring him what he was looking for.

- Religion never brings peace. It brings a constant question and a consistent shadow of doubt.

- Of course, he had not really kept them. Comparable to every one else, I am sure that he was just as noble.

- I love that he mentions that he had done this from his youth, from his childhood. A very young age. He had been a church kid, taught to think in church ways.

- He had done the exciting things: The camps, the cookouts, the mission trips. All fun and exciting, but they ended and when they did, so did his zeal.

- This may not be the Rich Young Ruler's testimony, but it is mine! I learned long ago that I could not measure my Christianity or anyone else's by their enthusiasm.

- What is of further interest to me here is the move in many Christian circles toward social mission. Cure, feed, care for their need and then give them Jesus.

- It seems as though Christians have come back to believing that their experiences will bring them to a place of fulfillment. If they can cultivate their passion, then they'll have the illusive "it!"

- Don't get me wrong. It is fulfilling to care for the poor. It is God's mission for us to look at others and seek to meet their needs, but only as we do so in harmony with the first table of the law.

- Have we no other god beside God? Are we conscious of His place in our life?

- I don't believe that it's an accident that Jesus leaves that out. There is no amount of spiritual exercise and activity that will replace that void that only God Himself fills!

- I imagine that the Rich Young Ruler had done it all. Charity. Ministry. Outreach. All good, but not the Good, especially when done outside of relationship to God!

- The first table is the priority if the second table is to be the practice! The Rich Young Ruler had not found his purpose because he did not know who was writing it!

III. "Abundance Does Not Come From What We Have!" (v.21,22)

• Matthew 19:21,22 : "Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.' But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." : The Rich Young Ruler is right where Jesus wants him. He is still clueless, but at the highest place of curiosity.

- He is living in the ideal that he will have what he needs most.

- Mark 10:21 says, "Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him." Jesus was not harsh or angry.

- He was not condescending to this man of the world. He loved him. If you get nothing else, remember these words. Rightly represent God's character to the people in your life.

- Be convinced that He loves them and you will love them yourself. When that happens, they'll see you as an extension of God's love to them.

- "If you want to be perfect." That was the issue. The word "perfect" is the word "complete," or "finished."

- Jesus puts this in a volitional condition. If you want to be...Do you really want this? Is what you want worthy of an action?

- One can almost see the Rich Young Ruler, licking his lips, waiting on every word. The next words felll like a bomb: Sell what you have and give to the poor!

- Even as the words were exiting, the Rich Young Ruler's smile was vanishing.

- Many have interpreted this to mean that if one wants to be complete that they need to live in poverty. That's not what is happening here.

- What Jesus has done is to put His finger on precisely what has kept this particular man from having eternal life. For this particular man, the issue was possessions.

- Sell all and give the proceeds to the poor. Notice what Jesus says: You will have treasure in heaven! What is Jesus saying here? Is He saying that you can’t be rich and get into heaven?

- That is not what is happening here. Jesus will never be a debtor to you. Salvation can only, will only come, by the grace of the Lord, through the vehicle of man’s faith in Christ.

- Is Jesus saying that this man will be saved by his work of liquidating his assets and then giving them charitably to the poor? Can that possibly be what is happening?

- That would be utterly inconsistent with the rest of the New Testament and would make Christ’s own work on the cross unneccesary!

- The issue is not salvation. It’s clearly establishing where his loyalties will lie. It’s about shedding the anchor of his soul and investing forward.

- Possessions are what he served. That is ultimately what he loved and lived for the the most.

̊ “How is this man to follow Him? What stands in the way? All the things that have ministered perpetually to his own selfish life. Now, says Christ, put them all away. Do not dream for one single moment that if you are really bent on finding your life, and if you are coming after your King, that you can do so by manipulating the things that have ministered to the self life. By drastic, daring, courageous heroism, make an end of them.”

G.Cambell Morgan

- Jesus is allowing him to follow his own course. The logic is, "You have done so much and are willing to do more? Then do the most! Take it all the way."

- From the very beginning, religion has attempted to offer God the least possible, the least painful thing. Religion says, I’ll give you a day a week. Jesus says, I want every waking breath!

- Religion says I’ll give up this practice. Jesus says, take up my cross!

- Eternal life is at stake. Jesus promises treasure in heaven. Ultimately, we can say that this man wanted less that Jesus was truly offering!

- What Jesus offers is Himself, which brings us right back to His first question: Why do you call me good? It's because you are recognizing who I am. I am God. Come follow me!

- The man heard that and was sorrowful. He was distressed. The Greek word here is much more powerful. He was distraught.

- Think about this. The things that he viewed as freedoms were now his greatest chains. They had always been. He had always been their slave! He just did not know it until this minute.

- His riches, at the beginning of this conversation, represented privilege and resource. At the end, they represented an uncrossable boundary between he and God!

- He could not pay the cost, an irony that hangs thick in the air. The man that could buy anything, could not buy the one thing that would bring him peace.

- When the Rich Young Ruler saw what Jesus pointed to, it was too much for him to give up. It was too costly in his eyes, to lose the temporal in order that he might gain the eternal.

- Let me ask you: What would Jesus point to in your life? Is it a career choice? Is it a relationship? Is it a matter of possessions?

- Jesus says to us, If you would be welcome in heaven, you must not have anything that would anchor you to this earth! There must not be another allegiance or competing love interest.

- He went away sorrowful. He went this way. Jesus did not try to stop him. That is what's really phenomenol to me. Jesus let him make that choice!

- Wait a minute Jesus! You have a guy who has resource, who is influential, who has the potential to underwrite all of your ministry needs. Now you can buy bread and not have to make it out of thin air!

- You might still need to get on a cross, but this man can make it a comfortable road until you get there! Jesus respected the man's decision, as God will never force man to love Him.

Conclusion

- The lesson for us is that if we are to walk with Christ and go to heaven, we must not have anything that ties us to the earth!

- Our positions, passions and possessions are what we seek to define ourselves by. In the end, divorced from Jesus, they are the chains that bind us!

- What are you unwilling to lay at Jesus' feet today? The right answer is anything!

Thursday Night Bible Study

Genesis 3:1-7
"Temptation Island" • 10.22.09 • Thursday Night Bible Study
Intro

- We have come to one of the most pivotal chapters of the Bible. Sadly, it comes after one of the more beautiful chapters of the Bible.
- Man and wife have been on their honeymoon in the Garden of delight. There is perfect harmony between themselves and God.
- We are not told how long this lasted. What we do know is that it did not last long enough.
- Tonight, I want us to focus on the first 7 verses, which deal with the subject of temptation.
- It's a subject that we cannot escape, and one that we do well not to ignore.
- Throughout time, people have sought to find helpful ways to deal with temptation.
- Former boxing great Muhammed Ali carried around a box of matches, lit one at the sight of a pretty girl and held his fingers over the flame. Then he put it out with his fingers and said to himself:
˚ "'Hell is a lot hotter than this.'"
- Other men have chosen less painful, but more extreme diversions to avoid temptation. I remember hearing of a monk that locked himself in a box, only to discover that though he was removed from external pressures, temptation from within plagued him just as much!
- Temptation is a reality. Tonight, as we stand facing a section of scripture about it, I feel that I must warn you not to think of yourself in too high a light.
- Turn with me to I Corinthians 10. Paul warns the Corinthians not to judge the Old Testament failures, contextually those of the wilderness, too harshly.
• I Corinthians 10:11,12 : "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
- In the same way, we are to look at this story before us tonight, as an example and for a warning. It will not matter what age or how experienced you are.
- After we have looked at this in a verse by verse treatment, we'll summarize the lessons that we need to take away for ourselves.

Text

• Genesis 3:1 : "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" : The serpent was more subtle. The word points to craftiness. It's used 3 times in the OT and it means to entice one to wrongdoing.
- This "serpent" was Satan. Ezekiel 28:13 affirms this to be the case. Additionally, Revelation 12:9 and 20:2 call him "that serpent of old."
- "Why was he allowed in the Garden?" It seems that before this moment, that there was no harm. He had not done or said anything to warrant expulsion.
- Perhaps he made it past Adam's supposed watchful eye. Remember that Adam was, according to Genesis 2:15, commissioned by God to tend and keep, protect, the Garden.
- The serpent's presence in the Garden disturbs me. Somehow, Adam's guard was let down. Maybe he did not perceive a threat or thought that he was strong enough to deal with it.
- Whatever happened here, we need to take the admonition that we should not ever let our guards down for any reason. Satan has not changed.
- Turn with me to Job 1. Job's author gives us a quick look into the heavenly places.
• Job 1:6,7 : "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where do you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.'"
- Satan is walking around. God says have you considered Job. In other words, Satan is looking for tagets!
- Turn with me to I Peter 5. Peter is talking about how to function in this world as a Christian.
• I Peter 5:8, : "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
- What is entrusted to us is worthy of our most focused attention.
- Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Adam and Eve were unaware. We do not have that same excuse. But even so, Peter tells us that we can resist him. We can refuse to listen to his lies.
- The woman did not.
- "Has God indeed said." He speaks with an incredulous tone. Is it possible that he said that you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Doesn't He want you to eat? How will you sustain yourself?
- You'll note first that the serpent creates confusion about the nature of God. Could He have said this? That doesn't seem right? Does God's Word really say that? Could it really mean that?
- Before you know it, you are not as clear as you had been.
• Genesis 3:2,3 : "And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" : Woman's answer is less than stellar. She explains that there are no prohibitions regarding the other trees, just the one in the midst of the garden.
- Let me suggest that her recounting of it being just another tree shows her hand. This was no ordinary tree! It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil!
- At least one commentator suggested that Adam did a poor job of communicating what God had commanded him.
- Knowing us men, it's possible that Adam pointed to the tree and said, "Don't touch it or we'll die." The point being that he only spoke of the prohibition and did not speak of the spirit behind it.
- Let's allow that to be a possibility. But her unwillingness to adopt it's proper name speaks to me of some form of disbelief or disdain.
- Regardless of the man's communicative abilities, and he is not without fault, Eve still has the responsibility to discover the nuances of God's prohibition.
- It is so important to know what God's Word says? When the enemy attacks, it is centered against the Word of God, what He has instructed us to do or not do.
- Turn with me to Matthew 4. Jesus is being tempted by the same person, in the wilderness, after having fasted for 40 days and nights. The devil contests Jesus on a point of scripture.
• Matthew 4:5-7 : "Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' Jesus said to him, 'It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"
- Effectively, Jesus answers, that while that verse says that, it cannot mean that because God says this over here! Our best hope of surviving temptation is to know the Word of God.
• Genesis 3:4,5 : "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." : Having created confusion, the serpent, Satan, now clearly contradicts what God has said.
- "You will not surely die." And here is a great big, direct lie. God says this will happen when that happens? That won't happen!
- One of the enemy's greatest tactics is to convince us that the consequences won't affect us.
- "You won't lose your relationship?" "You won't get that disease." "You won't get hurt."
- How many have walked into clearly prohibited territory because of this rationale?
- Then, having created confusion, contradiction, the enemy casts doubt on God's motives.
- You won't die! God just doesn't want you to have something. He knows something that you don't know and if you know it, you'll be like them!
- The lies of the enemy play on our greatest fears, mainly that we will miss out on something really good or fun or worthwhile!
- He plays on our mistrust, our disbelief, on those areas that we are just not convinced are true! It's there that he traps us!
- Notice that up to this point, nothing has happened. There is no victory for the serpent, no defeat of the man. Simply, there is temptation.
- There is no sin in being tempted. This is very key to understand. We will all be tempted in one form or another. Jesus was tempted in all points, even as we are, yet without sin!
- The temptation alone is not where the battle is won or lost. It's the next part.
• Genesis 3:6 : "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate." : Notice the progression. It was good for food, pleasant to the eyes and could make her wise.
- This is the same material recipe for sin that Satan has used ever since! The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
- These are the temptations that Satan uses over and over again, in a three-fold nutshell.
- She put the equation together alone. It's good for food. It's functional. It's pleasant to the eyes. Literally, her eyes have been longing for it.
- But then, the deception comes to it's apex: It's a tree desirable to make one wise! Satan has fed her a little truth. God had said that it was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
- There is implication by the name that there is knowledge to be gained. However, she was never supposed to gain what she gained through it.
- In other words, God would have eventually given her whatever knowledge that she lacked, had she asked. The tree was a short cut. An end run! It was the quick path to a goal.
- Then we see two sets of tragic words. First, she took of it's fruit and ate. The forbidden fruit. This was the tree that measured their allegiance and fidelity to God. That relationship is now wounded, offended.
- Then the second set: She gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
- Turn with me to I Timothy 2. Paul is addressing the role of women and men in the church and he comments on what transpired here.
• I Timothy 2:13,14 : "For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression."
- Eve was deceived. She legitimately believed that she was helping herself. Adam however, took a bite in open rebellion.
- Some have suggested, likely women who love romantic stories, that Adam loved Eve so much that he ate so that she would not bear the sentence alone.
- Rebellion for noble or romantic reasons is still rebellion! Did Adam resent the prohibition? Did he resent that God had made a distinction by keeping something from him?
- We don't know. We can say definitively that his was a direct act of disobedience.
- Sin rarely only affects one person. Usually, it affects people all around us, known and unknown. In this case, the sin of the man has effected each and every person that has ever walked on the planet.
- Turn with me to Romans 5. Paul makes this amazing statement.
• Romans 5:12,18,19 : "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned--18Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."
- There is an underlying issue of man's abdication of his role. The Garden neglected, the tree unprotected and his wife, opened to deception!
- How many men have woken up and realized that their home has been overrun by the enemy because of their spiritual neglect!?
- What an admonition men: Guard your home. Guard your wife's heart! Be a man of prayer and the Word.
- Turn with me to Ephesians 5. This is how we do this.
• Ephesians 5:25-29 : "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church."
- Men, do not neglect your role!
• Genesis 3:7 : "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings." : Notice that what the serpent said would happen, did in fact happen. Their eyes were opened. There understanding was opened. Their eyes were opened, but the reality was different.
- They knew that they were naked. So similar to Genesis 2:25.
• Genesis 2:25 : "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
- Here, after they have disobeyed God, there is nothing but shame! Their shame caused them to frantically construct some makeshift clothes from fig leaves.
- One can only imagine what that fashion might have looked like! Eco-friendly people would love us to copy that!
- Interesting that they made themselves coverings. Their inward shame projected outwardly. One can only imagine what they thought that they were doing. Would God not notice?
- Did they think that they could hide it from the Lord? Would He have not noticed, "Hey, nice fig leaves. Why are you wearing those?"
- But this has been the truth of human existence ever since. We disobey God, we sin, and our first natural inclination is to hide and cover it ourselves. This was never God's intention.

Conclusion

- As we come to the end of this passage, let's remember a few things. First, temptation is a reality. We must be on our guards against an enemy that is relentless.
- Satan never takes a vacation, and he is never satisfied with the evil that he has imposed upon your life!
- Second, we must remember that while our enemy is powerful, we can resist him! We never have to take that fruit and he cannot force it down our throats!
- Finally, if we have failed, run first to the Lord, confess your sins and receive His forgiveness.

Session #5

Mark 2:13-17
"Jesus And Sinners." • 10.20.09 • Jesus Christ: The Man Of God, Session #5
Intro

- Today, we are finishing our study of Jesus' relationship to His discples. We're looking today at the call of Levi, which is both a perfect finish and a perfect segue into our next section.
- For the next few weeks, we'll be looking at Jesus' relationship to "sinners" and "Gentiles. There are some great stories that we will take some time to reflect upon.
- Today we will reflect on Matthew and his introduction into the fold. Matthew, like Peter, is better known by a name that was not given, but inherited.
- There isn't any clear indication as to how Levi came to take the name Matthew. Some say that Matthew, meaning, "Gift of God" was given to him by Jesus. Mark and Luke call him "Levi," the theory being that this name was less of a stumbling block to their audience than Matthew.
- The significance is that his name was well known, and it seems that the reputation that went along with it was not a very good one. Today, we'll learn

I. A Little About Levi (v.13,14)

II. A Little About Levi's Company (v.15)

III. A Little About Leaven (v.16,17)

Text

I. A Little About Levi (v.13,14)

• Mark 2:13,14 : "Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him." : Jesus has just finished healing the paralytic and has gone out again to the sea of Galilee to teach.
- On his way, He saw Levi. This word is more than just seeing. It's a construction of two Greek words that refer to perception. Jesus had a sense about Levi, the tax collector.
- In those days, on the shore of the sea of Galilee, there were several tax booths set up to manage taxes on all imports, including recently caught fish.
- They were not cheap to operate, as the tax collector, like most contractors today, had to bid for the job. Today, the lowest bid usually wins the job.
- In the case of the tax collector in Jesus' day, the one who bid highest won the contract. And as a tax collector, he would make his investment back over and over again!
- The Romans got a certain guaranteed percentage, the tax collector made what was over and above that and it seems that they determined just how much to cheat the people out of!
- This was the most sure way, with the powerful endorsement of the Roman government, to get rich quickly.
- But before he was Matthew the tax collector, he was Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Of course, we immediately recognize the significance of the name Levi. He's Jewish. A Levite.
- That means that he was supposed to have been a priest! He was supposed to be set apart for temple work! He should have been one of the guys walking around leading people to God!
- Instead, this man is really hated because not only is he a traitor to his people, but he is also a backslidden priest and is therefore, a traitor to God in their minds!
- Levi decided to reject the priesthood. Maybe it was just money. It's likely that his Father was a priest, so there was intimate knowledge both of the priesthood and the scriptures.
- In fact, throughout the book of Matthew, there is an authoritative number of Old Testament scriptures that is quoted.
- This man was well trained. But in his case, it might be that he knew too much, not about the Bible, but about the men who were themselves profiting from the Bible.
- He got an inside look into the religious establishment. What he saw was likely very unflattering. It leads us to the most scathing view in the gospels of the scribes and Pharisees.
- The book of Matthew records one word that he uses more than any other Bible author: hypocrites! He uses the word "hypocrites" 15 times ("hypocrisy" 1 time.)
- When Jesus talks to the scribes and Pharisees, this word screams loudly to Levi. Turn over to Matthew 23. Jesus goes on a streak and uses the word 8 times in this chapter alone!
• Matthew 23:13-15 : "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."
- There is a lesson here isn't there? Our children will see more than we want them to see. Let us be careful that our Sundays and Mondays match up!
- This makes what happens all the more incredible. Jesus sees this man, perceives that he has chosen a career likely out of disillusionment, and now calls him to follow Him.
- Levi has a keen eye. He has seen hypocrisy. He's an expert! However, at His Word, Matthew gets up and leaves to follow Jesus.
- Of all the disciples, Levi leaves the most. His job was the most lucrative. His departure was final. There was no return.
- I give us all this for a two reasons. First, Levi was brought into the company of men that he had personally robbed! Peter and the crew knew who Matthew was.
- Levi knew coming in that there would be an akward time of healing, but that Jesus could effect that between he and the others.
- Second, and more poignantly, Levi found someone that he could believe in. He found a man that embodied what he believed was an accurate representation of God.
- Of course, it helps that Jesus is God! I mention this though because there are men who love Jesus, but hate the church. They are waiting for a legitimate reason to believe as well!
- I recently read a note from a good friend of mine who I went to High School with. He is very pro-life and wears a "life" band on his arm. He was asked about it and religion came up.
˚ "Religion disgusts me. Religion is the reason I am embarrassed to say that I am a Christian. I am not what you think of when you hear "that" word. I am not what you see on TV. Religious people are the ones that killed Jesus and I believe they are still killing Him every day. I love God. I want to be close to God and I struggle all the time with it. ... I am sick of church. I think I could be happy never setting foot in a traditional church again. I am sick of the judgement, the formulas and of the cliches. I am sick of church functions and of church members trying to draw you in to their building so they can grow big and strong. I am sick of the greed. On the news I see 'the religious right" protesting with signs that say God Hates Fags or "Christians" being holier than thou and condemning every one to hell that doesn't believe exactly as they do. These people in no way represent me!"

Owen Klaas

- He and I went to the same Christian High School. He and Levi would've been great friends!

II. A Little About Levi's Company (v.15)

• Mark 2:15 : "Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him." : If the last statement about Jesus calling a tax collector was not enough, this statement regarding Jesus eating with him, would have killed!
- The language points to a great feast in an opulent environment. Luke in fact says that exactly. It was more than a meal, it was an all you can eat banquet!
- It was akin to our thanksgiving day, where you eat and then stay long enough to eat again!
- This was a good deal of time. People today think that 2 to 3 hours is a good visit. This could easily have been at least double that amount of time.
- I love that Jesus loves to eat and that Paul loves sports! These are men that I can identify with! Jesus was seen eating enough times that He was called a "glutton" by the religious. Yeah baby!
- But then, the shock continues. Jesus is not just eating with Levi and his disciples. He is not just eating with one tax collector. No, there were many tax collectors and sinners!
- An interesting note about tax collectors: they had severely limited contact with anyone!
˚ "When a Jew entered the customs service he was regarded as an outcast from society: he was disqualified as a judge or a witness in a court session, was excommunicated from the synagogue, and in the eyes of the community his disgrace extended to his family."

David Guzik

- Levi and his tax collector friends, even if they wanted to go to synagogue, could not enter. They were unable to come into a place of fellowship!
- So, who do you fellowship with when you are an outcast? Other outcasts! The sinners!
- I tried to ascertain what the precise definintion of this word was. This is what I got: "Devoted to sin," "pre-eminently sinful," "especially wicked," "men stained with definite vices or crimes" and my favorite: "Heathens."
- These were professional sinners. They were the cream of the crop. The finest in sin! And they are all eating with Jesus and His disciples!
- I imagine the disciples thinking to themselves, maybe even nervously laughing and commenting among themselves, "Is this ok!?"
- Having too much fun cannot be what walking with God is about! And there is a cause to pause here. Doesn't the Bible say that we are to be separate from sinners?
- Turn with me over to I Corinthians 5:9. Paul clarifies a point.
• I Corinthians 5:9-11 : "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person."
- There is a subtle difference between a person who is consistently fellowshipping, developing partnerships with the world and the one who is using their fellowship to develop relationship to Christ.
- The difference I find is in a person who makes much of what makes him distinct.
- That man often says, "I heard something in Church this weekend," or "I read that in the Bible." Jesus often comes up in casual conversation.
- Turn with me to Genesis 19. The Bible provides us with a good example of what I am talking about. Lot was a man that the Bible terms as righteous.
- Unfortunately, there was a time that he seems to have lost his way. When his voice was the most important, his life kept it from being heard.
• Genesis 19:12-14 : "Then the men said to Lot, 'Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city--take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.' So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, 'Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!' But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking."
- What Lot said to his sons-in-law was so out of character, so out of the blue, it seemed to them that he was joking. Most commentators believe that this points to a disparity of life and speech.
- These tax collectors and sinner followed Jesus. There was some level of genuine interest.
- It's because Jesus showed the real nature of God and made sure that they knew what holiness was all about!
- It was not about behavior or weird dress or rules and regulations. It was about being uniquely set apart for the Lord, regardless of the place, and being authentic in every instance.

III. A Little About Leaven (v.16,17)

• Mark 2:16,17 : "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, 'How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard it, He said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.'" : You have to love the scene here. The scribes and Pharisees are so observant of other's people's activities.
- I can almost see them with a Pirate spyglass, sitting in a duck blind, just hoping for some dirt!
- They saw Jesus and the company that He was keeping on that particular day.
- They are genuinely stupefied! How can he do this? They were so bound up and restricted that they simply could not explain how this could be!
- These people did not fit the mold. They had not come in contrition to their temple, so that they could perform the rites that made them acceptable.
- How could a Rabbi of such standing associate Himself with them? Before we pass judgement, let's think about what we would think if we had an equivalent scenario.
- Pastor seen in town having dinner with a flaming homosexual and two prostitutes! Many of you did very well to withhold your gasp! Some of you know you want to cry "foul" even now!
˚ "I am constrained to say that I believe at this very hour one of the secrets of arrest, and one of the reasons for the condition of things in the Christian Church that is troubling us in many ways, is the aloofness of the Christian Church from sinning men and women. We still build our sanctuaries, and set up our standards, and institute our arrangements, and say to the sinning ones: if you will come to us, we will help you!"

G. Campbell Morgan

- When Jesus heard their words. Luke tells us that the scribes and Pharisees complained against His disciples. They weren't quite man enough to go face to face with Jesus.
- Jesus replies to them with one of the more famous lines in the Bible. Those who are strong, whole, robust do not have a need for a physician. How many of us would in our strength voluntarily submit ourselves to the physician's hand!?
- The ones who are miserably ill need the physician. They appreciate his sklll. They welcome the temporary additional pain for the hope of more permanent relief. They'll gladly submit to his hand.
- Then He clarifies that He did not come to call, invite the righteous, but sinners to a change of mind. A change of mind about God and His character.
- Let me say something here. Jesus is not saying that the scribes and Pharisees were righteous. He is not affirming their righteousness.
- What He is saying is whoever views themselves properly, ie., in a horrible state before the Lord, will call upon the great physician to heal them! That is who Jesus is!
- The leaven of the scribes and Pharisees is the illusion of righteousness. It's the pill that they take that lightens their pain and blinds them to the true severity of their condition.
- Jesus is inviting them to see themselves as having need of Him! They are sick! They are the ones who need repentance!
- Turn with me to Revelation 3. The church of the Laodiceans were a lukewarm church. The crux of their disease came about as a result of a poor diagnosis.
• Revelation 3:17-19 : "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."

Conclusion

- Hypocrisy, self-righteousness and empty religion had turned Levi over to a godless life. When Jesus came into His life and he saw the real thing, he couldn't wait for his friends to see the same thing.
- I hope that the Jesus that people see in you this week will inspire in the same way.