COME AND DINE 2
Come and Dine: A Seat Next to Sinners
Text: Luke 5:27–32
Last week we began our series, Come and Dine, looking at the significance of the table in the ministry of Jesus. During this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, many of our memories and meaningful moments will happen around a table. Throughout Scripture, we find Jesus using those ordinary moments around food to accomplish extraordinary things.
Last week, we looked at Judas and the Last Supper. Judas had a seat at the table with Jesus, but he was not in the kingdom. We were reminded that being religious, having a Bible, or sitting in church is not the same as having a personal relationship with Christ.
Today, we turn our attention to another disciple, Levi, whom we know as Matthew. His story gives us a beautiful picture of the transforming power of Jesus.
Last week, we considered a seat next to Jesus. Today, I want us to consider a seat next to sinners.
1. The Summons (Luke 5:27–28)
Jesus finds Levi sitting at the receipt of custom. Levi was a publican, or tax collector. In those days, tax collectors were despised. Many were dishonest men who used their positions to take advantage of others, often collecting more than was actually owed and keeping the difference.
Levi was not the kind of man most religious people would have chosen to associate with, much less someone they would have chosen as a disciple.
Yet Jesus looked at him and said, "Follow me."
And the Bible tells us that Levi left everything, rose up, and followed Him.
Think about that for a moment. Levi left his money, his position, his lifestyle, and everything he had known to follow Jesus. Something about the person of Christ was so compelling that Levi was willing to walk away from it all.
Levi would not have been our choice, but he was Jesus' choice!
Aren't you glad that Jesus calls the unlikely? If Jesus only called the qualified, the educated, the wealthy, or the religiously polished, none of us would have a place in His service.
He calls the foolish, the unlearned, the lost, the sinful, and the broken. He calls people from all walks of life and gives them an opportunity to follow Him.
I'm thankful that Jesus is still calling people today. If you don't know Christ, He is calling you. He wants you to be a part of His family.
2. The Supper (Luke 5:29)
After Levi was called by Jesus, something remarkable happened. He made Jesus a great feast in his own house and invited a large company of publicans and others to sit down with them.
I believe Levi had experienced a genuine change of heart, and one of the first things that happened was that he developed a burden for the people around him who were lost.
That's what happens when Christ makes a difference in our lives. We begin to look at the people around us differently. We become concerned about their souls.
You get saved, and suddenly you have a burden for the man on the job, the lady in the office, the people on your ball team, and the friends who don't know Christ.
That's exactly what happened to Levi.
His first recorded act as a follower of Jesus was to bring his lost friends into a place where they could meet the Savior.
We see this same pattern throughout Scripture.
We sometimes think the gospel goes out simply because we have a church building, a sign out front, and scheduled services. Those things are important, but the gospel does its greatest work when it burns in the hearts of God's people.
We need a burden for the lost in our community, on our jobs, and in our families.
Levi understood something important. He had abilities, resources, and influence, and he used them to reach people for Christ.
Whatever God has given you, use it for His glory!
If you're athletic, use your athletic ability. If you're good with people, use that gift. If you're a good listener, use that ability. If you have a home where people feel welcome, open it up.
Use what God has placed in your hands to introduce people to Jesus.
Mark 2:15 records this same event and tells us that many publicans and others followed Jesus.
What a testimony! Levi didn't simply tell people about Jesus. He brought them into His presence, and many followed Him.
A changed life ought to produce a burden for other lives.
3. The Scribes (Luke 5:30)
Every good story seems to have its obstacles, and this story is no different.
Levi has been converted. He's following Jesus. He's hosting a feast so his friends can meet the Savior. But the religious leaders of the day have a problem.
The Bible says:
"The scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"
Think about how unusual this response was.
A tax collector had experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus. You would think the religious leaders would be celebrating! You would think they would be excited that a dishonest man had been changed.
But instead of rejoicing over what Jesus had done, they criticized Him for associating with the very people who needed Him.
The problem was no longer the tax collectors. The problem was that Jesus was eating with them.
The scribes and Pharisees could have been at that feast. They could have experienced the same grace that Levi had experienced. But instead, they stood on the outside criticizing what was happening inside.
They were close enough to see the table, close enough to know who was there, and close enough to observe Jesus. But they missed the opportunity to sit down with Him.
Here's an important truth:
Being near the table is not the same as being at the table.
You can be religious, self-righteous, educated in Scripture, and respected in your community and still desperately need the grace of God.
The Pharisees were so focused on the sins of others that they failed to recognize their own spiritual condition.
We must be careful that we don't become so concerned with who is sitting at the table that we forget our own need for grace.
4. The Sick (Luke 5:31–32)
Jesus responds to their criticism with a powerful statement:
"They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick."
Then He adds:
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus uses a simple illustration that everybody can understand. Healthy people don't typically go looking for a doctor. Sick people recognize their need for medical attention.
Spiritually speaking, Jesus was explaining why He had come. He came for those who recognized their need of Him.
The scribes and Pharisees were the ones who needed to hear this message most.
Levi knew he needed Jesus. The other publicans understood their sinful condition. But the religious leaders were so convinced of their own righteousness that they couldn't recognize their need for a Savior.
The greatest danger is pretending we're whole when we desperately need healing.
Jesus wasn't condemning people for being sick. He was exposing the danger of refusing to acknowledge it.
Think about it this way. A person struggling with an addiction will never seek help until they recognize they have a problem. You can organize an intervention, bring everybody into the living room, and explain the situation, but until that person recognizes their need, they won't take the necessary steps toward help.
The same is true spiritually.
Until we admit our need for Christ, we will never come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.
There used to be an old song in the Redback Hymnal that expressed the thought of being glad we had to get lost so we could be found.
The truth is, if you're lost, you need to recognize it before you can appreciate being found.
As long as we pretend we don't need to repent, we will never experience the grace and forgiveness that Christ offers.
And as long as we believe we deserve a seat at His table while others don't, we will miss the very grace we need.
Consider the words of Revelation 3:17:
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
Those words were spoken to a church that believed it had everything it needed. Yet it was spiritually bankrupt.
There are people today who walk around believing they have everything together. They have their religion, their traditions, their church attendance, and their reputation. But underneath it all, they are still in desperate need of Christ.
We must never become so proud that we cannot admit we need help.
It's okay for a Christian to say:
The Invitation: Come to the Table
Once again, the table is set. A great feast has been prepared, and Jesus is inviting people to come.
Some people are physically sick. Others are emotionally exhausted, struggling with discouragement, depression, or anxiety. And some are spiritually sick, either because they have never trusted Christ or because they have wandered far from Him.
Whatever your condition, Jesus is still calling.
If He could change the life of a man like Levi, He can certainly make a difference in yours.
I want to remind you of something important: It's dangerous to be close to Jesus without ever truly coming to Him.
You can sit in church, carry a Bible, know the songs, and understand the language of religion while never having a personal relationship with Christ.
There is a difference between being near the table and being at the table.
One day, there will be people who stand before the Lord believing their religious activity was enough, only to hear that He never knew them. But there will also be those who once lived broken, sinful, and shameful lives who will hear Him say, "Welcome home."
What made the difference?
One group believed they were whole. The other recognized their need for a Savior.
Today, I want to encourage you to come to Christ.
If you need salvation, come to Him. If you're struggling, ask for help. If you're hurting, ask someone to pray with you. Don't let pride keep you from receiving what God wants to give you.
The invitation is simple: Jesus is calling. Will you follow Him?
Come and dine with Jesus!
Text: Luke 5:27–32
Last week we began our series, Come and Dine, looking at the significance of the table in the ministry of Jesus. During this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, many of our memories and meaningful moments will happen around a table. Throughout Scripture, we find Jesus using those ordinary moments around food to accomplish extraordinary things.
Last week, we looked at Judas and the Last Supper. Judas had a seat at the table with Jesus, but he was not in the kingdom. We were reminded that being religious, having a Bible, or sitting in church is not the same as having a personal relationship with Christ.
Today, we turn our attention to another disciple, Levi, whom we know as Matthew. His story gives us a beautiful picture of the transforming power of Jesus.
Last week, we considered a seat next to Jesus. Today, I want us to consider a seat next to sinners.
1. The Summons (Luke 5:27–28)
Jesus finds Levi sitting at the receipt of custom. Levi was a publican, or tax collector. In those days, tax collectors were despised. Many were dishonest men who used their positions to take advantage of others, often collecting more than was actually owed and keeping the difference.
Levi was not the kind of man most religious people would have chosen to associate with, much less someone they would have chosen as a disciple.
Yet Jesus looked at him and said, "Follow me."
And the Bible tells us that Levi left everything, rose up, and followed Him.
Think about that for a moment. Levi left his money, his position, his lifestyle, and everything he had known to follow Jesus. Something about the person of Christ was so compelling that Levi was willing to walk away from it all.
Levi would not have been our choice, but he was Jesus' choice!
Aren't you glad that Jesus calls the unlikely? If Jesus only called the qualified, the educated, the wealthy, or the religiously polished, none of us would have a place in His service.
He calls the foolish, the unlearned, the lost, the sinful, and the broken. He calls people from all walks of life and gives them an opportunity to follow Him.
I'm thankful that Jesus is still calling people today. If you don't know Christ, He is calling you. He wants you to be a part of His family.
2. The Supper (Luke 5:29)
After Levi was called by Jesus, something remarkable happened. He made Jesus a great feast in his own house and invited a large company of publicans and others to sit down with them.
I believe Levi had experienced a genuine change of heart, and one of the first things that happened was that he developed a burden for the people around him who were lost.
That's what happens when Christ makes a difference in our lives. We begin to look at the people around us differently. We become concerned about their souls.
You get saved, and suddenly you have a burden for the man on the job, the lady in the office, the people on your ball team, and the friends who don't know Christ.
That's exactly what happened to Levi.
His first recorded act as a follower of Jesus was to bring his lost friends into a place where they could meet the Savior.
We see this same pattern throughout Scripture.
- The woman at the well went into town and told others about Jesus.
- Andrew brought his brother Peter to Christ.
- Philip found Nathanael and invited him to come and see Jesus.
We sometimes think the gospel goes out simply because we have a church building, a sign out front, and scheduled services. Those things are important, but the gospel does its greatest work when it burns in the hearts of God's people.
We need a burden for the lost in our community, on our jobs, and in our families.
Levi understood something important. He had abilities, resources, and influence, and he used them to reach people for Christ.
Whatever God has given you, use it for His glory!
If you're athletic, use your athletic ability. If you're good with people, use that gift. If you're a good listener, use that ability. If you have a home where people feel welcome, open it up.
Use what God has placed in your hands to introduce people to Jesus.
Mark 2:15 records this same event and tells us that many publicans and others followed Jesus.
What a testimony! Levi didn't simply tell people about Jesus. He brought them into His presence, and many followed Him.
A changed life ought to produce a burden for other lives.
3. The Scribes (Luke 5:30)
Every good story seems to have its obstacles, and this story is no different.
Levi has been converted. He's following Jesus. He's hosting a feast so his friends can meet the Savior. But the religious leaders of the day have a problem.
The Bible says:
"The scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?"
Think about how unusual this response was.
A tax collector had experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus. You would think the religious leaders would be celebrating! You would think they would be excited that a dishonest man had been changed.
But instead of rejoicing over what Jesus had done, they criticized Him for associating with the very people who needed Him.
The problem was no longer the tax collectors. The problem was that Jesus was eating with them.
The scribes and Pharisees could have been at that feast. They could have experienced the same grace that Levi had experienced. But instead, they stood on the outside criticizing what was happening inside.
They were close enough to see the table, close enough to know who was there, and close enough to observe Jesus. But they missed the opportunity to sit down with Him.
Here's an important truth:
Being near the table is not the same as being at the table.
You can be religious, self-righteous, educated in Scripture, and respected in your community and still desperately need the grace of God.
The Pharisees were so focused on the sins of others that they failed to recognize their own spiritual condition.
We must be careful that we don't become so concerned with who is sitting at the table that we forget our own need for grace.
4. The Sick (Luke 5:31–32)
Jesus responds to their criticism with a powerful statement:
"They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick."
Then He adds:
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus uses a simple illustration that everybody can understand. Healthy people don't typically go looking for a doctor. Sick people recognize their need for medical attention.
Spiritually speaking, Jesus was explaining why He had come. He came for those who recognized their need of Him.
The scribes and Pharisees were the ones who needed to hear this message most.
Levi knew he needed Jesus. The other publicans understood their sinful condition. But the religious leaders were so convinced of their own righteousness that they couldn't recognize their need for a Savior.
The greatest danger is pretending we're whole when we desperately need healing.
Jesus wasn't condemning people for being sick. He was exposing the danger of refusing to acknowledge it.
Think about it this way. A person struggling with an addiction will never seek help until they recognize they have a problem. You can organize an intervention, bring everybody into the living room, and explain the situation, but until that person recognizes their need, they won't take the necessary steps toward help.
The same is true spiritually.
Until we admit our need for Christ, we will never come to Him for forgiveness and restoration.
There used to be an old song in the Redback Hymnal that expressed the thought of being glad we had to get lost so we could be found.
The truth is, if you're lost, you need to recognize it before you can appreciate being found.
As long as we pretend we don't need to repent, we will never experience the grace and forgiveness that Christ offers.
And as long as we believe we deserve a seat at His table while others don't, we will miss the very grace we need.
Consider the words of Revelation 3:17:
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
Those words were spoken to a church that believed it had everything it needed. Yet it was spiritually bankrupt.
There are people today who walk around believing they have everything together. They have their religion, their traditions, their church attendance, and their reputation. But underneath it all, they are still in desperate need of Christ.
We must never become so proud that we cannot admit we need help.
It's okay for a Christian to say:
- I need some help.
- I need some healing.
- I need someone to pray with me.
- I need a shoulder to cry on.
- I need something from heaven.
The Invitation: Come to the Table
Once again, the table is set. A great feast has been prepared, and Jesus is inviting people to come.
Some people are physically sick. Others are emotionally exhausted, struggling with discouragement, depression, or anxiety. And some are spiritually sick, either because they have never trusted Christ or because they have wandered far from Him.
Whatever your condition, Jesus is still calling.
If He could change the life of a man like Levi, He can certainly make a difference in yours.
I want to remind you of something important: It's dangerous to be close to Jesus without ever truly coming to Him.
You can sit in church, carry a Bible, know the songs, and understand the language of religion while never having a personal relationship with Christ.
There is a difference between being near the table and being at the table.
One day, there will be people who stand before the Lord believing their religious activity was enough, only to hear that He never knew them. But there will also be those who once lived broken, sinful, and shameful lives who will hear Him say, "Welcome home."
What made the difference?
One group believed they were whole. The other recognized their need for a Savior.
Today, I want to encourage you to come to Christ.
If you need salvation, come to Him. If you're struggling, ask for help. If you're hurting, ask someone to pray with you. Don't let pride keep you from receiving what God wants to give you.
The invitation is simple: Jesus is calling. Will you follow Him?
Come and dine with Jesus!
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