13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mk 2:13-17)

Yesterday, I preached the second part of a two part message called Following Jesus. I wanted to provide a few notes and book references that I mentioned. The sermon had to do with the calling of Levi (Matthew). We talked about the way in which Jesus surprises us by calling a tax collector and further explains his position by attending a party at Levi's house. They key passage in the teaching is verse 17.

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

We were challenged to examine the ways in which we classify "sinners" and to realize that if we want to receive the mercy, grace, and forgiveness that Jesus offers, we have to honestly admit that we too are sinners. The reason that the religious leaders missed out on Jesus was that they failed to acknowledge their own sins. Yet, those who recognized that they were sinners in the story were the ones that were free to receive forgiveness.

I mentioned tree books in the message that you can read to further explore Jesus.

Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis

Max Lucado's In the Grip of Grace

John MacArthur's Twelve Ordinary Men

Reg will talk next week about the Offense of Jesus as we continue our series. I hope you will join us.

Wade