Friday, January 20, 2012
Please
Don’t Pass Me By
Luke
5: 27-31
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.
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. 30 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’?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. “
Jesus
doesn’t say many words in the story but He does a lot. It should amaze and
inspire us to see the people that Jesus called to be a part of His kingdom
work. I’m not sure I would have called Levi (Matthew) to help me. He was hated
by most. He collected taxes. He worked
for the Roman government and basically made a living by ripping off other
people. Jesus says two words to him and
Levi gets up and follows Jesus.
Do
you remember the chorus to this hymn? “Savior,
Savior, hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling, please don’t pass
me by.” I don’t think Jesus ever
passed by anyone. He saw the best in people. He saw value in others. He called
on people others would pass over. I like
the song. I like what it suggests, but I think our song and prayer should be
that we wouldn’t pass by others. Would
we call on Levi? Or would we be like the
religious people who questioned Jesus choice?
Some
great things happened as a result of Jesus calling Levi. His life changed. He left his old life and a
new one began. Levi threw a big party
and invited his friends and made Jesus the guest of honor. Can you envision this scene? Here is Jesus at
a big party with a bunch of low-down tax collectors! I wonder if Zaccheus
attended this party. It’s quite possible that this was a “first encounter”
moment for Zaccheus with Jesus. It could
be that Zacchaeus climbed up the sycamore tree because he wanted to see Jesus,
who he first met at Levi’s party. That turned out to be a banner day for
Zaccheus because Jesus called him to be a follower – Read Luke 19:1-9
Not
everyone was thrilled about Jesus calling Levi. The religious couldn’t get over
the fact that Jesus would hang out with sinners. Jesus dealt with this controversy with one
powerful sentence, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” In other words Jesus is saying I can’t do
much with people who think they are righteous. I came for the sick. I came for
the sinner. I came for the broken and the discarded. This is why I know Jesus
wouldn’t pass anyone by. We are all sinners. We are all sin-sick. We all need
his help. He’s calling and coming for all of us!
Remember
these things:
1)
Following Jesus is the best life. It’s a changed life. The worst can become the
best as they follow the Lord.
2)
Following Jesus is a fun life. He comes to a party! Jesus doesn’t drain our
lives He fills our lives! He gives abundant life. Living our life for the Lord could influence a
Zacchaeus.
3)
Following Jesus is an inclusive life.
Jesus never passed by anyone. He’ll go out of his way to notice the
unnoticed; to touch the untouchable. May we do the same.
Prayer:
Jesus, please don’t let us pass by the one you see and long to touch. Amen.
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