As Jesus was walking he noticed Levi, and asked him to become his disciple​

Mark 2:13

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Levi got up and followed him.

 

Something amazing about this encounter.  A crowd was following Jesus, they had come to hear him teach.  But just in walking by, without knowing Jesus,  Levi decided to be Jesus’ disciple.  What was the tone of Jesus’ voice?  What was his body language?  What was the look on his face?  What did Levi experience when he looked in Jesus’ eyes?  What quickly convinced him to follow Jesus?  Jesus was never about the show.  He dressed simply and was humble.  But Levi, as other disciples, dropped all they were doing and followed Jesus.  What was it about Jesus, that compelled these men to follow him?

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Levi asks Jesus to come to dinner.

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Next Levi asked Jesus to come to his home and have dinner.  Jesus, his disciples, tax collectors, and other disreputable sinners were invited.  Quite a dinner party wasn’t it?

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Now here we go!  Jesus didn’t have a problem eating with sinners!  What many in the world didn’t know then and still don’t know is Jesus loves the sinner.  Jesus came to earth and became a man to show all sinners that we matter, that we can be forgiven.  Jesus came to rescue us from this filthy world – to SAVE us.

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Jesus wants to spend eternity with us.  That is forever, precious people.  Jesus wants to be with me and with you and with any disreputable sinner FOREVER.  What a WOW moment that should be for any of us.

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So who had the problem about eating with sinners?  Who was it that had the self-righteous, arrogant attitude that described this dinner party as “eating with scum?”  Mark 2:16 tells us that it was the religious leaders, who were Pharisees, that spoke disgustedly and degradingly about the people Jesus was eating with.

 

Jesus calls it sin when we look down on others.

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If a true follower of Jesus Christ ever looks down on another human being, then they are sinning.  They are being religious hypocrites. When we have this attitude it is the sin of pride!  Pride elevates a person in his own mind.  He begins thinking he is just a bit smarter, a bit prettier, a bit better than others. 

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The Bible hates pride. 

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One of the reasons God hates pride is that it hurts others, just like this example shows us.  Another reason God hates it is because it is a lie.  In God’s eyes no human being is better than another.  God loves all of us equally, He will give each of us a chance to know Him, He doesn’t play favorites.  The world is a mess because of people.  People harm other people.  People use other people.  People destroy other people.

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Those who refuse to repent of pride will be destroyed.  God may give the prideful person years to repent and change their ways. The Bible clearly teaches that there will come a day when God has had enough and these people will be destroyed.

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Look close at Jesus.

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Look at this closely and fall in love with Jesus. 

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He loves the unlovely. 

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Jesus calls it sin when humans hurt other humans.

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Don’t you have the same attitude?

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Doesn’t it make you hopping mad when someone is bullied?  Do you find yourself cheering for the underdog in a competition?  Do you want to adopt every abandoned puppy or kitten that happens to wander near?  Does your heart bleed when you hear of the horrible ways women or children are used, sold, and murdered?

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Jesus loves the sinner, he hurts when we hurt!

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Jesus doesn’t approve of bullying.

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He is always cheering for the underdogs–which would be you and me.

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He wants to adopt every one of us.  He wants to be our Heavenly Father.

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God is a just judge and He will ultimately decide the fate of everyone.