Today scripture reading is Luke chapter 5 verses 27 through 32 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting after tax booth And he said to him follow me and leave everything and he rose and followed him and Levi made him a great feast in his house And there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them and the Pharisees and their scribes Grumbled at his disciples saying why do you in drink with tax collectors and sinners and Jesus answered them those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance made the Lord add a blessing to the reading and the hearing of his word beloved one of the blessings of being raised in the churches is listening to and learning the songs of the church and And many of the songs that the saints would would sing have had a lasting impact upon my life in many ways And I'm sure that others would probably say the same these songs and these memories often serve they often serve me and perhaps serve you too as Reminders of God's faithfulness They become kind of triggers in my life of God's encouragement They are often reflective of God's testimony of God's grace and mercy in my life Now I say this at knitting that you don't always remember what the preacher preached most sermons barely last a week in your memory and Many don't even last today. Hey, man But you remember the songs the saints would sing You remember the the faces and the voices of who would sing them and the emotion and the joy of the Lord and Being filled with the spirit for those raised in the church these songs are evidences of God's grace Is an indelible grace upon our lives For me it was songs like what a friend we have in Jesus I Didn't like that song When we sang it and I think I didn't like it mainly due because there was an older lady in our church named Mrs. Smith And when we were seeing what a friend we have in Jesus she would sing it so loud and She would sing it in kind of this this operatic voice What a friend we have in Jesus. I remember that as clear yesterday and I would just sit there like could somebody please
choose another song and then one day I Found myself needing the place and all I could remember Was Mrs. Smith saying what a friend We have in Jesus and how she sang that
Sometimes I reflect on my own salvation And how the Lord called me And how the Lord saved me And I am often reminded of the men's force and our little church And how they would sing I cannot tell just how you felt When Jesus took Your sins away, but since that day Yes since that hour God had been real For I can feel His holy power. I'm sure At many of us have songs like these Let's give us a sense of God's presence and power and even purpose in our lives In fact, I like to imagine this morning that Yes, God is real Yes, God is real Mike Have been the testimony of Lever should he have opportunity To speak with us this morning That he might say I cannot tell Just how you felt the day that Jesus watched your sins But since that day That day I met Jesus Ever since that very hour God had been real
His saving power We continue in our lessons On Jesus and those he came to save we are again in Luke chapter 5 and In Luke chapter 5 as we saw at the beginning of chapter 5 You see now as chapter 5 continues That Jesus is put in its band together that he is gathering His disciples And earlier in the chapter we saw if you look back at the beginning of the chapter we you could see The ways and means and which he had already called Peter and the Andrew which he had already called James and John He called them and they were fishermen They were Every day common men of simple and the humble means and as Jesus was going about his ministry It would seem that these would be the type of men that he would call These would be the ones that Jesus would choose the the unassuming the unknown The fishermen the carpenters Maybe even a few shepherds But then we come to verse 27 and we see Jesus was writing a different story A different story because Jesus is determined in At verse 27 he is determined to add another flock another follower to his flock and This beloved was no this was no fishermen This was no carpenter this was no shepherd In fact, this was a different disciple altogether This was a Tax collector he works for the iris Do we have any iris workers in here to spawn probably would want nobody to know that
It's important to understand Of the Jews at this time were under the oppression of the Roman state and Rome taxed them heavily Taxed everything Everything they did and everywhere they went It was taxed and in order to collect all these taxes what the Romans did is that the the Romans hired other Jews To collect taxes From the Jews and these tax collectors as they were called Would have to give to Rome the revenue That Rome required but then beloved
That the tax collector collected over and above What the Roman state required the tax collector was able to keep anything Over and above Was here is to keep And as you can imagine This was a dirty business This was a dirty business And tax collectors Were not well liked they were considered To be traitors They were considered to be thieves They were abusers of power They prayed on their own people They further oppressed the oppressed and took advantage of the disadvantage They were considered the lowest of the lowest so and although they were often quite wealthy Their money was considered What the Bible called and first Peter chapter 5 and verse 2 filthy looker All by always been willing to say that that's their King James version What in the world is looker see looker and in fact when dealing with an unrepentant person And if this person Refused as to listen to godly counsel and to the church and Matthew chapter 18 and verse 17 Jesus said That he or she is to be treated like a tax collector That Jesus talk That person is to be treated like a tax collector And that is a pretty strong indictment Beloved on tax collector no one like paying taxes Not even president no one likes it and therefore people people avoid it them people avoid it them People shunned them They were not accepted in society nobody will be invited them to social gatherings No one invited a conversation with one Or spoke freely with one when you when you saw one you would go the other way It's like when I first moved to Georgia East at roadblock Some of y'all don't remember most of them remember that they used that roadblock where the police are just be set up in the street Checking if you had expired licenses and things just and and when you saw it You had to make a decision
Where you're gonna continue on or what you got to try to somehow Turn and get out of the way of roadblock. Now why you laughing I? Just went through a roadblock. What did you do when they saw people tried to avoid them? Turn their head Go the other way, but not Jesus. That's not what Jesus does
That's not what grace does
Grace doesn't avoid Grace doesn't Turn the other way Grace seeks and saves Grace doesn't ignore This this this here beloved this encountered with Levi is a poignant example To his disciples and to us this morning of the nature of God saving grace of his grace and of Jesus and Those Jesus came to say it's important to understand something this morning at the Bible is clear Hey, the Bible is clear in Romans chapter 3 and verse 11 That no one no one seeks after God No one No one seeks after God in fact on the contrary the Bible reminds us that it's God who seeks after us This is the promise of a good shepherd in Ezekiel chapter 34 and and verse 11 For thus says the Lord God be hold I I myself will search for my sheep And will seek them out This in fact is the testimony This is the testimony of Jesus himself and Luke chapter 19 and verse 10 where he says for the son of man came to seek And to save the Lord So this is the method of Jesus. This is the operation of grace. This is what happened to Levi. This is what happened to you Is what happened to me? You know those who are saved in by and Through Christ this morning. This is you This is me for like Levi We are chosen by grace. We are called by grace And we are changed by We are chosen by grace We are called by grace and we are changed by grace Chosen chosen by grace Levi was chosen by grace because he was chosen by Jesus
Like Noah and Genesis chapter 6 in verse 8 Levi found grace in the sight of God but more accurately than that beloved listen More accurately than Levi finding grace grace found him Grace found him in Verse 27 of Luke chapter 5 the Bible says that Jesus saw Levi Jesus saw Levi Now listen listen Jesus didn't just happen to see Levi happen suddenly catch him out the corner of his eye Jesus wasn't going about doing something else and suddenly looked up and said wow look at Levi Who is that? Jesus didn't just happen to see Levi Jesus went looking for Levi went looking for Jesus chose to go by the way of Levi Tactical because the beloved Levi wasn't seeking Jesus Jesus was seeking Levi but the Bible said Roman Chapter 10 in verse 20 I Have been found by those who did not see I have shown myself to To those who did not act for me Levi did not add for Jesus Levi wasn't looking for Jesus or looking for grace But that's okay that's okay Because Jesus and grace came looking for him
Why is that? Because beloved grace is first The grace of God comes first So the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 1 and a verse 4 Even before he made the world got loved us and chose us in Christ God Win before God did anything else in this world He chose you For grace by grace It is by grace that Jesus comes our way So by his goodness and his favor that he chooses to stop by our boots John chapter 15 Verse 16 Jesus tells his disciples You did not choose me But I chose you And I imagine that when he said that and leave I heard that he says yes, sir Amen Jesus Amen Now I want you to meditate on that this morning that the Lord came And chose you That the Lord sought you That the Lord set his love and affection upon you and I want to that to be a comfort and a joy to you this morning He chose you and Unlike us God Doesn't regret his choices. He doesn't regret his choices Jesus doesn't make mistakes If you are Christian this morning then Jesus had made you his choice and he is happy with it He is happy about it Why on you? I thought the Lord and afterward I knew He moved my soul to seek him Seeking me it was not I that found old savi No, I was found of
children children By grace But not just chosen by grace Love it in me was called Call call my grace
Jesus didn't just see leave I At the booth notice He didn't just go by the text booth that day But Jesus called out to leave and said Follow me Follow me Now beloved there is a call That goes out to all the world this morning It is a call to believe in Jesus Is a call to come to faith in Jesus? Is a call that goes to everyone in this world without distinction to every man woman boy and girl the call is the same Come believe in Jesus And you hear it in Jesus' own words and Matthew chapter 11 and verse 28 where he says come to me Come to me all who labor and our heavy laden and I will give you rest come to me Come to Jesus It's a it's an invitation. It's a wonderful invitation. It is a clear invitation It is a clear call that goes to every man woman boy and girl But unfortunately beloved not everyone answers this call Not everyone comes Not everyone believes not everyone rests Not everyone follows, but then there is another call it is the call of grace That is not general beloved, but it is specific It is a call that comes with a name on it Isaiah chapter 43 and one God says fear not why I have redeemed you I have called you by name You are mine It is that call it is that call that Jesus gave to Peter It is that call that Jesus gave to Andrew It is that call that Jesus gave to James and John It is that call that Jesus gave to Levi when he called Levi Follow me, but the Bible has in mind Romans chapter 8 and verse 30 Where it says the those whom God predestined he also
Oh, it is a gracious call It is a gracious call Levi did not earn this call Levi did not ask for this call That Jesus would look into his heart and call his name That that Jesus would give evidence that he somehow knows Levi and he doesn't just know Levi He knows him by name and he wants Levi in his service the grace of God This is the grace of God the love. This is not Jesus needing Levi. This is Levi needing Jesus This is your call into Christ this morning. This is your salvation. This is your redemption He didn't earn he didn't earn his call. He didn't deserve his call He didn't call on Jesus first and it Jesus called on him No beloved It was all all all all by the grace. He called Levi called him by name And by doing so it was not just a gracious call it is an effective coming this call works This call gets the job done Do you understand and leaving everything the Bible says in verse 28 right look for leaving everything he rose and followed Jesus Leaving everything he rose and followed Jesus ask yourself the question. What's there any other option? What's there any other option of course not this is God calling this the voice he had never heard before This is the touch that he had never felt before these are the words that change everything because these are the words of God spoke you know what happens when God speaks to beloved I'll tell you an idea chapter 55 and verse 11 So it's my word that goes out of my mouth. It will not return to me empty But will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it Why did Jesus tell Levi to follow him because Jesus wanted Levi to follow him? What was Levi going to do? Was Levi going to say no? Was Abraham going to tell God no? Was Moses going to tell God no? Was David going to tell God no? Was I they are going to tell God no? Was Jeremiah? Well in fact Jeremiah tried to tell God no It jammed my 20 in verse 9. He said I tried to tell him no, but it was like fire set up in my bones I couldn't say no
Well the option that I have When I heard him call That was all the poor the poor said When I heard him call come follow that was all that was all my gold group dim my soul went after him I rose and followed that was all who will not follow if you hear him call who hear that call grace of God Then just save you and me to change as you Look at me Look at me The Bible says he left everything Now beloved I'm not sure what everything means here, but usually everything means Everything he left everything in other words what defined Levi before would not define him anymore What was his priority of life before would not be his priority anymore? Jesus comes calls and when he calls everything changes Everything changes you thought you were going left now you're going right
You thought you were going up Jesus comes and takes you down You thought you were going down Jesus comes and lifts you up he left everything he left the table
He left the money the more important than all that the Good to table To get the money he left the guilt he left the shame when I got saved
had a collection of music Man of the nice collection Had his huge jazz collection I mean it was it was nice You know I had some Stanley Jordan Whoo man I got saved man I just got rid of everything I got rid of all that good jazz To this day that is a huge regret in my life you idiot With Jesus said everything it didn't mean that Said no Stanley Jordan no Stanley Clark but guilt leave all the shame Leave all the condemnation leave off what other people thought you were leave it leave off how people talked about you Leave it about the names they called you leave it I got a new one Leave it to a Paul said Philippians chapter 3 In verse 7 and 8 But whatever were gains to me I now consider law For the sake of Christ but it's more I consider everything you lost Because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for who's sake I have lost all things I consider them as garbage that I may gain Christ
Levi Leave it all Leave it all Leave it all the sadness the sorrow the sin Leave it all Come and change it for my joy For my acceptance for my present
What the song writer said What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus Came into my heart. I have liked in my soul For which I long have stopped since Jesus came into my heart Changed everything Changed everything In exchange the sorrow and the sin and the sadness for the joy of the Lord And you see that with Levi You see that with Levi now listen beloved You don't invite Jesus into your heart until Jesus has invited you in the here
You don't invite Jesus into your life Until Jesus has invited you in the here I say that because that's Levi once Jesus called him Once Jesus said follow me Once Jesus has invited Levi to come into Jesus's life what does Levi do He invite Jesus to come into the here That's what grace does That's what grace says that's what grace says Grace of God not only partners Eugene Peterson says but it also empowers In empowers you It opens your eye it opens your heart It reminds you that everything you have is for the service and the purpose of glorifying Jesus come Jesus come Let me show you what I have is all experts This is what Levi does He would say the first 29 Levi made for Jesus a great feat at his house He left the tables Started following Jesus and said Jesus here come follow me home I'm gonna make a great feat for you why because salvation always leads to service always done Always done Levi made a feat He knows he made it Levi made it made it where in his own house in his own house But not just for him and Jesus Did he invite it everybody he knew Because he probably didn't know too many He might everybody he knew He invited a large company of task collectors and others He invited those he knew That's collected didn't have many friends outside of other task collected But that's okay. That's okay beloved. That's okay Because in Jesus called him Jesus wasn't expecting him to invite the rabbis in the priest He's one expecting him to invite the the school teacher the Sunday school teacher or the preacher He invited the other family the other family across the street He invited as you can see he invited the unfamily He invited the unwanted he invited the unworthy he invited the undesirable he invited the untouchable He invited the unclean he invited the ungodly To come Sup with Jesus and when they got there beloved there is no doubt in my mind when they got there. They were wonders Why have we come over to your place Levi and Levi looks and says I want to get I want to let you know That if Jesus can save me he can save anybody if he can change me he can change anybody That's what that's what I was just a bachelor to say I've grown up a young boy. That's what she used to say. It is no secret what God can do What he's done for others he'll do for you with armed wide open Hill pardon you it is no secret What God you know who weren't invited beloved The first thing you weren't about but they were curious so they came anyway Because they were nosy Because they were judgment so busy by They came anyway And looking upon the gathering The Bible says In Luke chapter 5 and verse 30 That the Pharisees and their scribe grumbled at his disciples Speaking to his disciples He they asked Jesus disciples. Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sin? Why do you drink with tax collector and all these others?
They asked the disciples But Jesus answered there's two there's a couple of reasons beloved a couple of reasons Why Jesus and his disciples would eat with and drink the tax collector and sin And the first one is is that if Jesus didn't eat with sinners And he wouldn't have anybody eat with If he didn't drink with sinners He would be drinking alone And you're not drink alone You're not drink alone. Amen. Amen. Amen
But also beloved Jesus knows Who he is eating it He ate with sinners knowing That they were sinners Listen to me this morning Jesus ate with sinners knowing That they And every time That Jesus sits down to the meal He eats with sinners knowing That they are sinners Your sin Is not a surprise to Jesus Listen to me this morning Your sin is not a surprise to Jesus Your sin does not cause him to get up from the table with you It's amazing to me how many people think that they come on the Lord's day and don't partake of the Lord's table Because they think for some reason that they are too great a sinner this week As if Jesus if that as if they come to the table and suddenly Jesus gonna get up and walk away And surprise Jesus the table Expecting sinners to come at the table Expecting to serve and to save sinners But love it. I pray I pray you don't sit there and you'll self-righteous. Please you have no claim to come Because the fact that the matter is you don't But Jesus says come in light Come He knew who you were Before he sat down And guess what beloved He sat down anyway
why Because he says in verse 31 It is not that healthy that need a doctor But the thick I have not come to call the righteous. I don't expect to come and sit at the table with the righteous
I come Expecting to sit at the table with sinners Who need to be saved With sinners Who come to repent This is the text This morning That reminds us Of who Jesus is And why he came It's not so much about Matthew Not so much about Levi But it's about Jesus It's about whom he says It's about how he says It's about why he says Who are those he says He says sinners Those who know themselves to be in need of position Those who know themselves to be sick Those who know their sin And acknowledge the fact that they need a savior Those who know they are broken Those who know they need healing Those who know themselves to be weak Those who know they have failed That's what he came to say
Not the self-righteous Not those who think more highly of themselves than they are Not those who think they are better than others
But those who know their not Those who acknowledge their need Those who call on Jesus This is about whom he says This is about how he says He says by grace Chosen by grace Call By grace Changed by grace All of it according to the grace And the goodness and the mercy of God
Everything That you are And everything that you have You have Because Christ is good Because he came And stopped by your booth Called your name And has come to fellowship with you In your house Your home Your heart
This is about whom he says This is about how he says This is about why he says Why does he say He says for his own glory Because only he can say Levi didn't have any other hope You and I don't have any other hope There is no other way Only he is righteous Only he is good Only he can That's why I was so important For James and John and Peter and Andrew to see this You Call Levi That collective Are we now supposed To walk in fellowship with him Are we now supposed To stop with him Within the rest of his time with his disciples peaking That at the cross all ground is That we all stand in Me And that his call of grace upon you Is just as effective And loving As his call of grace is Upon This is why he says For his glory Not only he can Not only he will Not only he is good And only he is good To me say How he says Why he says That a grace is a goodness in the mercy