VIDEO
JESUS DIDN’T CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS
This sermon was given on 02/01/26 at Pax Christian Church.
SPEAKER
Brian Lucas is one of the Co-Lead Pastors at Pax Christian Church.
SERMON SERIES
This sermon series is “The Gospel According to Mark”
NOTES
Find the full notes below on this page, or in the YouVersion Bible App.
NOTES:
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 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. 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. 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?”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.”
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 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 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?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Levi the Tax Collector = Matthew the Tax Collector
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Levi the Tax Collector = Matthew the Tax Collector = Matthew the disciple of Jesus
Matthew 10:2-4 NIV
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
One last connection to Levi being a disciple…
Mark 1:16-20 NIV
As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.“ Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
This is the same pattern as the calling of Levi/Matthew.
Mark 2:13 NIV
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
Mark 2:14 NIV
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.
Mark 2:15 NIV
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.
Dinner is a very intimate event in this culture. It would denote acceptance and potentially approval of Levi’s lifestyle.
Tax collectors were some of the worst sinners:
Mark 2:16 NIV
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?”
Mark 2:17 NIV
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.”
Parallel parable:Doctor goes to the sick , not the healthy .Savior goes to the sinner , not the righteous .
BUT. JESUS DOES NOT GO TO THE SINNER TO GIVE APPROVAL.
Just as a doctor does not visit the sick to leave them sick, but to make them healthy;repentance
Luke 5:31-32 NIV
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
the call to repentance fits Mark’s themes as well…
Mark 1:15 NIV
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Look at where the repentance is called for, though:
Yes, Matthew and the other tax collectors and people living a sinful lifestyle are called to repent and change their ways. (Matthew leaves the tax booth and follows Jesus)
But there is a note to the Pharisees as well:
Matthew 9:12-13 NIV
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
“MERCY, NOT SACRIFICE”
Hosea 6:6 NIV
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea is an 8th century BCE prophet, mostly operating in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
He calls them out here for pursuing injustice while claiming righteousness (right standing/relationship with God) because of their observance of sacrifices and offerings.
This echoes the prophet Samuel, centuries earlier, when he calls out Saul for disobeying the LORD:
1 Samuel 15:22-23 NIV
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”
This is a sobering event that should be held in mind as Jesus says this to the Pharisees.
Matthew 9:13 NIV But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We all see ourselves as the “good guys”.
OK.
So, whoever the “sinners” are from your view… how are you reaching out in love to call them to repentance to know and follow Christ?
And how are you showing MERCY, not just external moments of righteousness for show?
Micah 6:8 NIV He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
REFLECT : How is God speaking to you through his word today?
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