Suprising For Us But Never For Him

Luke 5:21-26 “²¹The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

In my experiences people think one of two ways when someone is going through a tough time or they are horribly sick. One, that you must have done something horrid against God and are being punished or Two, that the devil is got a strong hold on you. Here’s what I think: whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I’ve heard that a million times from my late Grams. I think, and believe me I’ve had my share of rough times, that yes bad things happen to good people but we can use these bad things as stepping-stones toward a glorious future.

The Pharisees didn’t think  Jesus had the authority but also they probably thought the guy that was sick deserved what he was getting even though were not told his faults. Jesus doesn’t say a word about the man either telling us through these words that whatever our sin if we believe and ask we will be forgiven and also its just between us and the Lord.

Luke 5:27-32 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, ²⁸and 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. ³⁰But 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. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Levi, which its reveled to be Matthew one of the chosen disciples and author of one of the gospels, was a tax collector and sinner extrodenare! YET… out of  the crown of  great religious leaders and powerful people Jesus goes to him and has dinner. Asked him to just pick up and “follow me” and he does without hesitation. WOW, what a testimony! And from the most unlikely character, I would have loved to see the look on those guys faces. The other were already following in the flesh but what about following with the whole heart? Jesus chose Matthew because of his heart and not his outward show to everyone.

People today do the same, some go to church (I’ve said it before) and talk the walk but never walk it themselves. So with this story before us in scripture is it truly so hard to believe that one who was a most grievous sinner would be the chosen one to lead a congregation back to the folds of the true church? One of the worst things we all do is think “we’re better” for one reason or another. Maybe because of our last name, or we have more money, perhaps what we should do is stand-off our pedestals for a moment and actually mingle and listen to “the worst ones of the bunch” because they might just teach us something.

Dear God,

Open my ears and heart to listen to the ones you sent with a message for us to learn more about how to live for you.

Amen