🌿BREATHE TRUTH🌿
Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to Him. As He walked along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as his guests, along with many other tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. —Mark 2:13-15
🌿LIVE THE REAL TRUTH🌿
Sometimes we think we have to be good enough and act good enough before God will take us. That an abstract scale of performance exists and where we stand on it matters to God. That a predetermined set of do’s and don’ts need to be checked off before we meet the minimum requirement of acceptance.
One day, Jesus heads out onto the lake. He interacts with a number of people about the gospel. No one is singled out in particular. But then, as Jesus comes across a man seated, He comes to a complete stop. Of all places, in a tax collector’s booth. Of all people, a dreaded tax collector.
🍃🍃🍃
Driven by flesh.
In the New Testament times, tax collectors are despised agents working for the despised Roman Empire. They collect more taxes than they should and pocket the difference, resulting in a lucrative career at the expense of their fellow Jews. Tax collectors are seen as corrupt thieves who work for the enemy.
🍃🍃🍃
Drawn by fire.
Against this historic backdrop, a personal spiritual reformation takes place. A tax collector named Levi sees Jesus at his work place. The encounter ignites a fire in Levi to abandon his current life, one of wealth and worldliness, for a much humbler one. To burn the old and light a new.
Poignantly, Levi’s experience isn’t stoked at a location where sermon and singing can be found (although it can). Jesus doesn’t wait for Levi to show up at church all khaki and cleaned up. Or until Levi declares he is done with the illicit side of taxation. No, Jesus calls Levi to follow Him “as is.” No hoops to jump. No list to qualify.
Old houses are spruced up before being put on the market to get the best selling price. “As is” homes command lower prices.
But Jesus accepts us “as is.” Our worth to Jesus isn’t lowered or devalued by our “as is.” Not a lesser “as is,” but an unconditionally loved “he is” and “she is” in the eyes of Jesus.
🍃🍃🍃
Delivered by faith.
Among Jesus’ twelve disciples, several are fishermen by trade. Even after they follow Jesus, they return from time to time to fish. But pointedly, Levi ends his job completely. Pursue some tax collecting on the side? No. Because when we commit to Jesus, we cannot leave room for temptation (here, purloining tax money) to re-compromise our character.
If Jesus rescues us from the fire, do we voluntarily jump back in? No. We gear into firefighting mode and set aflame the paths to our past. We also try to rescue others caught up in dangerous fires to their soul. Levi’s shindig is an evangelistic introduction to put out fires that impede his tax colleagues from coming to Christ and alight new fires to burn a passion for Christ instead.
🍃
Levi doesn’t need to journey to a faraway place to run into Jesus. The Real Truth opens doors to us where we are. The Real Truth delivers us where we are, as we are. Our response is to stay on fire for our faith.
Levi used to collect taxes. Now he collects something far more valuable.
The other disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John, sons of Zebedee, are all fishermen who become fishers of men. Levi Matthew becomes a collector of souls. How about you?
🍃🍃🍃
Copyright 2019