Sinners

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

SINNERS

Mark 2:15-17

15 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. 16 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'?" 17 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." 

NIV

It is interesting that here Jesus is sitting having dinner with Matthew the dreaded tax collector, as well as some of Matthew’s fellow tax collectors and his disciples are there eating as well. They had to think to themselves, well as long as Jesus is fine with eating with these people then we are too. But not those self-righteous religious Pharisees, they just had to say something, but not to Jesus, but to his disciples. By their question, it is obvious they did not consider themselves to be ‘sinners’. What exactly did the Pharisees consider being a sinner? They kept the law, did the tax collectors not keep the law, and after all they were Jews as well? It must have something to do with considering that the Pharisees were far better at keeping the law and through that law they found righteousness. However, Jesus heard them question his disciples, and he responded in a very interesting manner. By what he said, was he saying that tax collectors were sinners, and the Pharisees were righteous? On the surface that may appear as to how he responded, but if we look at it with our spiritual sight we can see that he was saying that all are sick, all are sinners, and he came for all mankind, who are in need of the doctor, of the need of His divine purpose. We have no other way to see this considering that Paul, in his letter to the Romans wrote, as he was inspired by the Spirit, that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one. We should take a clue from this when we get too distracted by considering the measure of our faithfulness, our righteousness, by how much we follow all the rules, or commands we think there are. Again, that is certainly true that we should not go about finding ways to sin or disobey the commands of God. But if we are going to measure anything then we should measure how much we love the Lord our God with our heart, our mind, our spirit, and our body, and how much we love our neighbor. Those are the words of Jesus when he said that those two commands cover all the law and the prophets. When we start relying on our own efforts to be righteous, or religious by trying to follow what we think are things we are not supposed to do and things we are supposed to do, we are in danger of becoming a little like the Pharisees. What we need to remember is that we are sinners, saved by grace. Sure, we try to live in a manner that will bring honor and glory to our Lord, but that is not by acting all high and mighty, all holy and righteous. We bring honor and glory to our Lord by being human, open and honest, being a tax collector, a “sinner” who Jesus has come to dine with us. Just as the words were given to John through the revelation when Jesus said, “Be honest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Jesus wants to have dinner with us sinners, so he can save us. Those that stand judging those sinners, thinking how righteous they are, they are indeed in deep trouble. Let us not judge anyone as a sinner except ourselves, and let us dine with Jesus, let us enjoy the wedding feast of the Lamb.