POPULARITY
This is basically a double disc episode. The first half of the show is Titus and Levi talking about the latest sports news. Brady's MCL, Are the NBA Finals over? We call Josh to get his thoughts on the latest Pittsburgh Steelers news, we also call the homie France to ask a very important NY related question. Next, Titus gives us a detailed breakdown of Fast 9 and how he feels about the latest installment in the series(1:02:00) Then Levi and Titus share their thoughts on Space Jam 2. Hope you enjoy! Thank you for listening and please please share!
Matthew 9:9-13 https://youtu.be/GwM27Vb9LWg As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, [a]to repentance.” A man, Matthew ( also known as Levi) - A tax collector is sitting at a tax office Jesus looks at him and say's to him – Follow me Of all the people Jesus would ask, He calls a tax collector They worked for the Roman governmentThey were seen as traitors, they worked for the other side, the foreigners that came to take from the localsThey were charged with a certain amount and anything over, was for their keeps They abused the system and only fed their mouths They were despised – If you ever know or read about colonization you would understand Let's paint a picture, you are in America today and another country comes over and takes over America, you are now required to pay taxes to them and they pretty much own you And some of our people decide to work with these oppressive country to inflict oppression to you And you see Jesus the one that is supposed to save them from the Romans And you can't help but ask, why is Jesus talking to the sinners? I can see why the Pharisees were asking the question- What is Jesus doing Jesus is passing by In Matthews life it another week, Day starts out like any other The Bible does not tell us if Matthew had heard of Jesus before but knowing that he was powerful, it would be safe to assume so He has his life set, but there must have been something missing on the inside We all know that feeling when we are looking great on the outside, yet inside, there is a miss The “thing” was not strong enough to get him up and go look for Jesus but it was enough to bring awareness that a change is necessary He had learnt to live in this state – Afterall, he had great job, good friends, many FB friends, his Instagram was popping with luxuries and new this and the lavished life Jesus comes by and there is a call, Matthew doesn't know that this is what he needed but there is a stirring in his heart We don't know if he has been just going with the motion, if he felt caught up and there was no way out He hears the call come and for the first time in his life, there is an opportunity to change his life He has a choice to make, ignore the call and keep on pretending that he is complete Or, heeds the call and let healing begin Like some of us- We know deep inside that we are not who we ought to be, who God has called us to be We have addictions, behaviors, places we frequent, things we look at online or in person, in a relationship that is toxic, things that we are afraid to confront We feel like we are stuck and there is not a way out This morning, I want let you know that Jesus is passing by And He is speaking to you Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. There is a doctor in the room He rose up and followed Jesus For Matthew, the rich, influential man following Jesus meant the unknown He could no longer have unlimited finances He could not longer have class (status) I love that Matthew transformation was immediate and he prepared a great feast for Jesus Luke 5:29 - Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.
Readings for Saturday, April 24, 2021 “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” -- 3 John 11 Morning Psalm 92 1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, 3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O Lord ! Your thoughts are very deep! 6 The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this: 7 though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever, 8 but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 9 For your enemies, O Lord, for your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. 10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. 11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the Lord ; they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, 15 showing that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 149 1 Praise the Lord ! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. 2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. 3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. 4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. 5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with fetters and their nobles with chains of iron, 9 to execute on them the judgment decreed. This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the Lord ! Midday Daniel 6:16-28 16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!” 17 A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him. 19 Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Daniel then said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king gave a command, and those who had accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. 25 Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: “May you have abundant prosperity! 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: For he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion has no end. 27 He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth; for he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. 3 John 1-15 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul. 3 I was overjoyed when some of the friends arrived and testified to your faithfulness to the truth, namely how you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends, even though they are strangers to you; 6 they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on in a manner worthy of God; 7 for they began their journey for the sake of Christ, accepting no support from non-believers. 8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we may become co-workers with the truth. 9 I have written something to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing in spreading false charges against us. And not content with those charges, he refuses to welcome the friends, and even prevents those who want to do so and expels them from the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 12 Everyone has testified favorably about Demetrius, and so has the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; 14 instead I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face. 15 Peace to you. The friends send you their greetings. Greet the friends there, each by name. Luke 5:27-39 27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And he got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32 I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” 33 Then they said to him, “John's disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.” 34 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is good.'” Evening Psalm 23 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Psalm 114 1 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2 Judah became God's sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 Why is it, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? 6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water. You can also find all of today's readings at PCUSA.org. The Daily Lectionary podcast is a ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh, NY, read by Pastor Timothy J. Luoma.
Luke 24, 5 Worship Leader: Caleb Maskell Preacher: Kathy Maskell Luke 24: 13-32 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 5:27-39 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, 28 and 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. 30 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?” 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.”
Luke 5:29-32 (NIV) 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. 30 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?” 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.”
Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
+ Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 5: 27 – 32 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus said to them in reply, "Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners." The Gospel of the Lord
GOSPEL POWER | FEBRUARY 20, 2021 SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY Gospel: Lk 5: 27-32 Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up, left everything, and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” REFLECTION PRAYER
Luke 5:27-32 Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
Join Mike and Chad as they discuss the calling of the 12 and what a calling in our own lives might be like. Questions covered are: What is a call? What does it mean to be a vocational pastor? Does it mean anything different to be a non-vocational pastor? Does everyone get one? How does it impact, influence, change, inform your life actions…? What isn’t it? Luke 5:1-11 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:27-32 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.” --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/roguetabletalks/message
The catechesis of the day of Tiziana, Apostle of the Interior Life
- Press the PLAY button to listen to the catechesis of the day and share if you like -+ A reading from the holy Gospel, according to Luke +Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”The Gospel of the Lord.
Listen to today's daily shot for a reflection on the Gospel of Luke 5:27-32. Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
The DynastyYAC offseason continues! On EP48 the guys talk some quick NFL news and training camp battles plus Eric Young from the WWE, talking Fantasy Football. On Episode 48 of the @DynastyYAC, Levi (@leviAndrewFF) and Pete (@_PeteLaw) get ready for training camps talking a few battles they like. They wrap it up with some NFL news as training camps get underway and talk about Tyreek Hill after the NFL decided not to suspend the superstar WR. Then Levi interviews WWE Superstar Eric Young (@TheEricYoung) about #SFB9, Training camp battles plus what Eric thinks of RoJo. T-Shirts, Hoodies and more here: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/dynasty-yac https://represent.com/store/dynasty-yac Please Subscribe, Rate and Review. It would be awesome if you could leave a 5-star rating on iTunes, it helps the show out a lot. Into/Outro music by Gabe @FFManBun
Lent series Sermon #7 Jesus: Friend of Sinners Jesus is friend of sinners, and that is a good thing, for each of us is a sinner, and if we are to be like Jesus, we need to befriend sinners also. Scripture: Luke 5:27-31; 7:36-50 Themes: Grace, forgiveness, swimming into the deep end for our faith, Summary: Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin as a confessional sermon seeking powerful Christianity 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, 28 and 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. 30 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?’ 31 Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ Luke 7:36-50 Luke 7:36-50 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman 36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Video of this Message available on YouTube.com/scottstchurch Preached at Scott Street Church on Sunday, April 14, 2019
Episode 9 of the NSL podcast. Angela sits down with Lacey Lewis from Smithville School District to talk about tech integration. Then Levi rambles about how youth sports culture has trickled into education. Enjoy!
No Perfect People Allowed {8} Speaker: Rev. Patrick Kelley Originally Recorded: Aug 12, 2018 Luke 5:27-32 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.” The Pharisees just saw “Imperfect people”… Jesus was making a statement….He came for all who realized they needed help. Body, Soul and Spirit. Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; Philippians 3:4-6 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. Colossians 2:9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. Recognizing that you need help is the first step! But we can’t stop there! Luke 19:9-10 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Sozo is the greek word that Jesus declared. It means {Saved - Healed - Delivered} Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims. Healing happens in healthy environments. Healing happens in a moment and a process. Who are you intentionally and systematically discipling? Do you sit in church and yet fail to fulfill the command of Jesus, to make disciples? Big Idea: We must all become a part of the culture of healing. 5 things to help you this week: See you next week! Invite someone to come with you! (God is going to use you) Pray and Read your Bible! (It’s good for your soul) Find a place to serve! (Kid/Student Ministry is the most important) Connect in a LifeGroup
We celebrate MLB's Opening Day by inviting back Ricky Cobb of Super 70's Sports as a guest panelist. Ricky shares some details on his podcast and upcoming book. We then share some storylines we are looking forward to in MLB in 2018 - from new rules and players to old rivalries. After sharing our ALCS, NLCS and World Series predictions, Ricky shares his favorite 1970's baseball card set. Then Levi reviews his 2018 Topps collection before Gabe opens a brand new pack. Happy Opening Day, folks!
When I became a new believer, I found that I had new leadership in my life. I wasn’t looking for it and didn’t even think about it. But as I studied more about Jesus I found myself thinking about things from the perspective of “What would Jesus do?” As I learned more about Him, I started thinking about Doing what Jesus did. I couldn’t perform miracles and I couldn’t walk on water. If you are interested in doing what Jesus did, it means everything He did. Not just the miracles. How He lived His life. How He thought about His life. How He thinks about the world. About enemies. What are His priorities? If you are going to be a follower of Jesus, His priorities should be your priorities.Matthew had two names. A Jewish name and a Greek name. He was a tax collector and he worked for Rome. Jesus said “Follow me” and Levi/Matthew did. He left everything. Then Levi has a party for Jesus at his house. Lots of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were there too. They asked a question of the disciples. Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?Levi/Matthew’s caste was tax collector. It was more than a job. Levi was defined by his caste, his vocation and his moral standing (sinner). The house was filled with sinners. They were religious but they were sinners. Non-believers don’t think about sin. Only religious people think about their sins and therefore only religious people are called sinners. He was outside his caste. Why was Jesus hanging out with these people? It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. This is a universal principle. This is the purpose of His ministry. The call to follow Jesus does not discriminate and does not require cleaning up first. Jesus did not pray the sinner’s prayer with Matthew. Didn’t water baptize him or anything else. Matthew was not required to give any explanation for his previous life. He only had to do three things: hear Jesus, understand what Jesus was saying and then he had to say yes and obey. This was the beginning of following.There are a lot of people who want to follow Jesus but don’t know where to begin. The church sometimes make religion the start of following. But there are people who want to start following Jesus before they start going to church or without thinking about religion. How do we cooperate or serve that?The response to follow Jesus is a lot like going fishing. One new follower suggests that there are others nearby. Sinners hang out with sinners. Unfortunately, Christians avoid hanging out with sinners. Doctors can’t heal from a distance. They have to get close. Doctors have chosen to spend their career with sick people. This applies to different castes, cultures, etc. So we have to get close also. Sinners are everywhere. We need to reach out to them. Jesus was a friend of sinners. He was accused of being that! We can learn from that. We have to find ways of not losing connections with non-believers or new believers. How might God use us in a world of sinning people? How might he use us in the sinners He has brought into our individual lives? Presented in English and Swahili.
There are four distinct scenes that play out when Jesus meets Levi, the tax collector, in Luke 5:27-32. And each one plays a vital role in our understanding of the magnitude of Jesus' calling of Levi to be his disciple. Adam Barnett walks us through this engaging encounter. Levi Disqualified | Week 2 August 28, 2016 | Adam Barnett Luke 5 Red Bible: Page 1,599 God meets our rebellion with His RESCUE… our sin with His SALVATION… our guilt with His GRACE. The overwhelming focus of the Bible is not the work of the redeemed, but the work of the Redeemer. Luke 5:27-28 (NIV) 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, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:29-30 (NIV) 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. 30 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?” Luke 5:31-32 (NIV) 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.”