March 11-15

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. - Mark 2:15 ESV

A Friend of Sinners
Centuries ago several workmen were seen dragging a great marble block into the city of Florence, Italy. It had come from the famous marble quarry of Carrara and was intended to be made into a statue of a great Old Testament prophet. But it contained imperfections, and when the great sculptor Donatello saw it, he refused it at once. So there it lay in the cathedral yard, a useless block.

One day, another sculptor caught sight of the flawed block. For 2 years the artist worked feverishly on the work of art. Finally, on Jan.25, 1504, the greatest artists of the day assembled to see what he had made of the despised and rejected block. Among them were Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Pietro Perugino, the teacher of Raphael. As the veil dropped to the floor, the statue was met with a chorus of praise. It was Michelangelo’s David and is one of the greatest works of art the world has ever known.

When Jesus dined with “sinners” in Mark 2, He saw what others didn’t. He saw His future disciples and world changers. He saw candidates for the mercy and grace of God. He gladly accepted the title “Friend of sinners.” Only Jesus has the power to turn sinners into saints.

Reflection
What are things about you that others may have given Jesus a hard time about for spending time with you? Remember, Jesus sees in us what no one else sees!

Praise/Prayer
Thank Jesus for calling you a friend. Ask God to help you see “sinners” the way He sees sinners.

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. - Mark 2:14 ESV

A Friend of Sinners: Who Jesus Calls
A man on vacation was strolling along outside his hotel in Acapulco. Suddenly, he heard the screams of a woman kneeling in front of a child. The man knew enough Spanish to determine that the child had swallowed a coin. Seizing the child by the heels, the man held him up, gave him a few shakes and an American quarter dropped to the sidewalk. "Oh, thank you sir!" cried the woman. "You seemed to know just how to get it out of him. Are you a doctor?" "No, ma'am," replied the man. "I'm with the United States Internal Revenue Service." (Bits & Pieces)

Tax collectors have never had a good reputation. William Barclay said, “So rare was honesty in the profession that a Roman writer said he once saw a monument to an honest Tax collector!” The Jewish tax collectors were most despised. All of this made Jesus’ dealing with Levi, the tax collector, even more incredible. Levi would have been one of the least likely converts yet Jesus called him to come and follow.

Reflection
Who are some of the least likely people in your life to be saved? How does the story of Levi encourage you about the possibility of God saving them?

Praise/Prayer
Praise God for saving you when you were undeserving of His love and grace. Pray for the salvation of those in your life who seem least likely to come to Christ.

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. - Mark 2:15 ESV


Jesus Cares for the Sinful
C.T. Studd, a Pioneer missionary to China, said, “Some want to live within the sound of a Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop - Within a yard of hell! Jesus was running a rescue shop for sinners.

Mark reveals that along with Jesus and the disciples, many publicans and sinners were there as well. The publicans were fellow tax collectors. This does not appear to be a party that a respectable Jew would have wanted to attend. Jesus is among those the scribes and Pharisees would have avoided at all Costs. Jesus is found seated among them, desiring to minister to them!

On several occasions, Jesus was criticized for getting too close to sinners. What we see from all of these encounters is that sinners were drawn to Jesus, that Jesus gladly spent time with sinners who were open to his teaching, that Jesus forgave repentant sinners, and that Jesus embraced sinners who believed in him.

Reflection
Jesus spent time with sinners because He cared for their souls. What’s the difference between spending time with sinners because you enjoy sin and spending time with them because you care about their souls?

Praise/Prayer
Thank God for caring about you enough to invite you into a personal relationship with Jesus. Pray that God would grow your compassion for the lost and that they would be drawn to Christ in you.

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” - Mark 2:16 ESV

Jesus Cares for the Religious
History records that when Oliver Cromwell ruled England, the nation experienced a crisis: They ran out of silver and could not mint any coins. Cromwell sent his soldiers to the Cathedral to see if any silver was available. They reported back that the only silver was the statues of the saints, to which Cromwell replied, “Melt down the saints and get them back into circulation.”

The “religious” leaders of the day, in Mark 2, needed Jesus just as much as the “sinners” needed Him. The scribes' question in Mark 2:16 reveals their lack of understanding about God’s grace and their need for salvation. They considered themselves religious and more deserving of God’s Kingdom, however, no one can be good enough for God apart from the mercy and grace of God through the work of Jesus.

Reflection
Who are people in your life who seem to profess “religion” but don’t have a relationship with Christ? Have you ever struggled with focusing more on religious duty than having a personal relationship with God?

Praise/Prayer
Thank Jesus for fulfilling the requirements of the law on your behalf so you could be found acceptable to God. Pray for the people in your life who have religion but don’t have a relationship with Christ.

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Mark 2:17 ESV

Why Jesus Came
"That looks like a sober man, I think I'll hire him to cut wood for me." That was said of a man on the streets of Lake Rice, Canada, as he walked along carrying a wood saw and a sawhorse. The response from a man nearby was, "That's Joseph Scriven. He wouldn't cut wood for you because you can afford to hire him. He only cuts wood for those who don't have money enough to pay." That seemed to be the philosophy and attitude of Scriven. He had a sincere desire to help those who were truly destitute.

Jesus said the reason He came was for people who needed to be spiritually healed. Everyone is born spiritually sick but not everyone is willing to admit their need for Jesus and His offer of salvation. A clinician is defined as a doctor having direct contact with and responsibility for patients, rather than one involved with theoretical or laboratory studies. Jesus came to have direct contact with us and show us the love of God.

Reflection
Joseph Scriven, referenced above, is also credited with the words of the hymn “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Let the words of this hymn be your praise and prayer today.

Praise/Prayer
What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!