Where do you belong?

Luke 5:27-39

Have you ever felt like you just didn’t belong? All of us have had times in our lives when we felt like we didn’t belong to a certain group of people, either because of personalities, race, beliefs, gender, or whatever…you name it. Today we’re gonna look at Levi’s call and how he turned from his old ways to belong to the kingdom of God. You see, Christ invited both the crowds and leaders to turn from their old ways in order to belong to a new and greater community; a community that was not bound by rules and traditions, but by relationships. However the truth that Jesus represented could not be put into their old system, but had to replace it.

Levi was a tax collector or what we might call a toll collector. Tax collectors were not very well thought of in first century Judaism because they were servants of Rome and a symbol to the Jews of Roman occupation. Levi’s job was to tax the traders who were bringing supplies in and out of the town. Their merchandise would be inspected by Levi who would tax them on certain items. His job was that of a customs agent, like what you might see at the airports. Only instead of looking through your luggage to insure the safety of everybody on the plane, he would be looking through your luggage to find something to charge you money.

Levi’s call takes place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had returned from the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil and began teaching in the synagogues, performing miracles and healings, and forgiving sins. Now Jesus was in the area of Galilee when he was being closely followed by the religious elites. It was here where Levi received his call to be a disciple and the Pharisees challenged Jesus and the disciples about eating and drinking with sinners.

vv. 27-30 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’?”

The final fulfillment of the reign of God is pictured in the Gospels as a glorious feast (29-30). By celebrating with these people, Jesus indicated that they had received Gods forgiveness & would share in the reign of God.

The term “Follow me” means to become a disciple. It was a great honor for Levi who would have been normally excluded from the religious circles. The Banquet was an act to repay the honor Levi had received from Jesus. They were also held to mark important social changes in one’s life.

vv. 31-32 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 the sinners to repentance.”

Repentance means the changing of one’s mind, or turning from sin and disobedience.

2 Cor 5:17 states “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Rom 12:2 says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

vv. 33-35 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.” 34 Jesus answered, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the Time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

Repentance does not consist of mourning & fasting rather it is through joyful discovery of a new opportunity. The sign of repentance is not mourning, but the joy of finding & being found. Joy is the appropriate sign of repentance.

Luke 15:7 “I tell you there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Luke 15:10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

vv. 36-38 He told them this parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.

The new teaching of the kingdom of God could not be contained in the old forms of the Law, but must be expressed in new ways. Jesus is not attempting to patch up Judaism, rather he is teaching something radically new.

v. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

A fresh new revelation had come in Christ, which demanded a new form of worship which the Pharisees and religious elite were not willing to accept.

It was the rules and traditions of the religious elite that prevented many from having a real relationship with God. Today it is our own personal rules and traditions that bind us and prevent us from having a real relationship with God and belonging to His Kingdom.

We can belong to a new and greater community by turning and leaving those things that bind us and prevent us from having a real relationship with God. What are you doing right now that is preventing you from having a relationship with God? Is there something in your life that you need to shed? Are you angry, hurt, jealous of others, or afraid? Do you need to be forgiven? Do you need to forgive? Are the sins in your life consuming you? Whatever it is, Jesus called us to repentance. To change our minds and turn from those things that are not only binding and preventing us from having a real relationship with God, but others as well. Jesus said, “The time has come, the Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe…(Mk 1:15)”

Right now, Jesus is inviting you to turn from your old life by leaving everything and become a follower of Christ and belong to a new and greater community; a community that is not bound by rules and traditions, but by relationships. The truth Jesus represents cannot be put in your current system, but must replace your old ways. How can you have a fuller relationship with God? You can begin by doing such things as re-dedicating your life to Christ, study the Bible, pray, and attend church on a regular basis.

If you have not yet accepted Christ into your life, all you need to do is simply follow the ABC's:

“A” Admit. Admit that you are a sinner who needs a Savior. Rom 3:23 states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus." 1 Jn 1:8-9 says "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

“B” Believe. Believe that Jesus is your Saviour and accept him into your heart. Acts 4:12 states, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." And Jn 3:18 states, "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."

“C” Choose. Choose to follow Jesus. Eph 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." In Mark 1:17 Jesus states, "Come, follow me."

Need prayer?

Father God, right now I ask you to speak into my heart. There are things that I am doing in my life that has caused me to wonder whether I truly belong to you God. Help me shed those things that are getting in the way of my relationship with you. I want to give myself to you Lord and belong to your kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.