WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.000 We continue today looking at the series The Art of Neighbouring and in this passage we encounter Levi who is a tax collector. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:20.000 Levi would have been well known to the disciples and the wider area and not in a good way. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:27.000 He would have been harassing you for your money which would end up in the pockets of Rome. 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:36.000 When we pay tax we see the benefit through the provision of public services and we have come to value that this past year more than ever. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:39.000 But they would have seen nothing. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:54.000 Further to this some Jews gave themselves and employment to Rome to collect money from their fellow Jews and they often added a surcharge which opened the gate to all sorts of abuse. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:06.000 Tax collectors were wealthy and led a well-off lifestyle often with their own interests at heart above the interests of others and of God. 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:11.000 Therefore tax collectors were considered up there with thieves and murderers. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:14.000 They were hated and despised. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:20.000 So you can imagine why the Pharisees questioned Jesus when he was eating with them. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:30.000 When Jesus sees Levi in his booth he says follow me and Levi gets up and follows him and leaves everything. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:39.000 By that I don't mean he puts a sign on his booth saying just off to Father Messiah back in five minutes. 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:41.000 I mean he leaves everything. 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:45.000 His lifestyle, money and his job. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:46.000 His life. 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:52.000 So either Levi was bonkers making a hasty rash decision. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:02:01.000 Or the power and the presence of Jesus was so overwhelming he had no choice but to go. 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:06.000 We come from all sorts of different backgrounds and ideologies. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.000 And what makes us feel passionate. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:12.000 And the lifestyles that we can and cannot relate to. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:17.000 I grew up in a small school that was attached to the church we went to. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:23.000 My mum and dad went to the same school as I did about 20 to 25 years previously. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:28.000 Everyone knew each other and everyone's families. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:31.000 Therefore it was like growing up in a bubble. 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:37.000 And if I was to describe my childhood in a few words, sheltered I'd be one of them. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:42.000 So as I got older and went out into the big bad world. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:46.000 I encountered people whose lifestyles were very different from my own. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:52.000 And it did take an effort to not come across as judgmental or questioning. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:57.000 And if I'm being honest, it was something I didn't always get right. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:03.000 But what Jesus is telling us here is that we have all have our own histories. 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:05.000 Our own baggage. 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:06.000 Our own baggage. 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:09.000 But we're brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:12.000 And we are often incredibly different. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:18.000 But there is a sense that we are one. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:25.000 When you make a decision to follow Jesus, there is always a level of cost which can present itself in many forms. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:27.000 Your lifestyle. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.000 Aspects of your personality and character. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:35.000 And sometimes a financial sacrifice. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:40.000 But through that discipleship, there is so much to be gained. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:44.000 The fact that you are saved by God's unending love and grace. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:54.000 So you can imagine Levi is very keen to share the good news with his friends who don't know Jesus at this point. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.000 And he cooks up a feast for them. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:58.000 And Jesus is there. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:02.000 The Pharisees believed that to dine with someone was very intimate. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:05.000 You shared out of a common bowl. 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:11.000 I don't think double dipping was as frowned upon then as it is now. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:15.000 And as a result, you kind of ingest the sin of that person. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:25.000 So when the Pharisees saw this, you can see why they might have been horrified and wanted to make their opinion known. 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:32.000 When Jesus was challenged, he said that these are the people he came to reach. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.000 It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:43.000 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:48.000 But the interesting thing is the Pharisees were probably just as much sinners. 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:53.000 Although it could be argued that the tax collectors sins more out loud. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:58.000 In Psalm 14 verses 2 and 3, it says, 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:06.000 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.000 All have turned away. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.000 All have become corrupt. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:15.000 There is no one who does good, not even one. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.000 The message here is stark. 00:05:17.000 --> 00:05:19.000 We're all sinners. 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:24.000 And this shouldn't really come as a surprise. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.000 But this was a passage the Pharisees had access to. 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:31.000 But it didn't apply it to themselves. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:34.000 Certainly not robustly enough. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.000 In John chapter 8 verse 7, Jesus says, 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:48.000 Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.000 We are called as Christians to follow Jesus's example. 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:55.000 To reach out in fellowship and in love. 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.000 Not with judgment or criticism to our neighbor. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:05.000 We are to share the good news and be like Christ. 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:07.000 We have all sinned. 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.000 We have our own baggage. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:15.000 But by grace through faith, we are saved by the love Jesus has shared with all of us. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.000 Let's pray. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:31.000 As we look forward to this week, Lord, help us to share the same love you have given to us, to our neighbor. 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:37.000 Help us to be like you in what we do and say. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.000 Amen. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:52.000 And as we go out into the world, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:53.000 Amen. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:54.000 Thank you. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.899 the love of God and the gospel and the love of God 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:58.000 the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ, them be with us all. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:59.000 Am Na. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:00.000 A. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:01.000 A. 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:02.000 about on congregations are on the however you will need to understand. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.000 Nowательária can be reached out of the word He for your Clark Johnny. 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:04.000 And when we walk from our obedience to our更 practicing that words приつ видable if now for the church in heaven. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.000 But at night in time 2021, pray for the word of God and hazardogenesis that you believe marvel and other юading at all.