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. 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'?" 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." (Mark 2:15-17, NIV)

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself whose COMPANY was Jesus in the presence of?
1. Levi
2. Tax collectors
3. Sinners
4. Disciples
5. Teachers of the law

I asked myself what are the CLAIMS being made by Jesus?
1. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
2. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

I asked myself what is the CAPABILITY of Jesus?
1. Having dinner at Levi's house.
2. Eating with tax collectors, "sinners", and disciples.
3. Having people follow Him.
4. Prompting teachers of the law to question His actions.
5. Responding to the teachers of the law's inquiry.
6. Being a doctor to the sick.
7. Calling the sinners to come to Him.

I asked myself what do I learn about the CHARACTER of Jesus?
1. Jesus makes Himself available to sinners to eat with them.
2. Jesus makes Himself available to sinners to spend time with them.
3. Jesus makes Himself available to sinners to transform them.
4. Jesus goes to the place of sinners to reach them.

I asked myself what are the actions of Jesus?

1. Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house with his disciples.

2. Jesus was eating with many tax collectors and “sinners”.

3. Jesus hears the Pharisees remarks and responds.

 Observations/Interpretations:

I asked myself what is the significance of Jesus being at Levi’s house?

Point 1: Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house with his disciples.

I found it significant because Jesus had just met Levi who was a tax collector. Jesus had invited him to follow Him. Jesus does not end it there but gets involved in the life of Levi by having dinner at Levi's house now when Levi follows Jesus and invites Jesus to his house to have dinner. In essence, Jesus is doing follow up in the life of Levi. It does not end there as is evident by point 2.

Point 2: Jesus was eating with many tax collectors and “sinners”.

When Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his house, it was not a single invitation. Levi goes and invites all of his friends including his tax collector friends and “sinners” to dine with him so they could also dine with Jesus who Levi wanted them to meet. Jesus could have left after seeing who he was eating with but remains there and continues to eat. Jesus does not JUDGE who He was with when Jesus could have easily passed JUDGMENT and it would have been in His right being  HOLY!

Yet, Jesus does not! Jesus does not make Levi who He invited to be His disciple feel uncomfortable. Jesus takes Levi's invitation to go where He was at. Even if it meant being among a lot of tax collectors and sinners. When Jesus is eating with Levi and the other dinner guests, the Pharisees have a problem with this. This is evident by point 3.

Point 3: Jesus hears the Pharisees remarks and responds.

When Jesus heard that the teachers of the law who were Pharisees were asking his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?", 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."

It is so interesting that Jesus addresses the Pharisees directly about His willingness to eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’ because He is indirectly telling them that He is the Great Physician that can heal them. For that to happen, He wants to also spend time with them. No matter where the dinner guests have come from Jesus wants the Pharisees to know He is there for them. The other side of it is that Jesus is also telling the Pharisees that He did not come for the healthy.

This makes me think that Jesus is alluding to the fact that those who think they are good (a.k.a Pharisees), Jesus did not come for them because they already think they have it all together even though they don’t.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life. I should encourage those who become followers of Christ not to ignore their friends who are not followers of Christ. Sometimes there is a tendency of followers of Christ to leave the life of friendships with those who don't come to Jesus and involve themselves with Christians alone. This is a huge mistake. Sadly, this is very common among us humans if we are not careful. What we do is try to send our kids to Christian schools instead of secular schools, Christian colleges instead of secular colleges, hang out with our Christian friends instead of non-Christian friends, etc. There is a place to hang out with Christians and non-Christians. What we should never do is ignore our friends that we had before we became Christians no matter what their lifestyle is. On the contrary, we should not also be influenced by them negatively but need to influence them positively, bringing them to Jesus like Levi did. Levi did not just hang out with Jesus and the disciples alone but now invited all his tax collector friends and sinners to his place to meet Jesus. We need to do the same if we have friends who do things contrary to the Word of God.

For 7 years, my precious wife Chandraleela and I did International Game Night and Dinner (IGN) at Oakland International Fellowship (OIF) for international students because we wanted to reach them with the love of Christ by spending time with them playing games, eating homemade Indian food, and sharing Jesus with them. We wanted to be there for them while they studied in the U.S and decided to work in the U.S. We know Jesus loves them all so much and we love them even after the years have gone by. We want each student to know the love of Christ and His power that can work in their lives. Our desire is that each person we come across comes to know Jesus as their Lord and Personal Savior so they can have a personal relationship with Him. We know God's standards are not like human standards. We know even if we think we are good, without Christ we are not good. That was the problem with the teachers of the law. We don't want to be like the teachers of the law.

We are reminded that we all are tax collectors and sinners in need of saving. None of us are righteous including ourselves but all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yet, God in His mercy chooses us by His grace to come and be His very own. He invites us to be His children. We want to take that opportunity to be His children. We hope you do too because He loves you so much there is no love as such.

Our job is not to judge but love as Jesus did. It is so easy to JUDGE and pass JUDGMENT on others. I learned if people are set in their ways, we can JUDGE them all we want but it is not going to change them. Jesus knew sinners and tax collectors were set in their ways and only His love and compassion can heal them from this virus known as sin that has captivated them. To do that as a GREAT PHYSICIAN, Jesus decided to spend time with them. Whoa! We need to spend time with those we think do not follow Jesus too. It is so important so we are following the example of Jesus.

Jesus is telling us, "It is the sick that need the doctor and not the healthy'.

Jesus has come to save those that are lost and sick because of sin and not for those who think they have it all together and don't need Jesus like the Pharisees thought.

The reason our family does Pittsburgh Standard Ministry is to draw people to Christ through the use of God's Word, the devotionals, and other articles. We want to also influence the masses regarding different issues from a biblical perspective.

The reason I am on facebook is a means to ministry too, to influence my friends lives and those that are not my friends yet.

Even if one person's life is changed, it is worth it. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to see how LOVING people without JUDGING them can bring more powerful results than we can even fathom at times.

The sinners and tax collectors may have never come on their own to meet with Jesus. Levi took initiative to invite them to his house and then Jesus was also there for all of them to meet. 

I would say, all that were there with Jesus probably were changed except the Pharisees because they thought they had it together. They did not look at the LOG in their own eyes before looking at the SPECK in the tax collector's and sinner's eyes.

When you are sick, you need to acknowledge that you are sick to have a doctor look at you and heal you. Jesus is the Doctor and He is there to heal. When we are humble and acknowledge where we are at, Jesus values that.

The Pharisees thought that they had it together and wanted to distance themselves from the tax-collectors and “sinners” of that day. Jesus would have none of that! Jesus reminds them that He came to seek and save the lost (a.k.a. sick) not those who see themselves as healthy.

I learned from Levi that when Jesus invited him to be His follower, Levi does not ignore those he knew before following Jesus. Rather, he invites them all to have dinner with Jesus. In essence, Levi was having an evangelistic dinner so other tax collectors and sinners could have an encounter with Jesus. I too need to let others know about Jesus as Levi did so that they too can have a personal encounter with Jesus.

I ask you now dear friends, who will you I.N.V.I.T.E to dine with Jesus now?
Dear friends, when Levi was invited by Jesus to follow Him, Levi not only followed Jesus but invited others who are 'sinners' and 'tax-collectors' like him to his house so they too can have an encounter with Jesus. If you are a believer in Christ, you have the wonderful opportunity to invite those that do not know Jesus to have an encounter with Jesus. Yes, you can!

How much does Jesus mean to you?

Does He mean so much to you that you are willing to go the extra step so you can help all your friends who do not know Jesus have Jesus as their Great Physician in there lives by sowing the seed and allowing the Lord Jesus to water it and grow in their lives?

If Jesus means so much to you, don’t you want others to experience the love of Jesus and have them encounter Jesus?

I know I do! You can too! For Jesus came to seek and save the lost! Jesus did not ignore the other tax collectors and sinners who were dining with Jesus at Levi’s house. When you bring your friends to Jesus who do not know Jesus, He will not ignore them.

In this day, there are many ways to do that to help your friends have an encounter with Jesus. We can do our part and leave the results in Jesus’ Helping Hands. He is the Great Physician who will attend to them as we introduce them to Jesus.

ANALOGY OF INVITING PEOPLE TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN:

We are like an ambulance taking sick people to the hospital. People are dying and there is an emergency because of a global pandemic virus. The ambulance takes the initiative to go to the place people are dying and bring them to the hospital. They are not dead yet but there is no time to wait. The ambulance needs to get to the hospital for that virus to be treated. The virus has infected the mind, body, and soul spreading rapidly. You and I cannot do anything to heal our friends of this virus except be the AMBULANCE taking them to the HOSPITAL where the GREAT PHYSICIAN waits.

Once at the hospital, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN that waits. The sick are gathered from all corners of the earth and come to this hospital.  This hospital is called CALVARY OF SALVATION and the EMERGENCY WARD is called GOLGOTHA.

The GREAT PHYSICIAN is not like other doctors who can only treat patients with  physical ailments but this GREAT PHYSICIAN is much more and knows He has to stay 72 HOURS for every dying person there to be healed.

He knows what He has to do! This GREAT PHYSICIAN knew that only His BLOOD can wipe away this global pandemic VIRUS, so for you and me He went to the blood transfusion room where people were about to die. There He lay down on the bed  made of wood.

The surgeons walk into the room. They turn this GREAT PHYSICIAN on His back.  Instead of using an IV, a WHIP with sharp shards of glass, etc is used to draw out the BLOOD from the GREAT PHYSICIAN'S back! It does not stop there but to elevate the head on the bed of wood, a CROWN OF THORNS is used which draws more BLOOD.

As the head is elevated, the GREAT PHYSICIAN's hands are stretched wide on the wooden bed. Then the feet are bound together. This is done for the BLOOD transfusion to begin. Instead of using an IV, NAILS and a HAMMER is used. The NAILS are pounded through the hands into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so the BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. The NAILS are pounded through the feet into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so more BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. As the BLOOD continues to flow from the GREAT PHYSICIAN's body, the GREAT PHYSICIAN flat lines. Then the surgeons insert a SPEAR into the heart to make sure all the BLOOD is out. All the BLOOD is out!

Now, the GREAT PHYSICIAN is moved into the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE being guarded by security.

Now the CALVARY OF SALVATION hospital has a BLOOD DONOR whose BLOOD can be used to save everyone there from this GLOBAL PANDEMIC VIRUS. 

Those dying need to be taken there to receive the BLOOD transfusion that is available. However, the BLOOD will not be forced upon those dying! THE PUREST RED ANTIDOTE is only given to those that are willing to receive the BLOOD TRANSFUSION so they could LIVE.

All that accept the BLOOD are being CLEANSED of this GLOBAL PANDEMIC VIRUS in their system that is infecting the mind, body, and soul.  This BLOOD goes into the dying person's mind, body, and soul and eats away at the virus cleaning them and making them pure.

This VIRUS is known as SIN. The BLOOD is the PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

The WOODEN BED is the CROSS OF CHRIST where the dying need to be led too.

72 HOURS LATER, there is a commotion at the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE which is the TOMB OF JESUS. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN is not there anymore and the ANGELS that visit tell loved ones who came there, that THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS ALIVE and will save all that come to Him.

It is true even to this day, for all that come to the CALVARY OF SALVATION come to realize that His CLEANSING BLOOD shed on the WOODEN BED (CROSS) will never run out. Anyone infected who wants to be healed of their sickness can accept what Jesus did for them and be covered in His precious CLEANSING BLOOD.

I have done that friend and know that at the foot of the cross where Jesus died shedding His precious cleansing blood for my sin and the sins of the world, I can find forgiveness and grace.

Thanks be to God that Christ's death on the cross was temporary to remove all His precious cleansing blood for our sake but after He was buried, Jesus came back to life to save.

To this day, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved when they acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done for them and what He can do for them.

Friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only one living on earth, Jesus would have done the same for you. What I shared with you was an analogy but in real life it has happened. Jesus went to the cross for you and me and His precious cleansing blood was shed so you and I could have life. Jesus came back to life 72 hours later and is alive but His blood continues to heal people on every corner of the earth to those that accept Him.

You have the wonderful opportunity to bring the dying to Jesus if you know Jesus already. If you do not know Jesus, you can come to Him and receive His healing in your life.

Won't you do that my friends? Won't you do that?

Once we introduce them, we have to let Jesus handle the rest. We need to do our part but it is Jesus that makes the seed grow inside a person. He has already paid the price to set us free. We need to accept it! We should never forget follow up.

There are different ways we can invite others to Jesus and I want to share them with you. These are not exhaustive but what I have found to be helpful:

1. J.E.S.U.S group (Jesus Empowering Students Under Scripture)

2. Evangelistic Bible Studies/ Seeker sensitive Bible studies/Investigative Bible Studies/GIG's (Groups Investigating God)

3. Evangelistic movies

4. Testimonies.

5. Relational Evangelism/Friendship Evangelism

6. The 7 C's of Jesus Discussions

7. International Game Night & Home Dinners

At Pittsburgh Standard Ministry, we are willing to work with and help anyone who wants to reach their friends for Christ using those different means as we depend on our Lord Jesus Christ to save and heal. You have the opportunity to invite those who do not know Jesus to encounter Jesus!

Jesus loves you so much and paid the price to set you free. You are never out of His love, never out of His reach. His Blood is for you! May you experience the love of Jesus Christ in a most powerful way! Amen!

“Introduce Now Valiantly Invitation Towards Emmanuel! (I.N.V.I.T.E)"/"Who do you invite to dine with Jesus now?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus thank you so much for dining with Levi and his friends. You do not make his friends seem like outcasts. You knew they were not healthy spiritually and came to heal them of their sickness. Thank you for coming to heal me by your blood. I thank you Lord for coming into this world to bring your healing to humanity. Thank you for all those who you invite to be part of your Kingdom. Oh Lord, I believe when you went to the cross for us, you made an invitation to humanity to come to you. Thank you for being our GREAT PHYSICIAN! Thank you Lord those that come to you, you will not turn away. I thank you Jesus for dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us. Help us to remember what you did for us! Help us to live for you and serve you all the days of our lives and invite our friends who do not know you to come to encounter you. Guide us and please lead us reminding us that it is you who are the Great Physician. Help us to do our part and leave the results in your Helping Hands. I thank you that your precious cleansing blood was shed for humanity. You took all our pain and sins and by your wounds and stripes we are healed. Help us Jesus please! Thank you Jesus for everything. We entrust our lives to you. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!