"Once again Jesus went out
beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax
collector's booth. 'Follow me,' Jesus told him, and Levi got up and
followed him." (Mark 2:13-15, NIV)
Observations/Interpretations:
After healing the paralytic, Jesus once again
went out beside the lake. It is possible this is the same lake where He
met Simon, Andrew, James & John. A large crowd comes to him and He began
to teach them. It is so cool that Jesus uses every opportunity
He has to teach them and call people to Him!
I asked myself why is it
significant that Jesus called a tax collector to follow Him?
It is significant to me because tax-collectors
in that day were really despised by the people. I do not believe they were hated just
because they were collecting taxes but also because they were cheating
them while working for the Romans. We are not told much about Levi
except that he was in the middle of his occupation, 'collecting taxes'.
Now here comes Jesus and asks him to follow Him after teaching to the
crowds. Jesus went from calling professional fisherman to follow Him to
asking a despised tax-collector to follow Him.
If Levi was collecting taxes, it is more than
likely that he was becoming rich day by day. He was not just there to
volunteer! As much as the Jewish people were waiting for a Deliverer to
deliver them from the oppression of Rome, there were some Jews who
decided to work for the Romans to benefit their own pockets. Levi was
one of them. We can infer that he was Jewish based on his name and
because it is mentioned that he is the son of Alphaeus. Usually Jewish
people attributed a lot to the family name. He now works for the
oppressors.
It is more than likely that people avoided
tax-collectors as much as possible. Let's be honest, I do not know how
many people have a good opinion of tax-collectors these days too (the
IRS). The IRS has been under investigation many times because of some of
its members. Jesus does not despise Levi but calls to him.
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what I
could learn about Jesus?
Jesus seems to be counter-cultural. Regardless
of what people think about Levi and how much he maybe despised, Jesus
values him as a person and tells him to follow him regardless of his
background. That must have meant a world to Levi to be asked to go along
with Jesus, who was a celebrity of that day.
If this were to happen today, the media would
have a field day.
The headlines could read, "Despised
tax-collector given autograph by the celebrity, Jesus."
Anyone Jesus asks to follow Him is being given
His autograph in a figurative sense.
Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what I
could learn about Levi?
Levi got up and followed Jesus. He
left what he was doing and went along with Jesus. This is significant
because after having an encounter with Jesus, he was willing to give up
his job that was causing pain to a lot of people. Jesus drew him in. In
a way, Jesus ran to Levi to accept him and Levi came to Jesus!
Implications:
I saw important
implications for my own life. No matter where I have been or what I have
done, when Jesus calls that is a time to celebrate. I need to put my
guilt and past behind and follow Jesus, being accepted by Jesus, for
Jesus gives us acceptance.
I ask you now dear friend,
where are you looking for acceptance?
Dear friend, human beings were made to be in a
relationship with God and each other. Sin marred that bond and corrupted
it. Yet, deep inside of every human being there is a desire for
acceptance and they look for it in different places. I guess Levi looked
to his job for acceptance even though it hurt a lot of people.
Friend, I don’t know where you go for acceptance. Many times it seems
easier to run for acceptance to
different areas that can be detrimental to our lives. Yet these areas
cannot really give us acceptance but Jesus will and can. He has given
you free will and you can run to Him! Jesus runs to you and wants to give
you new life. Yes, He does! Oh yes, He does!
I want you to know no matter whom we have been,
where we have been, what we have done, why we have done it; the Lord
does not forsake us. Jesus calls to us just as He did Levi. He wants us
to follow Him! Wherever we are it does mean
serving Jesus in the area we are in. Sometimes it means leaving that
area for another area of the Lord's calling.
The root cause of looking for acceptance in different places is
because of sin. Adam and Eve were accepted by God but when they ate the
forbidden fruit, that all changed. They could not feel accepted by God
as they were, because self-consciously they knew they were so guilty to
the point that they had to look for things to cover their naked body.
Before eating the forbidden fruit, they did not have to hide their body.
They only hid their bodies because the concept of acceptance became
twisted to them.
God saw what sin had done to them and the things they started to do
to feel accepted. God also foreshadowed what would happen to restore
humanity's acceptance before God. God covered the man and woman with
animal skin from a sacrifice so they did not need to hide in nakedness
foreshadowing what Jesus Christ would do for us.
Friend, so that we could be accepted by God even in our sin,
God so loved the world that He sent His only
begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have
Everlasting Life.
Just as an animal was sacrificed to cover the nakedness of Adam and
Eve, Jesus Christ became the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to cover our
nakedness of sin. Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross of Calvary
shedding His precious cleansing blood so the blood of the Lamb of God
can cover you and me from head to toe no matter what our sin has been.
His precious blood became our antidote. Jesus became our donor when
Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and came back to life to save us so
we can be accepted by the Father.
God did not have to accept us anymore after what we had done and
marred our relationship with Him because of our sin but God went through
the pain for us to restore us to a relationship with Him. That is how
much He loves us unconditionally. When we don't deserve His love, He
still loves us and accepts us.
Levi did not deserve the love of Christ for how bad he was but Jesus
called to him to come and follow him. Later, we find out that Jesus
says, 'It is the sick that need the doctor and not
the healthy. I have come for the unrighteous and not for the righteous.'
Jesus did not come for those who think they have to all together but
came for those who are down and out and know they are sinful and need a
redeemer to ransom them from their sin.
Friend, Jesus became that Redeemer to redeem us and He runs to us.
Yes, He does. It is exciting to know for me that Jesus accepts me as I
am in the condition I am in. He will build me up and make me all that He
wants me to be. I cannot do it on my own but it is by the grace and
mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ that I can be all that He wants me to be.
You can be all that He wants you to be as you turn to Him. Turn to Him
as you are and allow Him to work in your life.
Friend, we all need Jesus because for 'No one
is righteous not one. All our good works are like filthy rags to the
Lord'
That just shows that we are not accepted by the good works we think
we do. No friend, none of us can be accepted by God in His Holiness
because we think we are good and do good. No matter how much good we
think we do, God can always find a law or command we have broken. If we
have even broken one command which we all have then we are no longer
completely good.
Since we are no longer completely good then God in His Holiness
cannot allow someone who is not good into His presence because He is a
Holy God. All 99.9% of good does not erase the 0.1% of bad we have done.
That is the bad news that we cannot be accepted for what we think we do.
The Good News is that is why Jesus came. Jesus came to rescue each
one of us. When we accept the transfusion of change by receiving the
purest, reddest blood of Jesus Christ into our system, the deadly virus
in us is being washed and wiped away by the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Now when God looks at us, He sees Christ's cleansing blood covering
over us and His judgment will pass over us. We will be seen as righteous
in the eyes of the Lord and know we are accepted. Yes, friend, Jesus
loves you so much and accepts you as you are when you turn to Him.
"It is by grace we have been saved through
faith and not of good works lest anyone boast!"
It is the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus that allows us to have
that personal relationship with Him making Him our Lord and Personal
Savior daily.
So friend, do not ever let guilt or your past keep you from
following Jesus. If you think you are not good enough for Jesus to
accept you, you are on the right track. It is only when we realize that
we are not good enough and humble ourselves before the Lord, He is ready
to take us in. All have sinned and fallen short of
the glory of God as Scripture states. This is why Christ came.
No matter what the scars and stains of the past
are, the Lord wants you.
You know how posters say: "Wanted Dead or
Alive: Reward for capture of criminal"?
This is done so the prisoner can
be caught and lose his freedom.
Jesus wants you so that He can set you free and
take you on a new path of life.
"As far as the
east is from the west, He has removed our transgressions from us."
(Psalm 103:12, TLB)
Yes, He has friend! You can run to Jesus as you are and receive His
blessings and abundant life. He wants you because He loves you. No
matter what others tell you because of your actions, know that Jesus
loves you so much and He is willing to accept you!
You can find acceptance in Jesus and that is the best acceptance to
find!
Allow Him to change
you rather than waiting until you can make all the changes before coming
to Jesus. If that were the case, it would never happen because you would
always feel down upon yourself and feel that you are not worthy for the
Lord.
The Lord has reached out to tax-collectors,
prostitutes, etc. His love has no bounds and He reaches out to you. May
you come to the point to accept Christ’s caring everlasting pardon
today, allowing now change everyday!
Will of the Human
by Ramesh C. Reddy
Human, Human, what have you done with
your free will?
What will be your life's final bill?
Will your will take you, up or down
hill?
Your mind and heart, how have you
decided to fill?
Is it by taking a high drug pill?
In the end, it will only give you a
kill!
Whether you are Jack or Jill!
Cause drugs will give your brain a bad
chill!
Is it by watching filth?
In the end, your mind will be
corruptly built!
As your conscience won't understand
innocence from guilt!
Is it by engaging in forbidden acts?
In the end, they will make you realize
the dangerous facts!
Is it by joining a street gang?
In the end, there is usually a bang!
As you are hit by a bullet's poisonous
fang!
Is it by living your life away from
God
Who wants to guide you by His staff
and rod?
In the end, with joy you cannot nod!
Cause life's bill won't still be paid
And these activities you think are fun
will give you a raid!
As your mind and heart start to fade!
Because that's not the reason, you
were made!
But there is still a way out!
If you decide to go on that route!
Jesus loves you so much, I have no
doubt!
Your problems and pain, you can give
to Him!
Even when the solutions to your
problems look slim!
And your life's future looks dim!
For Jesus paid the ultimate cost!
Upon a rugged Cross for the lost!
That in Him we may have abundant life
and not frost!
His shed Blood was for you and me!
His love and healing power is
available for you to see!
Through life's trials and
tribulations, strong you can be!
For the Holy Spirit will come to thee!
And be your life's answer Key!
When you give your life to the Savior!
In whom, you can find favor!
For He loves you so much!
There is no love as such!
He will lead you by His gentle Hand!
In this troublesome world we call
land!
In prayer, as you accept the Lord in
your heart!
And let the Lord do the final part!
Amen!
“Accept Christ's Caring,
Everlasting Pardon Today, Allowing Now Change Everyday!” (A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E)/"Where
do you look for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E?"
Prayer:
Dear Lord, I want to thank you so much for accepting us even though we
have done so much that has dishonored you. I thank you Lord that you
love us so much and you never see us as being beyond your reach. You
reach out to us now no matter how stain filled our past has been and
want to fill us with your love and forgiveness; healing us of all our
sin and accepting us. Thank you so much Lord for running to us, putting
your arms around us, wiping the tears from our eyes, and forgiving us.
We give our lives to thee and are sorry for all our sins. Thank you that
you wipe them away and we can have a fresh start! Thank you so much
Jesus for the start you give us. We have a new beginning with you Lord
and we can live with you and follow you. I thank you for calling Levi to
follow you. Thank you for the free will you give us and we can serve
you! We acknowledge you as our Lord and Personal Savior! Please Jesus
come into our heart and make our heart your home. Thank you for living
in us and we will live for you and serve you! I thank you for hearing
us and answering us. In Your Name We Pray Jesus! Amen!
Don’t you want to accept Jesus in your life and not be a
paralytic to sin?
You can right now as you make this your prayer.
Dear Jesus, thank you for healing the paralytic
after forgiving his sins. You set him free to go home. I want to be
free. I don’t know everything about you. I still have a lot of
questions. What I do know is that you died on the cross for my sins.
When it comes to sin, I am a paralytic Oh Lord. I am infected with this
deadly disease known as sin. I am not perfect but a sinner who needs
your cleansing blood to clean me of my sin everyday. I confess to you my
sin and repent of my sin. I know you have forgiven me when you died on
the cross. I want to accept that forgiveness. Thank you for shedding
your cleansing precious blood for me. You were nailed to the cross
because of me. It is like I actually held the hammer and pounded the
nails so I could be free. Thank you for willingly dying for me Jesus.
Thank you for taking the shame and pain for me. Thank you for doing that
to set me free. I come to the cross and ask you for your healing in my
life. Thank you for the power of your Blood to redeem humanity. Thank
you for coming back to life to save us and give us Eternal Life as we
yield to you. Your blood can heal us where we are. I love you Jesus.
Even with my questions, I come to you now and
accept you into my heart. Please Jesus come into my heart and make my
heart your home. Give me a transfusion of change. Live in me Jesus and I
will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I thank
you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank
you for living in me Jesus. I acknowledge you now as my Lord and
Personal Savior. Please be the Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you for
being my Lord and Personal Savior Jesus and because of what you have
done for me when God looks at me, He now sees me covered in your blood
and His judgment passes over me. Thank you that you have heard my prayer
and answered me. Thank you for being with me Lord. Please fill me with
your Holy Spirit. Thank you Jesus I now belong to you and never need to
be alone! You will always be with me and have given me Salvation. In
Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
May my spoken words and
unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my
Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)
