^“After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸ And he got up, left everything, and followed him. ²⁹ Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; ³² I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32

It was a measure of Christ’s grace, a true departure from the expected that he would call a tax collector to be his disciple and follower. It was his grace, the call so powerful, so effective that “Matthew got up, left everything, and followed Jesus”. It was due to His grace that Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, and to assure them of pardon for nothing more than faith. It was because of his grace, that he so willingly absorbed the ridicule of the religious leaders for being with sinners when others had given up on them.  It was a wonder of his grace, that he led the disciples and helped them to see their own strengths and giftedness.

Do you wonder at all about what it means to live in the Grace of Jesus Christ? Does Grace confuse you? If you are having trouble understanding the unmerited love, the unconditional love and mercy, the unearned love, mercy and Grace of Jesus Christ, then you need to spend more time living in the Grace of G-d – which begins with repentance, and ends (or should I say continues) in an empty tomb.

Pastor Dave

“Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” ¹³ Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴ And he ordered him to tell no one. “Go,” he said, “and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.” ¹⁵ But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. ¹⁶ But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” Luke 5:12-16

Jesus reaches out to touch the unclean man – without hesitation, without fear, without concern for what others think of his gesture. And this is significant because, in his context, by touching an “unclean” person, he too would be unclean. As a Rabbi, this would have presented a real dilemma for Jesus, according to the other religious leaders. But not according to Jesus.

Can we do the same to those in our communities who are “unclean?” How often are we concerned with the cleanliness of our homes, our clothes, our eating utensils, our hands, so much so that it interferes with doing other things? I am not saying that cleanliness is not next to Godliness, but cleanliness should not keep us from being witnesses to G-d and for G-d – especially for the ministry of Jesus Christ who touched the unclean and showed no concern for risking his own cleanliness. Are we willing to make others clean and risk our own cleanliness? Our ministries to the poor, the oppressed and the imprisoned will often put us in contact with those who are not clean – by societal standards. If it was not a problem for Jesus, then why should it be a problem for us? Ministry is often dirty business.

Pastor Dave