Title: Jesus of the Humble
Contents
Word: Mark 2:13-17
Title: Jesus of the Humble
In today's text, there is a man named Levi, son of Alphaeus. This man is described as Matthew in Matthew 9:9. Matthew is a tax official. At that time, tax collectors were treated by the Jews as a slave to the Roman government. When referring to criminals, the most representative occupations are tax collectors and prostitutes. That is why a publican is morally and ethically at the bottom of life.
However, Jesus came to the customs office and saved Matthew the tax collector. Matthew was thankful that he was saved and held a feast. People always seem to gather with like-minded people. At Matthew's house, people similar to Matthew gathered together: tax collectors and sinners.
However, in the text, apart from these groups of tax collectors and sinners, there are groups that despise them and claim to be righteous, which are the scribes and Pharisees. They see Jesus having a meal with tax collectors and sinners and criticize him with enthusiasm.
At this time, Jesus said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are sick.” He said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” In other words, only those who consider themselves to be sinners need Jesus, and they are saying that they can meet Jesus.
Who can have a relationship with Jesus? People who consider themselves to be sinners. Rather than saying that they are guilty of many sins, this word refers to humble people who admit that they are sinners and have nothing to offer before God.
Even though Jesus said, “I have come to call sinners,” it seems that those who came to Jesus thinking that he was a sinner were rare then and now. The reason is that everyone hates to call himself a sinner.
There was a certain black student. He said he especially liked white. So he brushed and smeared and preferred to wear white clothes. He hated talking about black subjects. But the more he does, the more his actions paradoxically reveal that he is a black man.
There are two kinds of people who hate to confess that they are sinners. The first is a person who tries not to be seen as a sinner by others by glorifying and protecting himself, and the second is a person who hates sin. Not because he hates sin itself, but because he hates being pointed out as a sinner.
When these kinds of people come to church, even in the church, they hate it when they talk about it, and when they point out that they are sinners, they get terrified and hate it. That is why these people are looking for churches that do not speak of sin and do not point out that they are sinners, and preachers who do not speak of sin.
One of the preachers in America is Norman Vincent Peale. He was referred to as a preacher of a million people. His sermonbooks were sold out, and a huge number of people read his sermons. One of the characteristics of his sermons is that he rarely uses the word sin. However, no one knows where and what the millions of people who have come to listen to his sermons, read his sermons and are moved by his sermons are doing. Hearing his sermons and reading the sermonbooks, I was moved, but no change occurred.
Why? It is because they were moved, but because they did not have the experience of meeting Jesus, their lives did not change and they eventually returned to their former lives.
This time today, “Who meets Jesus? Whose Savior is Jesus?” I would like to share some grace with you on this topic.
1. Jesus is coming (verse 14)
When you are just spending time at home with nothing to do (aka: a trip to Bangkok), when someone calls or visits you, you must have experienced a very pleasant feeling. I'm really happy even though we're not very close.
Bullying has been around for a long time in schools. Bullying really needs to go away. But the reality is still there. Have you ever been bullied? I've heard of a student's experience of being bullied. He said, his most dreadful thing is going to school. And it is said that at lunchtime, he sits alone in a corner, eats, and tears while looking at the sky at the playground.
Conversely, the last time a student who was bullied felt great joy was when someone came to him and talked to him. Even greater joy is spending time with them. So he says he wants to do anything for him who is his friend and spends time with him. because it's so good
At that time, publicans and prostitutes were really lonely. They are the most vicious sinners among sinners, and they are treated as inferior to a human being, so no one comes around them. So they are even more lonely. Because no one seeks them out, and no one accepts them as neighbors and friends, they rather harbor poison and focus on their work.
But Jesus came to those who were not looking for them. and spoke Their family and brothers were afraid of their neighbors and couldn't talk to them recklessly, but Jesus came and talked to them first. And what's even more surprising is that they sat with them.
When you suffer from pain that no one knows about, and when the pain is so great that you come to the sea alone, not knowing what to do, how much strength and comfort can it be when your parents, siblings, or friends gently come to you and gently hold your hand? Jesus is a true friend. Even if everyone leaves after being bullied, Jesus continues to be there and becomes a true friend.
No matter what kind of pain or difficulty, if Jesus, the true friend, comes to you, you will be comforted, strengthened, and courageous at once. Then, to whom does Jesus come?
2. Jesus of the humble (verse 17)
There is a good example of how modern people hate the word sin and hate being pointed out as a sinner.
Sinners hate being exposed to the fact that they are sinners. That's why they pretend they're not criminals. However, modern people have an attitude to deal with the problem of sin lightly. The same is true in the church. It is the right attitude to hide the sin and not take issue with it. This is a symptom of the sickness of the church. The number of teachers is not the problem.
It simply treats the seriousness of the problem of sin. The problem of sin is by no means simple. This is because the power of the cross comes from solving the problem of sin.
“The wages of sin is death, and the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23)” About 36 years ago, on December 24, 1974, a fire broke out at the Daeyeongak Hotel in Seoul. I don't know how many sins were committed there on the night of Christmas Eve. However, when he woke up in the morning, the hotel was turned into a fire pit and became a hell of a struggle.
This morning I will go there if I do not deal with my sins. If you do not deal with your sins, you will go to eternal hell. Therefore, sin is by no means a simple matter.
Jesus made it clear. He said that he came to have a relationship with sinners. So, who can have a relationship with Jesus? That is, “he who confesses that I am a sinner” can have a relationship with Jesus.
If a patient claims that he is healthy and has no ailments, the doctor will never confront this patient. Rather, when he admits that he is ill, the doctor will establish a relationship with him to provide treatment, counseling, and treatment.
There is one thing we need to know here. You must know that confessing to Jesus that I am a sinner is acknowledging that Jesus is the One who judges and forgives.
The Bible says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” said Without blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. Leviticus 17:11 says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make an atonement for your lives by sprinkling it on the altar; for the life is in the blood, the blood makes atonement.
Blood is life. Blood is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. Because sin took life and brought death. Death reigns because of sin. In order to chase death and bring eternal life, blood, which is the same price as life, and also innocent blood must be sacrificed.
To solve this very problem, the sinless Jesus shed His precious blood of sacrifice. Now God is fully prepared to forgive all human sins. If you believe and accept Jesus as your Savior, even if the devil lists the items of sin before God and reads them, he will say, “I have forgiven all my sins.” The blood of Jesus is the precious blood that has more than enough to wash away all my sins. Any sin can be forgiven. Forgive no matter how many sins
What must be preceded in order to receive such forgiveness is “confessing that I am a sinner”. Because Jesus, who shed his blood for us, becomes the Jesus of “the humble one who confessed that I am a sinner.”
Let's listen again to what the Lord is saying today. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
The Lord came to call all sinners, but those Pharisees were not saved because they knew they were righteous. Sinners who think they are sinners, sinners who come before the Lord, sinners who believe in the doctor Jesus Christ, and humble sinners who obey His Word are saved through Christ, live in grace with Christ, walk with Christ and become disciples of Christ. will live
Anxiety, irritability, and complaining even with everything in the world is because the most important problem of sin has not been solved. Let's go before the Lord who came to call sinners. Even now, Jesus is calling you.
Jesus wanted to humble himself and have a relationship with us, who are humble sinners, rather than having a relationship with someone who is not proud and unaware that he is a sinner. Problems are forgiven and resolved, and full gratitude overflows in our lives.
I hope that you will come to Jesus daily and humble yourself so that your sin problem will be resolved and you will become a saint who is overflowing with full gratitude and restores joy.