Sermon Tone Analysis
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*Intro* – A pair of cows were talking in the field.
One says, “Have you heard about the mad cow disease that’s going around?” “Yeah,” the other cow says.
“Makes me glad I’m a penguin.”
In that case, perhaps self-deception was a good thing!
But most of the time, not so much!
That’s our theme today.
Many are deceived with regard to salvation – thinking they are good enough without Christ.
The truth is: You can’t be too bad to be saved; but you can be too good!
Self-deceived! There’s a thought, isn’t it?
Too good to be saved!
This passage is about Jesus calling Levi.
Some teach this is a call to discipleship, not salvation.
But that is another misconception.
You can’t be saved without being a disciple; and you can’t be a disciple without being saved.
The calls are one and the same.
So, this is the call of Levi.
In Matt’s account (9:9-17) he calls himself Matt.
They are one and the same -- the man who would eventually write the first book in the NT.
Isn’t that something?
From hated tax collector to beloved gospel writer.
It shows that no one is too low for the reach of Jesus.
Unfortunately, some are too high.
*I.
The Call -- I want us to see three elements in this call*
*A.
Who is Called*
V. 27, “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth.
And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” “Saw” means “gazed intently at.”
Jesus deliberately singled Levi out.
Levi has seen Jesus around town.
His heart is ready.
So, right after Jesus shows His power to forgive sins, He heads to the beach and fixes His gaze directly onto Levi.
Why?
Because Levi is the worst of the worst.
He shows Jesus’ grace extends to all – even tax collectors!
Tax collectors were hated because they worked for the Romans and cheated their own people, becoming rich in the process.
If ever there was a sinner in the group around Jesus, it was Matt.
Of course, they were all sinners, but none was so looked down upon and so despised as Matt.
Matt’s position at the tax booth indicates he did the dirty work of collecting for a boss who contracted directly with Rome.
Thus, he was hated by everyone.
His position near the Sea of Galilee suggests he taxed the fishing industry.
Undoubtedly he was well known by and despised by Peter, James, John and Andrew for taxing them.
Money was his god or he would never have been in this job.
He was an outcast -- until Jesus fixed His gaze on him, and called him to His inner circle, much to the dismay of everyone around.
Tax collectors were shunned by the rabbis who said that a sinner like Matt could repent, but he would die immediately.
So his only hope was to wring as much as possible out of life, then, when he was about to kick off, go and repent, hoping for forgiveness.
It was the only chance he had – until Jesus came!
The religious elite of his day would have walked right by Matt like he didn’t even exist.
Jesus came straight for him.
The Pharisees would have said, “We’ll take you as soon as you straighten yourself out.”
Jesus says, “Are you a sinner?
Then you’re the one I came for.
Follow me.”
Jesus came for all us sinners.
Makes no difference where we’ve been or what we’ve done.
All that matters is that we will repent.
You can’t be too bad to be saved; you can only be too good.
“Good” people see no need to repent.
So Jesus calls those who will admit they have a problem.
Jesus singled out Matt to show that He can save anyone.
Matt gave a feast and invited all his tax collector and sinner friends.
A gathering of misfits and outcasts.
We’d have sent regrets.
But Jesus went.
The Pharisees were appalled – as my Brit friends say, got their knickers in twist.
But this was Jesus’ kind of crowd.
He knew that the only difference between those at the party and those on the outside was that those inside were sinners and knew it; those on the outside were sinners and didn’t know it.
He came for those at the party – the only ones who would listen.
One commentator said it beautifully: “Here is revelation bright as the evening star: Jesus comes for sinners, for those as outcast as tax collectors and for those caught up in squalid choices and failed dreams.
He comes for corporate executives, street people, superstars, farmers, hookers, addicts, IRS agents, AIDS victims and even used-car salesmen.
Jesus not only talks with these people but dines with them – fully aware that His table fellowship with sinners will raise the eyebrows of religious bureaucrats who [condemn] truth and [reject] the gospel of grace.”
*B.
Where is He Called?*
V. 27, “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth.”
Where did Jesus call Matt?
In the temple?
The synagogue?
Out of the crowd?
No.
He called him right where he was – at the tax booth.
That was not a coincidence.
Paul expressed in Rom 3:11, “no one seeks for God.”
No one seeks God, so He seeks us, calls us -- right where we are.
It’s not a fraternity or club where you must qualify.
Jesus takes us where we are.
He doesn’t leave us there, but He starts with us just where we are.
In His culture, Jesus could not have called a person from a worse place if He had gone to the local brothel, which He did and does, by the way.
The tax booth was as onerous as it got and Levi was as condemned as can be.
But He didn’t have to clean himself up.
He didn’t have to put on a face and deny that he had a past.
He did nothing!
But Jesus said, “I want you.”
Matt never heard anything like that before.
He was like the Three Stooges when someone addressed them as “Gentlemen,” and they are looking around and behind to find out who is being addressed.
“It’s you, Matthew.
I want you!”
Aren’t you glad you don’t have to get cleaned up to come to Jesus?
The whole world is trying to do that.
It’s a zero-sum game.
Can’t be done.
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