Following Jesus in Everything (Luke 5:27-32)
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" 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."" (Luke 5:27-32, NIV)
Introduction
Over the next three weeks, we are going to take a look at what it means to follow Jesus.
Next Sunday's sermon will be entitled, "Following Jesus through Seasons of Change."
Two weeks from today it will be, "Following Jesus in Our Relationships."
Today, we are going to look at what it means to follow Him in everything.
1. Following Jesus will reveal my destiny.
Sitting at his tax collector's booth that day, Matthew did not know the reason he was alive, but Jesus did…! Though he was quite successful financially (note the size of the banquet he gave…!), he would have never imagined that he would become an apostle of Christ and the author of one of the Gospels in the New Testament, known by name to millions down through the centuries. Jesus had a destiny in mind for him that he could not discover until he rose up to follow the Lord.
When Matthew arose to follow Christ, we walked out of his past into his future and into his destiny. No matter how successful you are or self-aware you may be (in the sense of knowing your gifts and talents, etc.), you will never fully understand the reason why you are alive until you begin to follow Jesus. You may know, for instance, that you have artistic gifting and may even become a celebrated painter or sculptor who says, "I was born to be an artist," but there will always be a missing dimension in your life until you come into a personal relationship with the God would created you and has a plan for your life.
2. Following Jesus will transform my personality.
As Matthew left his past and began following Jesus into his future, He started on a journey of personal transformation that would not only change his destiny, but also mold and shape his character.
God's highest goal for our lives is to help us become like His Son, Jesus Christ. He will give us every resource we need
We sometimes say to God, "This is just the way that I am" and He replies, "No, that is just the way you have been. Let me show you what you can become, with my help."
This begins in a moment, but continues throughout our lifetimes. It begins with an experience, but is only able to continue through an ongoing relationship with God cultivated by the pursuit of His manifest presence, the study of His Word, and personal participation in His harvest. (How did Jesus make disciples? He spent time with them; He taught them; and He involved them alongside Himself in what He was doing.)
*My personal journey (ADD, etc.)
· Following means trusting.
· Following means submitting.
· Following means obeying.
· Following means learning.
· Following means loving.
· Following means giving.
· Following means receiving.
· Following means dying.
· Following means living.
The personal transformation I experience is one of the main reasons why following Jesus will impact my relationships! (Two weeks from today…!)
3. Following Jesus will impact those around me.
How to share your faith like Levi:
· Capitalize on your sphere of influence. Matthew invited other tax collectors because that is what he was. They had things in common. Tip: If there is someone in particular that you want to reach for Jesus, focus first on developing a relationship with them through common interests and shared experiences.
· Meet over a meal. (There is tremendous power in breaking bread together. Jesus did it with His disciples at the most important moment in their relationship and commanded His followers to do it together, often. Ancient Bedouins forbade harming or injuring anyone who was sitting "à table" with them…!
· Prepare yourself for criticism and misunderstanding. (The people around you may not understand you. The people you reach out to may reject you.)
· Focus on the greatest needs. (All good doctors invest the majority of their time in the sickest patients…! "They that are whole do not need a physician…!" It is God's job to ripen the harvest, it is our job to reap the harvest…!)
4. Following Jesus will thrust me into controversy.
We must love Him more than anyone else and be willing to sacrifice all other relationships to fully follow Him.
Here's the good news – Jesus has promised to give us new relationships in place of the ones we have lost!
"28 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."" (Mark 10:28-31, NIV)
" 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me." (John 15:18-21, NIV)
"32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. 34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' 37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:32-39, NIV)
5. Following Jesus will both cost me and bless me.
Following Jesus will take me to the Mountain
Disciples blessed by seeing and hearing on the Mount of Transfiguration what others did not.
"23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."" (Luke 10:23-24, NIV)
Following Jesus will take me to the Garden.
· Decisions will be thrust upon me…!
Following Jesus will take me to the Cross! (Not just for salvation, but also for lordship…!)
"38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:38, NIV)
"23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23, NIV)
"27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27, NIV)
What is the meaning of the cross?
· Shame that ends in honor!
· Rejection that ends in exaltation!
"4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:4-11, NIV)
· Sorrow that ends in joy! ("Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame." Not sadistic or masochistic, but a resolute, purposeful pain like a mother that endures childbirth, etc.)
" Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV)
· Loss that ends in gain! (His gain, not my gain; "Their" gain, not my gain…!)
"21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith," (Philippians 1:21-25, NIV)
· Death that ends in life!
"20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NIV)
Following Jesus will take me to the Empty Tomb!
Following Jesus will take me to the Upper Room!
Following Jesus will take me to heaven, to the Father's right hand!
Notes:
Tax collectors were hated because they were perceived as having betrayed their people for monetary gain. Also because they took money from those who worked (Jews) and gave it to those who did not work (Roman overlords).
One word from God really can change your life forever…if you will respond to it and obey it. (Word is like a seed planted in the ground. If it is watered, it has incredible potential to bring forth exponential increase…!)
Levi must have been a very wealthy man because he was able to give a very great banquet with a lot of guests and other tax collectors (imagine a top financial services person or mutual fund manager inviting all his peers.)
The same group of religious leaders who had previously questioned Jesus' authority (v. 21) questioned the propriety of Jesus' association with tax collectors and "sinners." Not only was Jesus associating with people to whom the Pharisees objected, but He also was eating and drinking with them. Eating and drinking with others denotes a fellowship or camaraderie with them.[1]
The Pharisees complained to Jesus' disciples instead of to Him directly (they always had a hard time answering Him…! Have you ever found yourself in a situation where impressions and emotions have been built up in your own mind to a very great degree and then when you actually sit down with the person and talk with them, everything changes?!) It is a weak and cowardly mind and heart that says things behind a person's back that they would not say to their face…!
Peter Marshall's mother's advice to ask three questions before speaking: 1. Is it true? 2. Is it kind? 3. Is it necessary? Many of the greatest problems we have in life as individuals and in our church as a community come about because of an inability to control our tongues…!
Disciples were followers, but apostles were those sent out as messengers with delegated authority[2] (In God's economy, you must be a follower before you can be a leader…, before you can be a messenger…!
It is likely that Jesus at this time gave Levi his new name—"Matthew, the gift of God" (Luke 6:15; see also Matt. 9:9). [3]
Since the tax rates were not always clear, it was easy for an unscrupulous man to make extra money for himself. But even if a tax collector served honestly, the Jews still despised him for defiling himself by working for the Gentiles. John the Baptist had made it clear that there was nothing innately sinful in collecting taxes (Luke 3:12–13), and we have no evidence that Matthew was a thief. But to the Jews, Levi was a sinner,[4]
Following Jesus will teach me things I have never known.
Following Jesus will take me places I have never gone.
Following Jesus will change me into someone I have never been.
Where He Leads Me I Will Follow…
[1]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 2:218.
[2]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 2:219.
[3]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, "An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire 'BE' Series"--Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989), Lk 5:27.
[4]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, "An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire 'BE' Series"--Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989), Lk 5:27.
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