Proclaiming the Gospel So More People Know God.

KJ Washington

[0:06] Well, it’s just a privilege and honor to be able to be before you guys to open up God’s [0:11] holy and precious word. [0:12] Our local church is eternally grateful for the investment of you guys and the mission [0:17] of our church and making disciples in our community. [0:20] We set out on that mission two years ago and we’ve seen God’s grace move in so many different [0:25] ways as we’ve seen.

[0:26] People who do not know the Lord come to know him, those mature in Christ in particular [0:31] ways through our local church and we’re just getting started. [0:34] And so we’re praying for continued faithfulness and continued vitality and just being faithful [0:41] to the gospel until the end. [0:43] And so we’re really grateful to be able to be here with you guys today. [0:46] If you have a copy of God’s word, turn with me to Mark chapter two, verses 13 through

[0:51] 17. [0:52] And again, that’s Mark chapter two, verses 13 through 17 this morning. [0:58] Give you a moment. [0:59] But as I’m about to read these words into your hearing, here’s what the word of the [1:03] Lord says.

[1:22] And as he reclined at the table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining [1:28] with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [1:33] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and [1:37] tax collectors, said to his disciples, why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? [1:45] And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, those who are well have no need of a physician, [1:51] but those who are sick.

[1:54] I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners. [1:56] Praise be to God for the reading of his word. [2:00] I want to tag the text for our exchange this morning. [2:03] Proclaiming the gospel so more people know God. [2:08] Proclaiming the gospel so more people know God. [2:11] As you’ve been setting out on this sermon series, you’ve been seeking to understand

[2:15] your purpose that’s attached to the goals that are at hand. [2:19] One of these purposes we’re going to see in this text is something that we can adamantly [2:23] learn from Christ in a way that we should move forward and seeking to honor him for [2:29] his glory by making disciples who make disciples. [2:32] Because in our text, we will learn from Jesus about what it means to proclaim the gospel [2:36] so that more people can know him.

[2:39] In Christian Circles today, we will quantify that term with being missional. [2:43] We want to live on mission. [2:45] We want to reach people. [2:47] Maybe you’ve heard some of those phrases used before, but in our text, we’re going [2:51] to see that desire to share the good news, work itself out in some tangible manners. [2:57] But here’s the reality.

[2:59] If there’s not a structure or a framework in which you’re moving towards mission, you [3:04] probably won’t accomplish mission. [3:05] But on top of that, if you don’t understand your purpose, your mission will be fainting. [3:12] Why would that be the case? [3:13] Because if you don’t remember that the sole aim and you seek to reach your neighbors, [3:18] reach those who are around you, is for them to know and to love God.

[3:21] Friends, you can get distracted. [3:23] You can get so distracted because you’ll look for the new strategy and your strategy’s [3:26] not working, but you will miss those who are in front of you whom God has placed before you. [3:32] See, this text is going to be evident here for us. [3:35] I want us to see this, is that our desire to proclaim good news needs to be accompanied [3:40] by our hearts that yearn to see those around us to intimately know God, intimately know

[3:47] Him in the way, hopefully that I hope for you, that you would know God in such a way [3:51] that you’ve encountered the Father through the Son’s love that was displayed for us [3:56] on the cross of Christ and the Holy Spirit. [3:58] Open your eyes to the glorious news of the gospel and your need for that relationship [4:03] with the Savior. [4:03] You want your neighbors, your friends, your family members, those in your community to

[4:09] know and to love God. [4:11] Have you ever been though around someone who has some good news to share with you? [4:16] You talk to them and you know they’re ready to share that good news with you, but the [4:20] entire time that they’re aiming to communicate to you, they’re talking past you? [4:25] Or maybe they’re just trying to get that weight off their shoulders. [4:28] You’ve had that conversation before.

[4:29] I know you have. [4:30] Where they’re just trying to get that information out to you and you’re like, do you really [4:33] are you really trying to talk to me? [4:35] Do you understand my personhood that I’m right here before you? [4:39] I’m a person with a soul that desires to know and be known. [4:45] See, we do this sometimes when it comes to mission.

[4:48] We say we want to take the good news of the gospel to the nations. [4:51] We want to take it to our neighbors, but sometimes we want just to communicate that information [4:56] and we miss the hearts of people. [4:59] Engaging them where they’re at, who they are, and trusting God for his desire, his [5:03] ability to transform and transcend. [5:07] See, our purpose behind our proclamation serves as the foundation for our posture in mission.

[5:13] You talk about people having a good or bad posture. [5:15] Sometimes we have bad postures and our heart is off. [5:18] Our posture is probably going to be off. [5:19] And so if our posture isn’t for those around us to know our Lord, friends, you might drift. [5:26] See, I’ve witnessed this before with some people even that I know and love that they’ve [5:31] tried to engage someone, but they’ve talked past them.

[5:34] They just wanted to be able to say they shared the gospel. [5:37] Oh, I checked off the box. [5:39] I did it this week. [5:40] I shared the gospel, but they missed the person. [5:43] See, what we learn from Jesus in this text is that to be missional is threefold. [5:49] It means we engage people, friends, we befriend people, and then he transforms people.

[5:55] Let me repeat that to you one more time. [5:56] It’s that we engage people, we befriend people, and he transforms people. [6:02] Because it’s so easy for us to want to split those things up and maybe hone in on one [6:07] of those over the other. [6:09] And all of us probably have a tension within us that we might gravitate towards one over [6:13] the other.

[6:14] And so I think that’s where we need to be honest with ourselves. [6:16] For some, they say, well, you know, I’m good at moving towards people. [6:19] You know, I’m nice with them at the grocery store, at the park or whatever. [6:23] Maybe some of you are good at befriending people, making friends. [6:27] Another is you got to watch God transform. [6:29] You got to plead with God to transform them.

[6:30] You got to share the gospel and trust the spirit to work and doing this work within [6:35] another person. [6:37] So let us reflect on what it means for us to be these missional people together. [6:41] That leads me to point number one this morning. [6:44] Mission challenges you to move toward people. [6:47] Mission challenges you to move toward people.

[6:49] At this time, Jesus is teaching ministry is growing in Galilee. [6:53] He recently had healed the paralytic and everyone was wanting to be in his presence. [6:58] Could you just imagine coming down Court House Road right now, a mob of people following [7:02] a man because something big had happened and they just wanted to be in his presence. [7:07] You probably will look at them and say, ain’t it odd? [7:10] That’s weird.

[7:11] You all probably be pointing outside the windows of the church right now. [7:14] Say, what is going on there? [7:15] But a movement was transpiring and this group of people desire to learn more. [7:21] They desire to hear more from Jesus. [7:24] But this is the key observation I want us to understand is that Jesus taught those [7:28] who were currently following him and he moved towards those who did not follow him.

[7:33] So as they are following him, walking alongside of him, he has eyes set on other people. [7:39] He wanted those other people to come to know him. [7:43] This causes us to pause and reflect for a moment. [7:47] As God’s people, His church, we sometimes tend to believe that there is a false dichotomy [7:52] between biblical community and mission. [7:55] I mean, people swing either way on that conversation at times, but some Christians only spend time

[8:00] with Christians and there’s others that say, well, I only need to spend time with non-believers. [8:04] Both within itself can be a bad extreme. [8:07] But here’s the reality. [8:09] Christians should be tethered to community and be passionate about those who are far from God. [8:16] Friends, you don’t have to choose. [8:17] You should live within the tension and be on mission because you will cherish community

[8:22] more when you spend time with people who don’t know Jesus. [8:26] Oh, why is that the case? [8:27] Well, let me tell you real quick. [8:28] You’ve had it before. [8:29] When you’ve been with some people who don’t know the Lord and you’re walking with them, [8:32] you’re having conversations with them, you’re like, well, this is ain’t the same.

[8:36] Well, when you go back to your community, you sit with them, you relate with them, [8:40] you have conversations with them. [8:41] You’re like, okay, this is what God has created us for. [8:45] The same is true on the opposite side of the spectrum. [8:48] You will praise God for mission when you experience a community of people who are always on mission. [8:54] Let me tease that out for you for a moment.

[8:56] The people that they might bring to you as you’re hanging out in community are not seen [9:01] as an obstacle or a hurdle, but an opportunity for God to work. [9:04] Friends, sometimes if we are not living on mission and community together, [9:08] we will become nearsighted sometimes and we will miss out on what God wants to do. [9:14] We will miss out on how he wants to work through his church because the church flourishes, [9:20] not in this tension, but in unison.

[9:22] When we move forward together in such a healthy way, [9:25] when we buy into it collectively and hold each other accountable, [9:28] because friends, each one of you will drift in one direction or the other. [9:32] This is why you need the church to hold you accountable and to move you forward together. [9:37] When we talk about making disciples, it happens both inside and outside the community of believers. [9:43] You will probably be in discipleship relationships with those inside of your community group,

[9:48] in the spaces of people that you’re walking with in discipleship groups. [9:52] But also, friends, you should have a desire to make disciples in the marketplace, [9:57] the city center, at your job, at the gym, at the park, wherever God takes you to. [10:02] There’s an opportunity before you to continue to make disciples. [10:07] And that’s what we see in this text that Jesus gives us a vision, [10:10] so that we can seek to understand what it looks like to actually pursue other people.

[10:16] And the cool thing about it is, he shows us, he says, [10:18] come and join me while I’m on mission, because the community of believers [10:22] join him on mission. [10:24] He showed them how. [10:26] Many times, that’s the reason why a lot of us struggle to engage in mission. [10:30] We’re nervous.

[10:31] We don’t know what to do, how to do it. [10:34] But God’s given us his people, his church to walk alongside of, [10:37] to encourage us along the way. [10:40] But you have to look for the opportunities. [10:42] You have to go before yourself and say, [10:44] God, have you placed people in the spaces that I’m already in?

[10:48] Have you given me opportunities to reach other people while I’m living?

[10:54] So raise that question for yourself. [10:55] Are there people that you’re just missing right now [10:58] that God has placed before you? [11:01] Because on the other side of that, many of us have become isolated in missional living. [11:06] We’ve relegated our families to the lone ranger mentality. [11:11] Oh, we’re just going to take our neighborhood for Christ all by ourselves.

[11:15] But we forget that God has given us a people to walk alongside of us [11:18] for that conversation that you might have with someone that [11:21] they might come from a different background. [11:23] They might have different interests than you. [11:25] You’re like, I just don’t even know how to relate to them. [11:26] That’s why God has given you his people to walk alongside of you.

[11:29] So you can do life together so you can bring people into those conversations with you. [11:35] Friends, you’re not called to do this alone. [11:38] But Christ did this with a purpose. [11:41] It was as he was going, as he was walking the streets, [11:45] he was seeking to make disciples by engaging friends,

[11:49] befriending and transforming people’s lives. [11:54] But why do you do this? [11:56] Because of the internal purpose of the Father to establish his kingdom. [12:00] See, anytime we separate the mission of God from eternal purpose [12:03] of God making himself known to the nations, friends, [12:07] you might be tempted to settle even in your own life

[12:10] for just making converts than disciples of Jesus. [12:14] You might just be willing to settle with, oh, let me just get to them this information. [12:19] As long as they say, yes, I’m good. [12:21] If they say no, I’ll try again later, you know. [12:24] But in this text, I think we see that Christ walks alongside of them in a different way. [12:33] He proclaims who he is, but then calls him to actually to follow him.

[12:40] And you don’t have to do this alone. [12:42] See, going back at the text, see what he says here. [12:46] He sets his eyes on Levi and he went to him and said, follow me. [12:53] I mean, could you just imagine just those two words being said [12:56] by the God of the universe in this moment? [12:59] And you’re like, okay, I’m coming.

[13:00] I mean, could you imagine yourself having that ability to have that conversation [13:03] with a neighbor and having that much force? [13:06] Well, we don’t, but we can still learn from Jesus here. [13:10] Sometimes we look at Christ and what he did in this moment, [13:12] and say, well, that was really easy for him. [13:14] But he still gives us a paradigm for us to understand that we still need to

[13:18] engage our neighbors well with the gospel. [13:22] There’s two important lessons we should learn from this in this moment [13:26] is that he moved toward Levi and he still called him to faith. [13:31] So you have to be intentional in making disciples. [13:34] You’re not just going to stumble into making disciples or sharing your faith [13:38] with others and actually walking alongside of them.

[13:41] No, friends, active Christians make disciples. [13:45] Inactive Christians are content with converts. [13:48] They’re content to say, hey, as long as they show up, [13:50] they declare faith in one moment, we’re good. [13:55] Active followers of Jesus are not content with just people just sitting in the status quo, [14:00] but they want to see them mature in Christ and grow in their love and joy of the Lord.

[14:07] See, that’s why the purpose matters. [14:08] This has to be rooted and founded in this desire for people to know and to love God.

[14:16] Because if we relegate it to something else, it will be dangerous for them [14:22] because they actually might miss out on God.

[14:26] So take advantage of these opportunities that you’ve been placed in. [14:28] Keep moving towards people because we are creatures of habit. [14:32] You might be wondering, well, I don’t have opportunities around me. [14:36] Yes, you do. You have habits. [14:38] You go to the grocery store about the same time every week. [14:40] You see the same type of cashiers and tellers.

[14:43] You go to the same coffee shops around the same time with the same type of coffee. [14:45] Same baristas, but the barista knows your name because they’ve written your name down 15 times, [14:49] but you never got to know their name. [14:51] You’ve seen the same people at the gym, but you walk into the gym, you start lifting weights. [14:55] I hope nobody talks to me. I got my headphones in. Don’t bother me.

[15:00] Try not to engage. [15:02] Friends, the Lord has placed you in a space for a reason [15:05] and given you the opportunity to engage. [15:07] But what will you do with it? [15:09] As you are going to the grocery store, to the gym, to the parks, [15:12] will you take advantage of this opportunity?

[15:15] Will you move toward people? [15:18] So you have the decision to make. [15:19] Will you see them as an obstacle or an opportunity for God to work? [15:24] And this is why it’s so perplexing for those who are following Jesus in this moment. [15:29] Jesus starts moving toward Levi and in their mind is like, [15:33] why would you go and pursue someone like him?

[15:37] It just doesn’t make sense. [15:38] Maybe you’ve been with somebody before [15:39] and they start having that conversation with the people that you were hoping wouldn’t talk to you [15:43] or the person sitting at the table next to you. [15:45] Like I’m just I’m having my own family meal by myself. Don’t bother me. [15:49] Come on, y’all need to be real to yourselves because I know it’s there in y’all.

[15:52] Right. I’ve been there too. So I’m with you. [15:54] But we just want to check our hearts though, [15:56] because they’re like, why would you pursue relationship with someone like him? [16:01] Well, Levi, let me tell you about him for a moment. [16:03] He was a disliked man. [16:06] He was a tax collector.

[16:07] And back then, tax collectors were straight up hustlers. [16:12] And some of y’all are like, they still hustle. [16:13] They still hustle me right now, my money. [16:16] See, the government at this time utilized a farming system for tax collecting [16:21] and individuals would make bids to the government to become a tax collector. [16:26] So what they would do is they would go to the government and say,

[16:29] okay, I will take the bids for you and go grab all the money that you need. [16:33] But here’s the catch. [16:35] Anything over the tax from the government, they got to pocket themselves. [16:39] They were not held accountable. [16:40] They could do whatever that they wanted to do. [16:44] So these tax collectors said, well, this gives me enough incentive.

[16:47] I’m just trying to monopolize my opportunity. [16:51] So they go down to Courthouse Road at the intersection of Melothi and Turnpike, [16:56] set up their tax booth. [16:57] Imagine me just sitting there waiting for you. [17:00] Said, oh, man, you drive this car. [17:02] It must be doing all right.

[17:04] $600.

[17:06] They would have to hand it over to them. [17:09] Even though the tax from the government was only $250, that’s a quick dollar. [17:14] Put it in their pockets. [17:14] The pockets were deep from these individuals. [17:17] They were the first hustlers here, we see.

[17:21] So it makes sense why they didn’t like them. [17:24] In this moment, anytime, in place, they could do whatever they wanted.

[17:30] Could you imagine that? [17:32] Could you imagine what would be going through your mind if you saw that person on the street [17:36] and you saw Jesus moving towards them, seeking to build a relationship with them?

[17:43] Jesus was not talking to the executive officer or the facilities manager, [17:49] not a white collar worker in their minds or a blue collar worker in their minds, [17:53] whatever is in your head, but engaged the person that no one wanted him to talk to. [18:01] He moved towards them. [18:03] He didn’t look down.

[18:06] He engaged the person that everybody else was naturally disgusted with.

[18:11] See, Luke chapter 5 verse 28 says that Levi left everything and he rose and followed him. [18:18] Two words, follow me. [18:20] Levi turned towards Christ and started following him. [18:25] That’s because Christ pursued him. [18:28] See, friends, I don’t know about you, but you might be missing some Levi’s in your life [18:31] that those people are right around you, that others don’t want to talk to,

[18:35] that you’ve previously haven’t wanted to engage, but God has brought them right before you.

[18:42] What are you going to do with this opportunity? [18:44] What if God desires for them to know him intimately, deeply, [18:47] and he’s called you to share the gospel, to build relationship with them, [18:50] so they can walk with our Lord?

[18:55] See, for us to reach a Levi, it will require you to remember the heartbeat of God. [19:00] God’s desire in us being called to this great commission to make disciples. [19:06] That’s not something that sits within you of just whenever you want to, [19:11] but it’s like, no, God’s called me to himself through the gospel, [19:15] and he desires for other people to know him as well. [19:19] See, God yearns for his imagers to know him.

[19:23] And the cross of Christ is a clear articulation of this reality. [19:27] Why is that the case? [19:29] Because it shows the extent that God is willing to go for people like you and I, [19:34] for people that have rebelled against him, sinned against him, who have a sin nature. [19:38] He showed us his love and his care, and that he wants us to know him. [19:42] And the cross shows us that reality.

[19:46] So if Jesus moves towards people, we should move towards them too. [19:50] And he did that by coming to earth and then ultimately dying and raising from the grave. [19:54] That leads me to point number two this morning. [19:57] See, mission drives you to befriend people who do not know Jesus. [20:03] Mission drives you to befriend people who do not know Jesus. [20:09] She shortly after meeting Jesus and deciding to follow him,

[20:14] Levi went back to the crib. [20:16] I’m gonna tell this in KJ’s rendition of the story for a moment, if y’all would allow me to do so. [20:21] So as custom, they would celebrate the salvations of individuals, that is true. [20:26] But Levi goes out and throws this massive party. [20:30] It’s the type of party that your neighbors throw in the backyard that you’re like, [20:33] man, can they just tune it down right now?

[20:38] Massive party. [20:39] I mean, I’m just imagining the great spread of food for me. [20:43] This is my love here, you know, so I’m looking for, look, [20:47] nice fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, greens, rolls, etc. [20:50] They’re eating the food for the glory of God. [20:52] They’re feasting, they’re throwing down.

[20:54] This is a good cookout, right? [20:57] So it’s the party’s happening, right? [20:59] But Jesus comes to this moment and he’s there with them and the Pharisees roll up. [21:05] And they’re like, why are you hanging out with them?

[21:10] Let me note this, if you’re a tax collector and you’re despised by other people, [21:14] you probably had other friends that people didn’t like either.

[21:20] So in that moment, they come to him, they see him there, [21:23] and that he’s spending time with them.

[21:29] But they weren’t okay with that. [21:31] If you note in the text, it gives two identifying clauses there to help us understand [21:36] on phrases to help them understand who the tax collectors are. [21:39] He says, they’re tax collectors and sinners. [21:42] Couldn’t just settle for sinners, like doubling down, [21:44] like let me help you understand how bad they were in our eyes.

[21:50] So Christ knew this, but he still spends time with them, even though they were frustrated with them. [21:55] See, the Pharisees were religious zealots who were legalistic and law bound, [21:59] and they believed it was unlawful for Jesus to be with uncleaned people. [22:04] And they were like, hey brother, you about to explain yourself for the reason why you are here. [22:11] But inside of us, we have that same temptation. [22:14] Have you looked at another follower of Jesus for trying to maybe invest in something?

[22:18] Somebody’s life? [22:19] You’re like, why are you hanging out with them? [22:21] Maybe it’s you were at the store, you’re like, doesn’t make sense why they’re associated. [22:25] Or you look outside and your neighbor’s house, [22:27] they have certain people coming over, you’re like, this doesn’t make sense. [22:30] Why are you bringing them into our neighborhood?

[22:32] Those types of thoughts might come through your mind. [22:35] So this type of Pharisee unclean mindset could be within us, [22:38] because we will even judge fellow believers when they seek to reach the loss. [22:44] Let alone we might judge some within the church, [22:46] because they might resemble the loss a little bit too much.

[22:52] But Jesus befriends them and engages them in this moment. [22:55] Friends, sanctification is a process, it takes time.

[23:00] But God saw this as an opportunity,

[23:04] knowing what he could do in Levi, but also what he could do in his friends group, [23:10] with his co-workers. [23:12] So he invested his time there. [23:14] See, sometimes we’ve been so far removed from not knowing Christ, [23:20] that we don’t even know how to engage people who are far from Christ. [23:25] Let me tease that out for a moment.

[23:26] So you’ve walked through maturation to a certain level where you’ve grown so much [23:32] and by God’s grace you’ve grown. [23:33] Praise God for the growth in your life. [23:36] But you act like sometimes you don’t really remember how it used to be. [23:41] It’s not until that moment where that friend from 25 years ago says to you, [23:45] hey, you remember back in the day when you were doing…

[23:48] Ah man, don’t talk about that anymore, because it reminds you who you used to be. [23:52] And there’s something about that for us, because we struggle to engage those who do not know the [23:56] Lord at times, because sometimes we forget where we come from. [24:00] How his grace met us, how his grace transformed our lives.

[24:06] And the Pharisees are like, how could you be with such a people like this?

[24:12] Friends, don’t lose sight of how God has worked in your life.

[24:21] Of your own sinfulness, your own brokenness. [24:24] Honestly, your own personal need right now for God to work in your life. [24:27] This text, he wasn’t dealing with people that were seekers in this moment. [24:32] Maybe those who might walk through the church doors and they want to learn more.

[24:37] But Jesus engaged those who seemed too far for others.

[24:50] See friends, Jesus befriended these sinners and he wasn’t ashamed.

[24:56] Do you think about that for yourself? Do you feel like you’d be ashamed if you actually [24:59] engage certain people in the grocery store, in the marketplace, at your job? [25:05] Maybe because they’re ostracized or they don’t have the life that everybody else wants. [25:11] Maybe it’s the person that you might see on the side of the road, maybe at the park.

[25:19] See, Jesus is a friend of sinners and friends, you should remember that for yourself and you [25:24] should praise God for that, that he is a friend of sinners. Because he met you where you were at. [25:32] He walked alongside of you when times were troubling and tough. He comes alongside of [25:40] you in such a way that he washes you in his grace. See, Jesus befriended sinners did not mean he [25:51] lost his standard of righteousness, but that he wanted to walk alongside of them. I mean, [25:57] if you would just think about it with me for a moment, have you ever been in a cafeteria

[26:00] before all of you have probably, and you’ve seen that child sitting by themselves? [26:05] Maybe that was you in school, you’re probably one or two people. You probably engaged them [26:11] or you stayed away. Maybe you’ve been that person yourself. But in this text, what Christ is helping [26:17] us understand is that he moved towards the person that someone did not want to talk to [26:22] and he met them there. And that’s good news because there’s some times that you’re not [26:27] too lovely. There’s some times that you’re not too caring in your mind. There’s some times when

[26:32] you don’t feel lovable, but God still meets you there. There’s times when you feel like people, [26:39] maybe Christian friends will judge you for something that you’re walking through and no [26:42] one will want to walk alongside of you. But Jesus is the friend of sinners. He comes there. He walks [26:47] alongside of you, friends. That should give you hope. And that should challenge us because God’s [26:54] called you in the same way to go out and to befriend and to care well for those who around us. [27:01] So not only did he call us to move toward them, but he calls us to befriend them. So we should

[27:07] spend time with those who don’t know Jesus. But we don’t spend time with them without a purpose. [27:13] Our purpose is for them to know God and enjoy him forever. So this might push you outside of your [27:17] comfort zone. This might mean that you might need to actually make friendships with people. [27:20] And that can be hard at times. I mean, it’s really interesting how awkward grown adults are at times [27:26] with making friends. Like you tell kids all the time, like, hey, y’all should go make friends [27:30] so and so. Adults are just as awkward. And y’all know too, that’s why you’re laughing. You’re like,

[27:34] yeah, like it’s really hard having a conversation. Like you talk to someone that you don’t know or [27:38] you don’t have something like that you relate to them with in your mind. So you’re like, okay, [27:42] what do I say? Hey, how are you doing today? Man, you know, but it’s real. It’s true. We need to [27:50] seek to build friendships with people and friendships take time to develop trust and [27:57] the ability to even speak into someone’s life. It takes effort and investment of time, care, [28:02] and intentionality. It takes the opportunity of opening up and getting hurt,

[28:10] but a greater opportunity for God’s grace to be put on display.

[28:15] See, many of us don’t pursue relationships because it will be an issue in our own life. [28:21] It’ll complicate it a little bit. You feel like you’re self-sufficient. You have what you need, [28:27] but God’s still calling us to move towards people. Will you trust Him to build friendships, [28:33] to use them for His glory? Will you trust that God will work in you as you befriend other sinners?

[28:44] And this is how God can work in us. It’s going to be a smooth process at times. It’s going to be [28:50] a hard process at times, but this is how God’s called us to engage people. He spent time with [28:58] them. He dwelt with them. Start in your neighborhood. Consider your workplace. [29:04] People want these relationships, and God might just use you to draw someone to Himself as you [29:11] share this good news, as you embody this good news, and you live in this way. Because when you [29:17] reach out to them, it should be from a desire for those who are sick to be healed, to encounter

[29:27] the great physician. Third this morning is that mission cares about those who are sick, [29:35] encountering the physician. In verse 30, Mark describes the grumbling of the Pharisees. [29:43] Why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners? I mean, it’s the million dollar question that [29:50] they had been wondering about. I mean, how could someone of this stature in the community, [29:56] the righteous one, stoop down so low to be among sinners like them?

[30:04] I mean, they already believed that these sinners were as unrighteous as they could get, [30:08] so why would the righteous man go with them? Maybe that’s similar to you. Maybe you think [30:14] about your own life, and you’re like, I only want to be around people that are moving exactly in [30:18] the same direction as me, maybe a few steps ahead of me, maybe one step or two behind me, but [30:23] by all means, like they have to by minimum be a Christian. And yes, I’ve already made the case [30:29] that you need biblical community, but also you can’t miss out on moving towards those who are

[30:36] in front of you. So this is why this is so confusing for them because for Jesus in this [30:43] moment, he’s captivating us by vision of hard work. Pressing in in this way isn’t easy. It [30:50] takes months, it takes years. It’s not just a conversation in a moment, but it’s opening [30:55] yourself to people to walk alongside of them. It’s you thinking about Friday night in your schedule, [31:02] and so-and-so really wants to watch the game with you, but you’re like, my couch is really [31:06] comfortable right now. I’ve had a long day at work, but you know your neighbor is just a big fan

[31:12] of that sports team, and they would love just to watch the game with someone, but you invite them [31:16] in. Maybe it’s at your dinner table. You just want quick dinners, but you know that if you take time [31:21] to invite someone over, it might take a while. The kids might go down a little bit later, it might [31:27] throw off your family schedule, but you’re seeking to befriend them with the purpose, friends, [31:34] because those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

[31:43] The world’s sick. We’ve been impacted by sin, and we need someone to be the Redeemer, and then the [31:49] Pharisees understood this illustration. Like, logically it makes sense. A sick person needs [31:55] to go to the doctor, but I don’t know about you. I know myself. Sometimes I’m a little [32:03] accidental about getting to the doctor. I think that I can get over whatever on my own. I can [32:09] keep stalling as long as I can before I acknowledge my need, but in this moment, what Christ is saying [32:16] is like, no, no, no. I’ve got the prescription for what they need. For the Pharisees, the second

[32:22] observation maybe would be is that they didn’t realize they were sick too, or they believe that [32:30] they outgrew their sickness. So the only reason that we’ll keep moving towards people is if we [32:38] remember our status and our need for the physician. Have you settled in such a way in your own heart [32:44] that you believe that you’ve outgrown the need for the great physician? Have you been trying to [32:52] take over your life and put into your own hands and trying to work yourself out of whatever [32:57] situation that you might be in to aid in your ailment?

[33:05] Maybe you’re someone who hasn’t experienced the work of the great physician, [33:09] the transforming power of the gospel, how Jesus can change you from the inside out, how he can [33:15] change everything about your life. Maybe you’re someone who has experienced that transformation, but

[33:23] you’ve forgotten how bad it is when you acknowledge your sickness and you know that you need him to [33:30] work. Some of us have become so self-sufficient that we don’t need to keep looking towards them.

[33:37] I feel like our diagnosis is just surface level, but it’s deep. The more you go through the files [33:45] of seeing what’s going on in your life, the deeper you get into the brokenness in your own heart, [33:49] and your need for someone to redeem. But there’s others though who I know who can attest with me [33:58] to the physician’s ethical standards and success rates. You’ve walked through some things in your [34:04] life. You’ve been through some valleys and every time you walk through some troubling situations, [34:09] whether it’s with your sin or someone else’s sin, God’s met you there. Maybe it’s been at your

[34:15] workplace and you’ve had a hard boss, you’ve been trying to navigate that season and you’ve been [34:19] looking for strength, but you run to one who can give you the strength. Maybe it’s with your family. [34:25] You’ve been struggling for patience and a way to care well for your children or for your spouse, [34:31] but God gives you what you need. Friends, if you’ve encountered the great physician, [34:36] you’re a living testimony of his work and you can attest to his ethical standards. So when you [34:41] look at your neighbors and they ask you about the goodness of the Lord, you can look to them and say,

[34:45] I’ve seen God work. I’ve seen him move. I know where I used to be and I know where I’m going. [34:51] God has done a redemptive work in my life. So do you want to see the great physician as well?

[34:58] But some of us, we’ve easily have forgotten.

[35:04] We want to put the past away. You’re forgiven. That grace is there, but there’s something [35:11] about remembering what the Lord has brought you from that gives you vision for the person in [35:17] front of you, for what he can bring them through. See, sometimes it’s, we forget five years [35:25] ago where we were at. And so when we see someone right in front of us, we’re like, [35:29] I just don’t get why you don’t see it this way. Friends, it’s a process, but we’re still called [35:36] to engage and point them to the physician. So we want people to know the great physician and our

[35:40] aim in life is to help those around us to know him. So what does that look like for your life? [35:46] Who are you having conversations with? Who are you sharing this good news of the gospel with? [35:51] Because what are his next words? I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

[35:58] So God has maybe brought you through some things in your life, showed you your sin, [36:02] your need for him. He could do the same for others. See, the righteous do not see a need [36:10] for a savior, but the unrighteous are willing to look to God for redemption.

[36:18] So you want to bring this good news to people, share with them the stories about how God has worked [36:23] in your life. See, following Jesus is about denying the self-righteousness that [36:32] can inhabit us at times. And it means that we trust Jesus for grace and transformation. [36:37] And maybe that’s a part of your story right now, why you don’t want to apply grace to others [36:43] is because you’ve become content, settled in your own self-righteousness. [36:49] When you should be remembering it’s only by the grace of God that you don’t act the way you used

[36:53] to act. You’re not doing the things you used to do last week. You’re just a tad bit more patient [36:59] since yesterday. That’s all God’s grace. So what do we learn here from Jesus?

[37:08] He moved towards sinners. Jesus befriended sinners. Jesus cares for sinners by revealing [37:14] to them the great physician. And you might wonder, how does he reveal this to them? Well, [37:21] there was a time in history when God himself came to earth and he put on flesh. He came and [37:27] he dwelled among us and he suffered in ways that we would suffer. He would suffer in some ways that [37:31] we could never even imagine suffering in. He was bruised for our iniquities. He was beaten. He was [37:38] battered. He all did it for a purpose so that he could bring about this redemption to save those

[37:43] who were in need of a physician. Even though we were sick, even though we didn’t want to look to [37:50] him, he came with a purpose in mind. And that purpose was so that you could know the Father [37:55] and his love so others could experience the ramifications of God’s redemption. Not your [38:05] self-prescribed help. That’s what we run to first, but God, his grace and his mercy that is displayed [38:14] for us ultimately on the cross of Christ. So he showed it to us. He proved it to us. And there’s [38:21] going to be a day when we get to experience the fullness of this restoration, this process of

[38:27] redemption that God can only bring forth. So we should even desire that our neighbors, our friends [38:33] around us would be able to participate with us in this redemption. So we engage them for a purpose. [38:42] We move towards them for a reason. We share the gospel, trusting that God’s going to transform them [38:48] in the hope, trusting God’s promises. So friends, this morning I want to encourage you to engage [38:57] like Jesus, befriend like Jesus, and to advocate for transformation like Jesus. This is what it’s [39:04] going to look like for you to embody a mission of life. You got to understand your purpose

[39:09] if you want to work out this framework, if you want to see the results that you’re hoping for, [39:13] but you have to trust God and his spirit along the way.

[39:18] There’s one part of the story that I left out intentionally to the end,

[39:22] because you never know what God is going to do in someone’s life. You never know. You never know. [39:31] But this narrative reminds us of God’s ability to save any sinner.

[39:39] He gives us a paradigm of how to reach people, but here’s the part I left out. [39:44] The tax collector by the name of Levi is later known as Matthew. The same Matthew who served as [39:51] an apostle, wrote the gospel of Matthew, helped take the gospel to the nations.

[39:59] You don’t know what God can do in someone’s life. You don’t know the plans that God has for someone, [40:06] but he’s called you to go. As you’re going, share this glorious news. He’s called you to engage people. [40:13] The world was forever changed by Levi. You’ve reaped the benefits of this engagement that Jesus [40:20] had with Levi, who’s now Matthew. Friends, if that doesn’t give you hope, either for yourself [40:27] or for those that you see, I don’t know what will, because it means that God can do a work [40:32] in people who are far from him, rebelling against him, and he can do magnificent things in their

[40:39] lives, all for his glory. So this morning, live for the sake of the gospel, embrace the mission of [40:46] Jesus, and proclaim the gospel so that more people will know him. Remember your purpose, friends. Pray with me.

[40:59] Father, we come before you.

[41:04] I’m first understanding our own personal need

[41:08] for you to be the physician in our lives. Lord, we know how easy it is for us to [41:15] gravitate towards other self-helps or quick fixes,

[41:21] but Lord, I pray that our hearts would long for you to be the Redeemer.

[41:30] But as we’ve experienced this personal redemption, [41:33] my prayer is that that would move us to desire the same for our neighbors and our friends.

[41:42] Lord, help us to catch a vision for our lives

[41:47] of helping others to know and love you.

[41:54] Because, Father, we desire to see a movement take place,

[41:59] but that means we have to walk alongside those who are around us. [42:03] We actually have to engage them in relationship. And Father, we get to sit back and watch you work.

[42:13] So in faith and obedience, I pray that we would trust you in this process of sharing our faith, [42:18] building relationships, but that we would trust your promises that you are building a people,

[42:27] a people that will indwell the new heavens and the new earth with you.

[42:33] And that we long for the day where your restoration will be evident, but until then,

[42:41] we want to take this good news of your love and your care for us to the nations.

[42:51] But Father, help us to start in our neighborhood, our communities, our workplaces, our home.

[42:59] So we ask for your help, Holy Spirit.

[43:04] Father, we pray all these things in your Son’s holy and precious name. Amen.

[43:12] Week in and week out here at Village, there’s a response to the proclamation of God’s word [43:18] through the ordinance of communion. And communion is special because it reminds us [43:23] of what Christ has done for us, that his body was broken for us. His blood was poured out for us.

[43:32] And so when we take and eat, we do so in remembrance of Jesus and what he has done. [43:38] But today, I want to challenge you to think about your need for the great physician [43:45] and how he went to the cross for you to redeem your life. And maybe there’s some areas that [43:50] you haven’t brought before him, that you’ve been trying your own home remedies for a long time, [43:57] but you haven’t fixed it yourself. Here’s a moment, opportunity for you to come before him and [44:03] to ask the Father to work in you in this, to repent of any sin in your own life and to trust him.

[44:12] But also there’s the opportunity for those who don’t know Christ to consider what it looks [44:18] like to place your faith in Christ. And I would encourage you to have a conversation with someone [44:22] there probably people out in the four who would love to talk to you about what it looks like [44:25] to follow Jesus. And then I have one last exhortation for those who are followers of Jesus. [44:34] I want to encourage you to consider those who are around you, that you’ve been avoiding, [44:41] that you have been sought to build relationships with. And even maybe as I’ve been talking,

[44:44] those people have come to mind. And after you partake, I want to encourage you to pray for them [44:50] that God would use you to reach them. So when you’re ready, take, eat, rejoice in what the [44:57] Lord has done for us through the cross of Christ. But friends, live out your purpose, [45:03] help other people to know and to love God.