Thank God It’s Sunday: People Like Us - 10/13/24

People often avoid church because of church people.

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow him. Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining at the table with them. But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?””
—Luke 5:27–30, CSB

Matthew sat at the toll booth and levied duty on the merchandise that was brought through. 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. Nothing innately sinful in collecting taxes and we have no evidence that Matthew was a thief. But to the Jews, Levi was a sinner, and Jesus was suspect for having anything to do with him and his sinner friends.

“Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.””
—Luke 5:31–32, CSB

Jesus spent more time with all the wrong people than people who didn’t think they had anything wrong.

Jesus chose sinners to reach sinners.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
—Romans 3:23–24, CSB

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.””
—Luke 5:32, CSB

We got winners, losers
“Chain-smokers and boozers
We got yuppies, bikers
We got thirsty hitchhikers
And the girls next door dress up like movie stars, I love this bar
We got cowboys, truckers
Broken-hearted fools and suckers
And we got hustlers, fighters
Early-birds and all-nighters
And the veterans talk about their battle scars
I love this bar
I’ve seen short skirts
We’ve got high-techs
Blue-collared boys and rednecks
And we got lovers, lookers
I’ve even seen dancing girls and hookers”
—Toby Keith “I Love This Bar”

Redemption means we can come as we are but we don’t stay as we are.