Stuck, Searching, and Self-Righteous

“Bean by bean the bag fills up”

3 People Jesus Intentionally Approached

1st Person | Levi – Luke 5

Looking for the one who is stuck

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, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 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?”

Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 5:27-32

Levi was a successful businessman but was missing something in his life.

Jesus only said two words to Levi, but it changed the course of his life. Levi is Matthew, one of the 12 apostles.

Jesus called Levi and then equipped him.

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:9-13

Jesus is challenged about his eating with “sinners” and answers with, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 9:31-32)

2nd Person | Zacchaeus – Luke 19

Looking for the one who is searching

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

esus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector

He wanted to see Jesus so badly that he climbed a tree

3rd Person | The Pharisee - Luke 5, 15, 19

Looking for the one who is self-righteous

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Luke 15:1-2

Self-righteous:
“having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.”

Anyone who responds with muttering criticism to the offer of grace and love in Jesus is a self-righteous person who needs to repent.

In repentance, there is joy and celebration.

“When repentance leads to rescue, it is a cause of great joy.” – James Edwards

What we’ve learned from these 3 people

1. Step into your calling

2. Live in the joy of repentance

3. Look for others to invite to follow Jesus with you – the ones who are stuck, searching, and even self-righteous