January 30, 2022
The Emmanuel Series Luke 5
It is fascinating to see the interaction of the Lord Jesus with people in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In particular, the conflict between the Lord Jesus and some religious leaders.
As we look at Luke chapter 5, we see the Lord Jesus: picking 12 disciples; healing a man covered in leprosy; heal and forgive a person who was paralyzed (the Lord Jesus was criticized for forgiving this person); then we see the following.
Luke 5:27-31 The NIV Bible names this section “Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners”
27After 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, 28and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30But 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?” 31Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
The Lord Jesus being judged for compassion shown to “sinners” is a recurring theme.
There was a time in my walk with God that I became judgmental. I am not sure how that happened as it wasn’t my intention to be judgmental – it’s just something that became a part of my heart. God showed me how judgmental I was being and I actually felt offended but I knew it was the truth.
I learned to embrace what the Lord Jesus said “Don’t judge and you won’t be judged”. And also it is written in James 2:13 “Mercy triumphs over judgment”. I’ve learned to keep a watch on my heart so I don’t slip into judging others.
With love
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