Title: Listen & Eat With Them
Theme: To show the importance of fellowship & eating with people to build a relationship.
Text: Mark 2:13 – 17, Luke 19:1 - 10
Resources Used: sermon series on Bless purchased from Community Christian Church
Mark 2:13-17 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. (14) As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. (15) Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi's house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. (16) And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, "How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?" (17) When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Luke 19:1-10 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. (2) Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. (3) And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. (4) So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. (5) And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." (6) So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. (7) But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." (8) Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." (9) And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; (10) for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Opening Illustration
I recently heard about a story that went viral a few Thanksgivings ago. It was about a young man, Eric and elderly woman, Jan, both alone at breakfast time, sharing an unplanned meal. It was a Thursday morning, and Eric headed to his local McDonald’s to eat breakfast by himself. And a 70-year-old woman, Jan, had the same idea. As they were eating alone, Jan saw Eric sitting by himself. She approached him and asked if they could enjoy their breakfasts together. He quickly said yes, Jan grabbed her food, and Eric pulled up a chair for her to sit down.
The two of them sat together for over 45 minutes talking about church, art, and Eric’s young son. Eric said that Jan even shared some life wisdom with him, “She mentioned many times about how we all should love one another, and how we should never judge anyone because you never know how their day is going and what they’ve been through.” Then after they finished, they exchanged phone numbers, and Eric walked Jan to her car.
Don’t you love stories like this? In some ways, these two couldn't be more different, but a bond can be formed when you share a meal together. Jesus knew ow a meal would take the edge off.
The times Jesus ate with people
In fact, a lot of Jesus’ ministry was centered around meals:
• He performed his first miracle at a wedding feast.
• At with Matthew
• Ate with Zacheus
• Ate with Simeon (woman washes Jesus feet)
• Ate at Lazarus house (Mary at the feet of Jesus)
• He fed 5000 people on a hill in the countryside.
• The night before his crucifixion, he ate a meal with his closest friends.
• After his resurrection, he shared breakfast on the beach with his disciples.
Parallels
These two stories are almost two years apart. This was part of Jesus lifestyle.
1) Jesus calls to them first
John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
You may be lost this morning but don’t ever forget that God loves you and is calling to you.
2) Both are “tax collectors” The vile of the vile of society. The hated of the hated.
Tax collectors were local lackeys for the Roman Empire. Most Jewish people considered them traitors. Tax collectors made money by overcharging their own people. For Jesus to call one of the most despised, looked down upon guys to be one of his disciples would have been an enormous shock. Scandalous, even.
They often overcharged and kept the excess for themselves (Luke 3:12-13).
Luke 3:12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
Look at this parable of Luke 18:9-14 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' (13) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
What pride the Pharisee had.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
3) I believe that there was a deep curiosity. Levi - Matthew (a Jew, he wrote the book to the Jews) knew the faith. He got caught up in doing the Roman duties. But he knew the faith and I believe longed for that relationship with God. Zacheus had a deep curiosity.
4) The scoffers were there to tell the same tale.
When you get saved the world does not stand up and applaud. Often it sits by hoping you will fail. The devil attacks you. But you have a new life, new hope and new faith.
5) Jesus seeks them both
Illustrations: “In my neighborhood, on almost every light pole, there are signs for lost dogs or cats. When I first noticed these signs, I felt a tinge of sympathy. … But nothing seemed to happen. The seasons changed. The pictures grew faded because of the weather. And yet, many of the signs are still up today. I can’t help but wonder: is anyone actually looking for these animals? Do they expect me to do all the work? Did the owners just put up signs and assume the pets would read them, realize they’re missing, and saunter on home? This is not the way God seeks. The shepherd doesn’t just put up a sign that says, ‘Hey, I lost a sheep.’ He leaves the 99 behind and goes after the one who is missing”
(Kevin DeYoung, “Jesus and the Lost,” His Mission: Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, eds. D. A. Carson and Kathleen Nielson [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015], chap. 5, excerpted in “You Can’t Outrun His Grace,” June 8, 2015, The Gospel Coalition).
As believers, we need to be reminded that we were once the one who was lost, and God came in pursuit of us to save us by his grace. When we remember our own desperate need for grace, we will be more likely to extend it to others. We will also be more likely to break out of our comfortable “holy huddle” at church, surrounded by people who already know Jesus, and will want to cooperate with the Father in pursuing the lost and sharing God’s love with them.
Jesus is calling and drawing
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Luke 19:9-10 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; (10) for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Luke 15:1-3 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. (2) And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (3) So He spoke this parable to them, saying:
6) Jesus went to the house, sat with them, and listened to them
He connected with them. He went to where they were.
James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
7) Jesus ate with both of them.
This was a big deal.
8) Both there is a heart repentance. Shown in Matthew as he followed Jesus, shown in Zacheus as he repented.
Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Luke 19: 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; (10) for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
9) Jesus is criticized for eating with them both
Conclusion of Message
Reminder of Message Series
We are called to BLESS our neighbors.
1) Begin with Prayer
2) Listen to them!
3) Eat with them!
God is calling us to connect. God is calling us to get beyond our comfort zone and connect with people.
Communion Idea
Author N.T. Wright put it this way,
“When Jesus himself wanted to explain to his disciples what his forthcoming death was all about, he didn't give them a theory, he gave them a meal.”
As Jesus approached his final days, he had some really important messages to share with his disciples and he choose to eat with them in order to communicate those messages.
And it was at those meals that he talked about:
The Bread. This was a representation of Jesus’ body that was to be beaten, stabbed, bruised and hung on a tree.
The Cup. This was a representation of Jesus’ blood that was to pour out of him as he made his way to his crucifixion and as he hung on that tree.
I want you to take a moment and look around this room. As you take communion, you are communing with both Christ our head and with Christ’s body, one another. Do you love those sitting around you? Are you investing in relationships with them? Or is church just something you attend and go home? Are you praying for your church family? When you have a problem are you working it out? Are you caring for each other? Are we a fellowship, a communion?
If you have a broken relationship with someone in this room, I want to challenge you to get out of your chair and make it right before you take communion. Go sit with them as I say the prayer before the passing of the elements. We’ll all close our eyes and even if we see you no one will judge you. We will rejoice with you that you’re working to love your church family. And then once all the bread is passed out we’ll take it all at once to symbolize our unity. We’ll do the same with the juice.
https://www.cornerstonewestford.com/2018/10/09/what-is-communion-fellowship-acts-242/
And Jesus invites us all to this table. Let’s go to this table now.
Matthew 26:26-28 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed [143] and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." (27) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. (28) For this is My blood of the new [144] covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
