“... 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 5:31-32)
Read the full account in the gospel of Luke HERE.
The Great Physician
In Luke 5 we see a famous encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. Christ and his disciples attend a dinner party hosted by Levi (also called Matthew) who has just left everything he owns to follow Christ.
The tax collectors at the dinner party were despised members of society because of their dishonest practices, and the other “sinners” mentioned were likely involved in all sorts of improper and immoral practices. This was certainly a rough crowd, and the Pharisees were predictably offended by Christ’s association with such people. But Jesus, full of grace and truth, responds to their grumbling by reminding them that “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”
The Pharisees believed that their commitment to the ceremonial law made them righteous and that they had no need of a Savior. The gospel teaches us that “there is no one righteous, no not one” (Psalm 14, Romans 3) and that “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8).
The Pharisees were stunned that Jesus would even associate with “sinners” because they believed this would make him unclean. But his compassion made Jesus a “friend of sinners.” Let’s remember that we are the unworthy “tax collectors and sinners” in this account. The miracle of grace is that Jesus is the Great Physician who heals all who come to him in faith and repentance.
How to Pray
- That we, like Jesus, would look for opportunities to be friends with those who are far from God.
That we would remember our own need for a Savior and heed Christ’s call to repentance.
That we would come to the Lord’s Supper this Sunday with reverent, repentant hearts, meditating on the great miracle of God’s grace to us.
Pray for the launching of one or more Christianity Explored groups. This class, designed to help those exploring the faith, is a place where hospitality and good food provide a bridge for the gospel.
- Pray that God would open the hearts of non-churched people living in Baldwin Park. Pray especially for all the new residents moving in to Baldwin Harbor apartments.
For the Family
As we think about sin we sometimes find ourselves comparing ourselves to others and their sin or shortcomings just as the Pharisees looked down on others for their lack of righteousness.
As we grow to understand the gospel, we find that there is not a distinction between "big" or "small" sins. There are different consequences for our actions, but sin is sin. Christ died for all sins. We are not better if we only commit "small" sins or if we sin less often in a day. Here is an activity to help us grasp this.
Contributors
"The Great Physician" - Katie Pollard
Katie is the administrator and communications director for LBC. Katie and her husband, Joel, moved to Orlando from Nashville, TN in 2014, when Joel became the Director of Worship at LBC. They both grew up in Carrollton, GA and have been leading worship together since their youth group days. They were married in 2011 and have two children, Sam and Evie.
"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse
Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.