Luke 6a: HG Bishop Youssef

JesusOutline callsof athe Tax CollectorChapter

00:00

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

0

^27 1 AfterNow it thesehappened thingson the second Sabbath after the first that He went outthrough the grainfields. And His disciples plucked the heads of grain and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him,ate them, “Follow Me.”rubbing them in their hands. ^28 2 SoAnd he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

• Levi traditionally is identified as St Matthew
  • Matthew means "Gift of God"
    • Matthew was a gift to God to the Christian faith
    • He wrote his gospel to the Jews and what helped him write it was:
      •  his scholarly knowledge of the Old Testament
      • his intimate understandingsome of the Pharisees and Sadducees
      • his abilitysaid to penetratethem, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the falsehood of the religious hierarchy of that era
  • He was a tax-collector, who were known for their greed, violence and wickedness
• Jesus called him to be one of His followers and even one of the Twelve (inner circle). This reveals the purpose of the ministry of the Lord Jesus who came to redeem all men "I did not come to call righteous, but sinners to repentance"
  • The Lord did not choose based on outward appearance - or He would have chosen the Pharisees, Scribes and Religious Leaders
  • God is looking at the heart
    • Many people are sinners from the outside, but they are waiting for a touch of grace that will convert their life completely.
    • Matthew was a sinner but once the grace of God touched him, he converted completely.
• When God called Peter, James, Andrew, John they immediately left everything and followed Him. In the same way, Levi (Matthew) left all and followed Him.
  • This was not an easy decision - it needs determination, self-denial, full trust and confidence and God

²⁹ Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. ³⁰ And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?Sabbath?”

^31 3 But Jesus answeredanswering andthem said to them,said, “ThoseHave whoyou arenot welleven haveread nothis, what needDavid ofdid awhen physician,he butwas hungry, he and those who arewere sick.with him: ^32 4 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

• St Matthew's Sincerity
  • The integrity and sincerity of St Matthew is evidenced by the great feast in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ
  • Maybe his friends, the tax collectors and sinners, were moved by the kindness and friendship of this New Teacher - they heard about Him and how Hehe calledwent a tax collector (who was looked down upon and shunned by the religious leaders of Israel) to be one of His followers. They assembled ininto the house of StGod, Matthewtook and ate the showbread, and also gave some to seethose thiswith kind, friendly, compassionate New Teacher
  • Maybe Matthew, being touched by the Lord's compassion and kindness, made a great effort to gather as many as he could to his house to introduce them to the new Master so that maybe their life would be changed too
  • Thishim, which is one of the best ways in Christian service... if you are really touched by the Love of God, talk to others about God. Invite them to be in His presence. Invite them to taste and see how sweet it is to be with the Lord.
  • He demonstrated publicly his new way of life... I am not a greedy tax collector anymore, but I am a disciple of Christ
• There is always someone negative to attack the works donelawful for the glory of God
  • The Pharisees and Scribes were offended that Jesus, who pretended to be a good Teacher, a Prophet, lowered Himself to go and have company with such men: sinners, publicans, tax-collectors
  • For them, the tax-collectors were considered dishonest men who abused their authority
  • The same happened when the Lord said to Zacchaeus "I will go and stay in your house"
• They disrespectfully said to the disciples: "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
  • Although they directed their words to the disciples, not the Lord, their intention is clearly directed at the Lord Himself
  • The Lord takes up the case and vindicates His disciples and Himself
• Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick
  • This is one of the sayings of the Lord which sank very deep in the hearts of the hearers
  • Those who believe they are in good health, stand as if they don't need assistance of any physician
  • Scribes and Pharisees, in their own opinion, believe they are free from the disease of sin... you are righteous and blameless according to the Law of Moses... so you don't feel that you need Me. I am the Physician who came to cure the maladies of the souls and bodies of men
  • Nowadays many people believe they do not need God and deny the existence of God or say "I don't know whether He exists or doesn't exist" (agnostic) as if this knowledge is unimportant to them... or they don't need the Church. They believe they are righteous. They are like the scribes and Pharisees - judging everybody and making themselves to be righteous.
  • Those who are sick with sin and desire healing, He is there for them. He came to cure and save them. 
  • That's why He conversed with the sinners...
  • That's why on the Cross, when He heard the thief praying and talking to Him, He assured him of his salvation
  • His ministry as Physician was among the sinners not among the righteous
• The Lord did not dispute here that their form of righteousness is false... because even if He told them that, they would not heed Him.
  • People who are prideful don't listen to any advice or correction... they are wise in their own eyes.
  • This righteousness is dangerous righteousness because it produces a man who is very proud and fails to see their need for God
  • Those who considered themselves sinners were healed... but those who didn't, did not go for healing because of their pride and arrogance.
• In the definition of a difficult personality, it's not the people who have problems but those who don't realize or acknowledge that they have a problem
  • Addicts who recognize they have a problem are not difficult to deal with, but an addict who is in denial is
  • So who are the more difficult people to deal with? Not the tax collectors... but the Pharisees.
  • The Lord camepriests to seek those who are lost
    • He came for both the elder son and the prodigal son, but unfortunately the elder son did not benefit from Him
    • Those who believe they are in the sheepfold did not benefit from His ministry, but those who realized they were the lost sheep
• In this story, St Matthew includes one more detail
  • But go and learn what this means:eat?” ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ (Matthew 9:13)
  • Reference to Hosea 6:6
  • You can offer as many sacrifices as you want but if you don't have a merciful heart, none of your sacrifices will be accepted.
• When the Lord answered them wisely as to why He is sitting among the tax-collectors and publicans, and they could not answer Him, they try to look at something else from a spiritual perspective to condemn the Lord

The Lord is Questioned About Fasting

23:30

³³ Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

^34 5 And He said to them, “CanThe youSon makeof theMan friendsis also Lord of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

³⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. ³⁹ And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath

Other⁶ Now Gospelit Accountshappened

on
• "Theanother disciplesSabbath, ofalso, Johnthat He entered the synagogue and oftaught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ So the scribes and Pharisees werewatched fasting.Him Thenclosely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they camemight find an accusation against Him. ⁸ But He knew their thoughts, and said to Him..."the (Markman 2:18)
who
• "Thenhad the discipleswithered ofhand, “Arise Johnand camestand here.” And he arose and stood. ⁹ Then Jesus said to Him,them, “I saying,will 'Whyask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do wegood andor to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” ¹⁰ And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the Phariseesman, “Stretch fastout often,your buthand.” And Yourhe disciplesdid do not fast?'" (Matthew 9:14)
• Why would the disciples of John ask this?
  • Perhaps how the Lord conducted His life surprised and disturbed the followers of St John the Baptist (because St John was ascetic)
    • Presence at feastings
    • Association with publicans
    • Choice of a tax-collector to be disciple