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Levi throws a party!. Luke 5:27-30 27 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, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
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Levi throws a party! • Luke 5:27-30 • 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'?"
Story 3 times told • Luke 5 • 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. • Mark 2 • 14As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting • at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, • and Levi got up and followed him.
Matthew 9 • 9As 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. • A man named: “Matthew” (Maththaionlegomenon) • Matthew: “Gift of the Lord” alias of Levi • 5 times in the Bible (Math 9:9, 4 times as apostle)
Gospel of Matthew specifically to the Jews: • 9 times Jesus is referred to as the “Son of David” • 50 times and more the word “Kingdom” is mentioned • 33 times specifically “Kingdom of heaven” and only in Matthew • The gospel of Matthew carries the proclamation: • “Jesus is the Messiah, the promised Kingdom has come!”
Characteristics of tax collectors: • They were rich • Zaccheus Luke 19. • …he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. • They were despised • When the Pharisees saw this they asked his disciples: • “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and • sinners?”
The party • Matthew 9:10 • While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, • many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him • and his disciples. • Luke 5:29 • Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his • house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and • others were eating with them.
The guests • Luke: A “great” banquet for Jesus! • The invited: tax collectors and “sinners” • …nice to meet you, sinner is my (middle) name… • The host: • “ Hey guys and girls… May I introduce to you Jesus, you know…the one who “talked” to me…? • Well meet the King of David, Messiah! • And he is glad to talk to you also!”
People to avoid: • The “not done” things: • The Jews did not meet with: • Those with infectious diseases: Lepers • Those who are not pure Jews (Samaritans) • Publicans, tax collectors and “sinners” of all sorts. • Who are you avoiding to meet?
What do I learn from this story? • With Jesus there is no partiality • Colossians 3:11 • Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or • uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but • Christ is all, and is in all. • When I want to follow Jesus, I must be radical • “Follow me” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed • Him.
What do I learn from the “place” where Matthew puts the story of his calling? • Big question: What made this man move? • The Sermon on the mount, the beatitudes, • the new order in the Kingdom of Heaven, illustrated by a • whole series of miracles. (scattered and incomplete or • shortened in the other gospels) • The sermon of the mount contains 109 verses. A little more • than half of these verses are peculiar Matthew's Gospel.
This is more that just recording what happened: • It is a careful argumentation why Matthew stood up and • followed Jesus. (he wrote it down years after it happened) • Luke 19 • 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to • him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at • your house today." • 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. • What makes you move?