After this [Jesus] went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:27-32, ESV)
First-century Palestine provided plenty opportunity for tax collectors to be slandered and treated as deplorable. Why? Was it because the Jews of the time found themselves under an oppressive Roman regime? Likely. Could it be that even some of the Jews were joining forces with the Romans to enlarge their own bank accounts at the expense of defending the welfare of their own? Highly probable. What about overcharging in an effort to keep a little for self? You bet. Could it be that tax collecting erected a facade of a lavish lifestyle, despite its unethical basis? Now we’re getting somewhere.
When the Pharisees and scribes querulously asked Jesus’ disciples why he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners, notice it was Jesus who stepped up to answer. In fact, he answered with an emphasis not on the issue of tax collecting but on sin. Jesus penetrated beyond a here-and-now issue and exposed his audience to gospel grit, the very fiber of why the gospel was/is necessary. It is for sinners that Jesus came, and all those outside the realm of the repentant align with such a label. The Greek word translated sinners in Luke’s text points to the reality of the detestable and blatant nature of one who sins. This is what Jesus’ audience missed. They did not see themselves as detestable before a holy God. The blinders of conceit or egotism had kept them in the position of pursuing ritual “righteousness” that was anything but approved by God. Certainly the tax collectors needed to see their spiritual depravity, but so did the Pharisees and scribes.
From experiential observation, it amazes me how much more receptive those often labeled “down and out” or destitute are to entertaining spiritual conversations than the prominent and wealthy. (I fully understand there are exceptions. This is simply a general observation I have made during recent evangelistic attempts in wealthy and oppressed environments.) The reality is, however, that all without faith in Christ stand depraved, estranged from God, and in need of saving grace. The wealthy but lost and poor but lost stand on equal footing. Nonetheless, I have had more opportunities to share and discuss the gospel with those who fully recognize at least the perceived low status they hold in society.
Where am I going with this? Well, just yesterday I had the privilege of visiting the Greyhound bus station in downtown Cincinnati with a dear brother from Providence, Dave Doerman. We went prayerfully prepared to share the gospel with as many people as possible within the span of one hour. God blessed us with numerous conversations, most of which included a full presentation of the gospel. In total, ten people were exposed to the gospel—not a prosperity message of false hope, but the message that calls for repentance and faith. Who were these individuals? Some were homeless folks keeping warm indoors that had no intention of departing on a bus to anywhere. Others were young people who professed to be Christian but denied or misinterpreted major tenets of the Faith. Still yet, a handful of these individuals were folks who were recently released from jail and are attempting to start afresh.
This is the point in which I introduce you to my new friend, Jack (name changed for identity protection). Recently released from a local jail for serving time regarding multiple drug and abuse-related crimes, Jack walked into the bus station without a clue of what the Lord had in store for him. As Jack walked around the facility with clear release bag in-hand (his only possessions being a couple outfits, a couple bags of chips, and a Gideon bible that had been issued to him while incarcerated), Dave and I were both drawn to him. The next thirty minutes entailed us sitting on a germ-filled bench with a man who understood his current lot in life. In fact, he understood his societal condition to the point that he verbalized his lack of bathing as a token of honor. (I wouldn’t have opted to be anywhere else.) But did we just listen to his backstory and express empathy? No. Like Jesus, we called a sinner to repentance. We did listen patiently to the wandering soundtrack of his musings—the narrative of his young wife’s death was gut-wrenching. We listened well, by God’s grace. And it was by God’s grace that we probed Jack to consider his position before the holy God of all. Similar to those whom Jesus conversed with in Luke’s account above, Jack didn’t fully realize the reality of his sinful nature.
But he was receptive to what we were saying…
From Ephesians 2, Dave and I explained the depravity of man and the saving grace available to the repentant through Christ’s atoning work. God tore down in Jack’s thinking the wall of being in God’s good graces simply because he is now attempting to do better at life. His demeanor was softened as the terms repentance and faith were defined. He listened and he listened well. He was a type of surface on which the gospel landed. Jack did not make a decision to forsake all and follow Christ but he was exposed to gospel. It might be that he is kept by the evil one from seeing his need for the shed blood of Christ. It’s possible that a time of testing will prove a lack of gospel implanting. Might Jack get caught up in the cares and pleasures of this world? It’s possible. But so is the possibility of Jack repenting and bearing godly fruit (Luke 8:9-15).
Maybe he repented and trusted Christ yesterday…
Dave and I will likely never know on this side of eternity what Jack did with the message given him. But we are ever hopeful that Jack will be granted new life in Christ and respond in faith to the gospel. Our aim was to propagate the gospel among the sick, the sinful. All glory to Christ, we learned a lot from our endeavor. Personally, I walked away pondering, “As I seek to honor Christ with my life, am I purposely pursuing the “tax collectors and sinners” around me? Am I consistently laboring to winsomely call sinners to repentance?” I long for greater diligence in this area of my spiritual growth, and I kindly encourage you to ponder the same questions as I am currently. Let us pursue joy as we pursue our lost friends, neighbors, relatives, etc. with the beauty and authority of the gospel.
Just a quick word in closing. Why is this blog entry entitled, “The Toilet Paper Rose?” I intentionally failed to mention another item in Jack’s possession—a rose made from toilet paper in his jail cell. This was literally all Jack could offer as a token of his gratitude, and it was hard for him to do so—he clutched the rose as if it were a million dollars. Where is it now? It is taped to my office wall, immediately left of the light switch. Why? God used Jack to remind me to be often about the business of proclaiming the gospel. When I see it, I hope to pray for Jack and his need for salvation. In tandem, I also hope to pray for deeper conviction and discipline of evangelism. How might God use Jack’s toilet paper rose to move you toward greater service and joy in various settings of evangelism? Stop by my office sometime. Take a look. Pray. Let us pray together. Let us serve together. All for the glory of the One who has delivered us—sinners—from death to life.
Pastor Jay
Comments