Advent Devotions- Mark 2
A few things happen in Mark 2. Throughout Mark 2, Jesus heals and forgives sins, Jesus calls a disciple, Jesus talks about fasting and Jesus announces that He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Today, I want to draw our attention to Mark 2:13-17. Specifically, I want to bring up Mark 2:17. Mark 2:17 says, “When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
In Mark 2, Jesus calls his disciple Matthew, who is also known as Levi. Matthew was a tax collector, meaning that he worked for the Romans and collected various taxes from the Israelites. Tax collecting was not seen as an honorable profession. See, to be a tax collector, you had to buy a license. Whatever money you made beyond the cost of the license you were allowed to keep. So, tax collectors were famous for overcharging on taxes to make extra money.
Tax collectors were seen as people who had left their ethnic and religious backgrounds and had “sold out” to the Romans. Matthew was one of these men. When Jesus saw him, He called Matthew to follow Him and then He went to Matthew’s house. While there Jesus ate with tax collectors, sinners, and other people who the religious elites did not like.
That leads to Jesus’s disciples being asked why Jesus would do this. Then, Jesus replies with Mark 2:17. This is a powerful statement. See, not only does Jesus know what it is to be tempted and to fight that temptation off, Jesus also does not look only at the outside. Instead, we see that Jesus came for all people! Jesus came for everyone, including us when it seemed like we were too far gone.
As a practical application from Mark 2, can I encourage us with a key truth? Friends, no matter what you have done, no matter what sins you are currently battling, Jesus comes with grace that far exceeds those sins, and Jesus loves you. There is no limit to Jesus’s love, and there is no cap on how many sins He will forgive. Just as Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners, Jesus cares for us and wants to be with us. Be encouraged; even on the hardest day or the day when you feel like you cannot do anything right, Jesus is with you, and Jesus loves you. His GRACE is sufficient for us!
Pastor Daniel