"The Call to a Publican"

Q: What does the Bible say about Christ calling sinners?

The Bible shows that Christ calls sinners to repentance, demonstrating His desire to save those who acknowledge their need for Him. In Luke 5:27-32, we see Christ calling Levi, a despised publican, to follow Him. This act highlights the nature of Christ's ministry: He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. This is essential in understanding the heart of the gospel message: God’s grace extends to those who recognize their sinfulness. The publicans and sinners, viewed as the worst in society, are the very people Jesus seeks out, showing that no one is beyond the reach of His grace. Jesus identifies with the lowly and the outcast, emphasizing that it is the broken-hearted who need a Savior.

Q: How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Salvation is by grace alone, as seen throughout Scripture, which emphasizes that our works cannot contribute to our redemption. The central message of salvation through grace alone is evident in passages like Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. This affirms that human effort plays no part in our justification before God. Additionally, Romans 3:23-24 confirms that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, yet are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ. Therefore, the sovereignty of God's grace can transform even the most wretched sinner into a beloved child of God. Our right standing before God comes solely through faith in Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sins.

Q: Why is following Christ essential for Christians?

Following Christ is essential as it signifies our commitment to His lordship and a transformed life in obedience to His teachings. The call to follow Christ is a command that signifies total submission to His authority. In Luke 5:28, when Levi left everything to follow Jesus, it represents the necessary response of a believer to Christ’s call. This calling is not just about physical following but requires a heart transformation, resulting in a complete reorientation of one’s life towards Christ. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This captures the essence of discipleship – putting Christ first in every aspect of our lives. Our following Him leads to a deeper understanding of His grace and an active participation in His kingdom work.

Q: What is the significance of Christ associating with sinners?

Christ associating with sinners demonstrates His mission to bring redemption and shows that no one is beyond hope. The Gospels repeatedly depict Jesus engaging with sinners and outcasts, emphasizing that His presence and ministry are for the lost. In Luke 5:30, the Pharisees questioned why Jesus eats with publicans and sinners, revealing their self-righteous attitude. Jesus’ reply, that the sick need a physician, underscores that He came to heal the spiritually sick and hopeless. His association with sinners serves as a profound reminder that all people, regardless of their past, are offered grace and the chance for repentance. This paradigm shift encourages believers to reach out to those in need of spiritual healing, reflecting the Savior's heart for the lost.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Oh, a whole 182 piles. All right. Thank you. It took him three weeks to tell me that. He doesn't care if I'm being a dissident. If that's the way he's pleased with me, I'll see you in a little bit. so so ♪♪ Good morning. Let's all stand together and sing hymn number 327. 327.

O for a faith that will not shrink, though pressed by many a foe, that will not tremble on the brink of any earthly woe, of any earthly woe that will not murmur nor complain beneath the chastening rod. But in the hour of grief or pain will lean upon its God, ♪ Will lean upon its God ♪ ♪ A faith that shines more bright and clear ♪ ♪ When tempest range without ♪ ♪ That when in danger knows no fear ♪ ♪ In darkness feels no doubt ♪ in darkness feels no doubt. Lord, give me such a faith as this, and then what e'er may come, I'll taste thee now, the hallowed bliss of an eternal home. of an eternal home. Be seated, we'll sing hymn number 37. Hymn number 37. O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made I see the stars I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

It sinks my soul. Oh, my Savior God, to Thee, Thou great Thou art, Thou great Thou art. My Savior God, to Thee How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Went through the woods and forest plains I wandered and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down from lofty mountain granaries, and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze and sings my soul My Saviour God, to Thee How great Thou art How great Thou art It sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

And when I think that God his Son not sparing sent him to die, I scarce can take it in. that on the cross my burden gladly bearing he pled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul O my Saviour God, to Thee How great Thou art How great Thou art This is my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee. Thou great, Thou Lord. Thou great, Thou Lord.

When Christ shall come With shout of acclamation And take me home My joy shall fill my heart then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my God, how great thou art. My Savior God to Thee How great Thou art How great Thou art And sings my soul My Saviour God to Thee How great Thou art How great Thou art Luke chapter 5, Luke chapter 5. Start reading at verse 27 down to verse 32.

And after these things, he went forth and saw a publican named Levi. sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house, and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with him. But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And our Lord answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Our Father, in the blessed, blessed name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we come to acknowledge you to be everything. Lord, we acknowledge our great need of you. Acknowledge our thanksgiving, our praise, our adoration, and you're worthy of all of it. This flesh keeps us from worshiping and adoring you the way we would. Oh, the will is present, but how to perform? Lord, we don't know how.

But I know that without you, nothing is possible. We'll not be able to preach without you. It's impossible. We'll be able to, nobody will be able to see Christ. It's impossible. No one will have faith. It's impossible with man. No one will ever see Christ or hear his voice. It's impossible.

But Lord, we thank you that to you, you said all things are possible with God. So Lord, we know that that's why we come to you. With man in this flesh, nothing is possible. But without, with you, everything's possible. Salvation's possible. Faith, repentance, grace, and mercy, all are because of you. And Lord, you can overcome everything. that's against us in this world and already have. Lord, please be with us today. We can't have an understanding unless you bless us to. Can't have any wisdom of the scriptures unless you give it to us. Oh, Lord Jesus, and please meet with us today. Cause the gospel to run well here.

And our Savior, we pray for the unconverted in our midst, that you and your sovereign mercy would open their hearts so that seed, that good seed on that ground, that it bring forth fruit. And our blessed Savior, we pray for those who are not with us because of the frailness of the body, Doc and Janie, Rick and Helen, and others, Lord Jesus, that can't be with us. And Lord, we again pray for our children. Lord, we can't forget our children.

They never think of you. I know they don't. You don't enter their mind. You don't enter their thoughts. Lord, you can change that in the blink of an eye. And we ask you, if it's your sovereign mercy, do that. Lord Jesus, have mercy on our children and our grandchildren. Do it for Christ's sake. Be with us, please, for Christ's sake. Amen. Let's all stand together and sing the hymn of the day in the Bulletin. Glory to God on high. Let earth to heaven reply.

Praise ye his name. Angels His love adore, Who all our sorrow bore, And saints cry evermore, Worthy the Lamb. All they around the throne Cheerfully join in mourn, Praising His name. We who have known his blood, Sailing our peace with God, Sound his dear name abroad, Worthy the Lamb. Though we must change our place, Yet will we never cease, Praising his name. To him we'll tribute bring, hail him our sovereign king, and without ceasing sing, worthy of land. Be seated.

You remember last week, the first three verses, four words here said, after these things and after these things. When you see after these things, he means after what happened previous. You remember our Lord Jesus healed a man that was brought down in a bed before the presence of the Lord.

And they all said, boy, we've seen strange things today. It is a strange thing. It is a strange thing when God actually does something for somebody. Because this world is so taken up with itself, religion is so taken up with itself, and man is so taken up with his own pride and glory and self-righteousness, that Christ takes the lowest place. But to us, and I tell you, bless his name, I am very, very grateful. very grateful that God gave me a view of the Lord Jesus Christ, that God gave me faith in his blessed person, gave me to know that his name is above every name, and that that name has all the power and all the glory and all the things and everything that we need for time and eternity is in that blessed person.

And I'll tell you, and our Savior performed lots and lots of miracles. And every one of them had a spiritual truth in them. Excuse me. He gave sight to the blind. That tells us he's the only one that can give us eyes to see. If we see Christ, if we see the scriptures and understand the scriptures, you know, our Lord told him, said, you must be born again. Without that, you can't see the kingdom of God. I see the kingdom of God. I see that Christ is the king over a kingdom. Why? Because Christ gave me eyes.

He's the only one that can open a man's eyes to see what things really are. And He's the only one that can raise it. When He raised dead men, that tells us He's the only one that can give us life, raise us from the death of our sins, raise us out from the depth and death of our awful, awful sin. We're dead in trespasses and sin, and He has quickened us together with Him. As the father raises the dead and quickeneth whom he will, even so the son quickeneth whom he will. If you've been quickened, if you've been made a new creature in Christ, if you've had the new birth, God gave you a new heart and a new mind and a new will and made you a new creature. Christ is the only one who can do that. What he did when he raised the dead, that would just tell us that that's what we have to have happen to us.

And when he cleanses a leper, he's the only one that can cleanse from sin. Nobody else can cleanse us from sin. There's not a thing in this world that'll make, I think Jeremiah said, though a man use niter, niter, niter, and all the things that go with the very best cleansing you can get, said it can't wash away one sin. not one. And our Lord Jesus Christ, when he cleansed the leper, that tells us that he heals us of that disease, awful disease of the blood called sin.

And not only does he take care of it, but he puts it away once and for all and never holds it against us again. And cleanse us from all that uncleanness. And here our Lord is still performing wonders of his grace and his mercy and his power in the conversion of this publican, the call of a publican.

Verse 27, and after these things, he went forth. He went forth. He went out walking, went out going through town, and he saw a publican. He saw this publican, and this publican's name was Levi. He was sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said unto him, follow me. Follow me.

You know, when you talk about a publican, look, you know, a publican had the worst reputation of anybody in all of Israel. Nobody had a worse reputation than a publican did. A publican was a, was a, was a, as far as the Jews were concerned, he worked for the Roman government and he was against everything that the Jews stood for. You remember Zacchaeus was a publican.

And he said, I'm going to restore fourfold what I've already taken. He said, I've made so much money being a publican, being a taxes and taking tolls, that if I've taken anything, I'm going to give it back four times over. If I stole a dollar, I'm going to get $4 back. If I stole $100, I'm going to get $400 back.

He knowed how easy it was to, and a publican had the awfulest reputation. Their title was a proverb to wickedness among the Jews. They were called sinners, the worst kind. They were compared in class with harlots and Gentile dogs. They had the worst reputation that ever was.

And oh my, but I'll tell you, our Lord Jesus Christ, They come to this receipt of custom, and I'll tell you, our Lord humbled Himself and took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh. Not sinful flesh, the likeness of sinful flesh. And by being exposed in the flesh, He exposed Himself to the ridicule and accusations of men against Himself. In fact, they called him a friend, a friend of publicans and sinners.

If he wasn't a friend of publicans and sinners, and he was only friends to Pharisees and scribes and all those kind of people, then you and I'd be left plum out. There'd be no hope for us. We're like that publican. Our reputation, oh my, in the sight of God, we didn't have one. Nobody's got a good reputation in the sight of God. Nobody. We're all the worst reputation. And I'll tell you, you know, whatever anybody says about me has to be true. Because if I haven't done it, if I haven't done it, I've said it or thought it. And oh, my. And oh, he called this. And I, Lord, this is what's so wonderful.

That he identified with us so much. that they didn't bother him to be called a friend of publicans and sinners. It never upset him to be called a friend of publicans and sinners. It's not like the self-righteous people today that, you know, they get so upset if anybody doesn't live like them and doesn't dress like them and thinks like them and have the same opinions. They think the same.

But look what else happened to him. It was an effectual call. He said unto him, follow me. You know, here's the thing. Every time our Lord Jesus, when he went by and called all the other disciples, he said, follow me, follow me. And them fellas was working. They was in their ships, and they was in their ships, and they was cleaning nests. He said, follow me. Them fellas dropped everything they was doing and followed him.

You know, he don't look at somebody and say, well, I'd like for you to follow me. I'd appreciate it if you'd follow me. I'd like for you to follow me. I think it'd be good for you if you'd follow me. No, he said, follow me. That's a commandment. And when Christ says, follow me, you know what's gonna happen? Men go follow him. Then when you follow somebody, you've got to stay behind them. If you're going to follow somebody, you've got to go where he goes. You've got to do what he does. If he leads you this way, you've got to follow where he goes.

In Bunyan's holy city, when the king come and took in, went into the city of Mansoul, and he took and sat on that throne. He had dethroned, dethroned self, and dethroned everything that was in a man. And he, the king, come and sat on that throne of that heart. And as he sat on the throne of that heart, understanding, will, and everything else starts saying, boy, there's Immanuel. There's Immanuel going there.

And oh my, let's follow in his steps. His steps are so beautiful. He leads so gloriously. Let's follow him. Where he sets his foot, I'll set my foot. Where he goes, I'm going to set my foot right behind him. You got to be behind somebody for them to follow, you know, you got to be you can't follow something you oh That's just this is an effectual call May he send you an effectual call today May he say follow me Get up, follow me and look what happens and it says in verse 28 He left all Rose up. You know what that means? He left money on the table. He left the best job he ever had. He left a good living. He left a prestigious job as far as he was concerned. Oh my, he left all. He left everything.

And here's the thing about it. You know, you don't have to leave everything that you've got in order to be a follower of Christ. You don't have to do that. But I tell you what you will lose. You'll lose all hope in yourself. You'll lose all righteousness in yourself. You'll lose all self-confidence, you'll lose everything that you ever trusted in or hoped in for your salvation before. You'll lose all of that. That's what you'll leave behind. You'll leave everything you ever hoped for behind when you follow Christ. He left all, rose up and followed Him.

I remember years and years and years ago, it Brother Henry Mahan and myself and a couple other people were eating dinner one night after a meeting that Henry was in. And this couple was sitting there telling him that the church he was preaching at said, we'd love to come down here and move down here and be in this congregation. Because they were down there visiting.

He said, well, why don't you? He said, well, I've got this job and I've got that job and we can't, we gotta wait till we do this, that and the other. And Henry just looked at him and said, listen, if you want to go where the gospel's at, that don't mean nothing to you. You can get a job here anywhere if you go where the gospel's at. You know what, those folks, they went home, quit their jobs and moved.

I mean, I wouldn't have been in their shoes with their boots when Henry talked. When he talked to you, he talked to you. He don't make no bones about it. He wasn't afraid of nothing. He just told him, said, listen, if you want the gospel, you'll go where it's at, and you won't think nothing about leaving where you're at. And that's what this fellow said here. Our Lord said, follow me. All right, I'm going to do that. And oh my, look what it said in verse 27. Sitting at the receipt of custom.

You know, every town, every place has a custom house. You know, especially in ports and things like that. They have a custom house. And a custom house means where they take all the tolls that people coming in and all the taxes of people's coming by. Anybody's coming in, they have to pay a toll. They have to pay a tax on what they bring in and what they do and what all they do.

And not only that, but he collected the taxes for the Roman Empire from the Jews. He collected all the taxes that they owed. And also he left, and he left all that. He left, walked off and left that. Left that. Left it all to do one thing. To be a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ. To be a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me ask you.

What did he lose? By doing that, what did he lose by doing that? Leaving all, what did he lose? Well, what did he gain? Paul said, all things that was gained to me, that I thought was gained to me, you know what I think about it now? Counted but lost, counted but done.

Why? That I may win Christ, be found in Christ. That's what I said, everything, Christ, Christ. I want to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. I want to be found in Christ. And that's what this man does. And I'll tell you, that's when we leave this world, the only thing that matters is, am I in Christ? Will God find me in Christ? Does God see me hid with Christ in God? Am I hid with Christ? Am I have his righteousness?

That's all it'll ever matter. All of our tolls and all of our taxes and all of our opinions and all of our traditions will amount to nothing when that's said. Oh, my. Oh, well, look. When we see one like this called and converted, don't never despair of anybody. When somebody that's got the worst reputation in town is called and they follow the Lord Jesus Christ, don't never despair of anyone. Nobody should think that they're too wicked, too hardened, too worldly to become a believer. There's no sins too many. There's nothing you've done bad enough that you can't be forgiven. With our Lord, nothing is impossible.

That's why he said, he asked, Ezekiel said, can these bones live? Can these bones live? How do bones live? If God tells them to live, they're going to live. He can put flesh on the bones. He can put life in the bones. He can put eyes in the head. He can put ears on the head. He can put a mouth on the head. He can put feet on a person that'll follow Christ. He can do that. And you know how he done it? Son of man say, son of man say, son of man say. What does he mean? Say what I said. And that's why our Lord Jesus said, follow me. He did what God said, follow me.

Oh my. You know what man's problem is? It's not man's badness that keeps him from Christ. It's not man's sin that keeps him from Christ. It's his goodness. It's his goodness. It's his righteousness that keeps him from Christ. Most people are too good Most people are too righteous. Most people feel that they are in pretty good shape. Well, I'll tell you one person that ain't. In this flesh, oh, if it wasn't for God, I tell you, man couldn't, I mean, without Christ, we couldn't do nothing.

And oh, look at the joy now that happened to this converted man. Look at the joy. verse 29, and Levi made him a great feast. And I want you to notice where it said, Levi made him, made Christ a great feast in his own house. He just rose up and left everything and not only that, but he went to this fella's house. Oh Lord, listen, Come, come over to my house, would you? And I'll make you a meal. I'll make you a great feast in his own house. And look what else he said. There was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with him. Oh, my. He done it in his own house. Oh, my. And I tell you, made a feast. You know what feasts are for? Joy, laughter, rejoicing. good food, good times, good fellowship.

And his conversion, his call was a cause of rejoicing. And he wanted others to see the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted others to know who Christ was. He wanted others to sit down with the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh my. And I tell you, because he has a great company. He must have had a big house. He must have had a fine house. And I'll tell you why.

And then he said, and great company of other publicans. People just like himself with the awfulest reputations. That was, you know, birds of a feather flock together and these publicans were all just in the same boat. So I know a bunch of publicans, let's have the publicans come too.

Let's have, I don't care, come on. Come on. Oh my. Oh my God, he didn't lose a thing, but oh what he did gain. And I tell you, you know, nothing can happen to a man which ought to be as joyful as his conversion and being called by Christ the Lord himself. You're talking about joy. That's why I laugh so much when I'm preaching. I get filled with joy. I get so filled with joy. You know, some days I'm pretty down. A lot of times I'm pretty down. And yesterday afternoon is one of those days that I just, it was a sad day. I don't know why. I don't know why.

But you know, when you talk about, start thinking about what Christ has done, Christ has called me. Christ has saved me. I don't have any sin. I have his righteousness. I can talk to God and God can speak to me. I read his Bible and I can understand some of it. And there's not anything in it that I don't believe. Not anything.

I really believe that when Daniel was thrown in the lion's den, there were three lions in there and God shut their mouth like kitty cats. I really believe that Jonah was thrown into the depths of the sea and swallowed by a whale. And if the Bible says that the whale swallowed Jonah, I'd believe it if that's what the Bible said.

That's how much I believe in God's word. I believe that he said that when he created the heavens, the day one, I believe the whole earth was created in six days. And if you don't believe that, you gotta go along with evolution, you gotta go along with false science, you gotta go along believing that man and this world existed billions of years before God ever said, let there be light. And I'm gonna believe God before I believe anybody that says something's a billion years old. How do they know how old it is? Everything that's been born dies. All trees that grow up, they end up being cut down or they fall down by the... Oh, my. And I'll tell you nothing else.

That ought to cause us so much joy. I'm going to tell you something. Being converted by Christ, being made a new creature in Christ, being born again by Christ, given a new heart by Christ, given a new mind by Christ, being cleansed of the spirit by Christ. It's more important than being married. "'cause he's bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh." Huh? Oh my. It's more important than being a great person.

It's more precious than receiving a fortune in this life. A Persian got up and told about a young man in his congregation that somebody left him a great, great, great, great fortune. And he said, pray for this young man. Said he's in danger like he's never been in danger before. What's his danger? He got wealthy. He got wealthy. Oh my, I tell you what. I tell you, it's better than receiving it.

What it is, it's the birth. When God saves a soul, it's the birth of an immortal soul from darkness to light, from death to life, from blindness to sight, from deafness to hearing. It's the rescue of a sinner from hell. It's a brand plucked from the burning. That's what it is. It's a passage from death to life. We know about dying, going from life to death, but we go from death to life. Well, you're talking about a change. You're dead, and then you're living.

It's being made a king. He said, I'll make them kings and priests. What does that king have to do? We got a king, and he gave us a crown. He said, they're going to be kings. You know, he's the firstborn of many brethren. No, my. Going to be a priest. You know, only priests was allowed into the presence of God. Priests had to have a sacrifice. We got a sacrifice. And we can come into the presence of God. And we've got the, we've got the, we've got the, the armor on. We got the names of Christ and the names of everything like he did on us. We got the name of Christ. We can come into his presence. Oh my, when we talk about being converted, made a new creature, it's being made perfect. Being made perfect, being made complete in him, being made perfect.

And do you need something for time? You need salvation for time? You need righteousness for time? You need forgiveness for time? He's got it. The Lord is my shepherd. What about that? I ain't gonna want nothing. And that's talking about spiritual things. And I tell you what, you need something for eternity? Well, he's got what you need for eternity. In fact, he gives eternal life to as many as the Father give him. You know what eternal life is?

I've already got it. I'm not going to get it. I got it. It's not something I'm going to receive at the end of my life. It's something I got right now. You know what that means? That means the quality of the life we have. It's the life of God in a man. It's the life of Christ in a man. How is your life since you're a believer? What's the quality of your life since you become a believer? It's good quality, ain't it?

I love it. Oh, my. And I'll tell you. It's an adoption into the very family of God. And you know who they are? They're the noblest, wealthiest of all families. You know that. We belong to the wealthiest of all families. The earth is our Lord's and the fullness thereof. Everything in this place belongs to Him. And guess who we belong to? The wealthiest of wealthy and the wealthiest of all wealth.

Oh my. Look over here in Luke 15, 32 with me. Oh my. And Luke, you know, he had this feast for Christ. He wanted his friends to come in contact with Christ. Look what he said in Luke 15, 32. This is where the prodigal come home. He said, it was meat. It was necessary. that we should make merry and be glad. What for? For this thy brother, listen to this, was dead and is alive again. And he was lost. Now he's found. All right, go back over to our text. Look at the contradiction of sinners against himself. Oh, the contradiction of sinners against himself. Verse 30 said, but their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Why in the world are you do associating with the worst of the worst? Why do you do that? Why do you do that? Oh my. Oh my. Why would they murmur against his disciples? Why do you go in the same place where publicans and sinners go? You're associating with the lowest of the low, the awfulest of the awful. Why would they ask such a question? Why would they ask such a question? I'll tell you why.

Because they weren't sinners. They weren't sinners. Look over in John chapter 9. John chapter 9. It's about that man that was born blind. The Pharisees come to him and they start, oh my, trying to get him to deny Christ. And they said in verse 24, give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner. And he answered and said, verse 25, whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. Now listen to this. This is what I know. One thing I know that whereas I was blind, I now see. You cannot change me from that. I know that happened to me. I was blind as a bat, never seen anything. And you fellas, I was blind, now see.

And oh my, then they said unto him, again, what did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I told you already, and listen to this, you did not hear. Wherefore would you hear it again? Will you also be his disciples? Then they reviled him. You an idiot you're a fool and he said thou art his disciple now listen to this, but we are Moses disciple For we know that God spake unto Moses as for this fella.

We know not where he come from You know how many people If you don't have the right information of Christ, you'll have a false profession. Oh My and I'll tell you that's why that you know why they asked that question They weren't sinners. They weren't sinners. They were not sinners.

As like that Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, I thank you that I'm not like everybody else. But look how our Lord answers them. Look what I earned and what condescension to answer these arrogant, self-righteous, self-important, Men, legalist, oh my, how he answers these self-righteous, self-important men. And he doesn't answer with anger, but he answers wisely, with reason and with great meekness.

He said, they that are whole need not a physician. Who is whole? And that word whole means complete. Who is whole? Who is complete? Those that don't need Christ. You know, who are those in the condition don't need Christ? And that's what they said. If you're a whole man, you don't have a flaw nowhere about you. You're complete. You're perfect. You got a good right. You know, you got it all. You got it all going on.

And all my Those who are in this condition, they don't need Christ. They don't need healing. They don't. I want you to look over in Psalm 24 with me. Look over here. This is. Folks can read this and think that they can actually do this. Look down, verse three, Psalm 24 and verse three. There's people that read this and actually think that they do it.

Who shall ascend into the heel of the Lord? Who shall stand in His holy place? Well, first thing he has to do, he has to have clean hands and a pure heart, who has never lifted his soul up to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, never told a lie, This man shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Who's got the clean hands?

You know, the only person that can ascend into the hill of the Lord is our Lord Jesus Christ. And the only way we can go up there is by him. By him. Look in Psalm 15. This is the people, this is the people that, you know, This is what people don't understand. It's by his stripes we're healed, and these people don't need healing. Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell, live in your holy hill? Gotta walk uprightly, worketh righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. Anybody here done that?

He that backbiteth not with his tongue. Oh, aye, aye, aye, aye. Oh, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor. Oh, my. Listen, there's only one person that's ever done that. But there's people that read that and say, boy, I've got to live that kind of life if I'm going to get up there to God. I've got to live this holy life. I've got to cleanse up my hands. I've got to quit lying. I've got to be very, very careful what I say. Oh, my. And they think, oh, I could do that. But oh, my. But now look what he says back here in verse 31 of Luke 5.

They that are whole, they don't need a doctor. They don't need a doctor. But now watch this, but they that are sick. What kind of sickness he talking about here? Sin sick. Oh, so sick of sin. Sin sick. Self sick. So sick of self. Oh, self sick. Oh, self. Oh, what a self-god that they can offer to God. What a self-have they can give to God. Oh, my.

Sick of religion. So sick of religion. Sick of hypocrisy. Sick of playing church and pretending that everything's all right. When Christ is not all in all, nothing's right. Nothing's right. And then look what he goes on to say. He said, you all that are upset because we're drinking with publicans and sinners, our Lord said, oh, you're not like that. So you're whole.

You don't need healing at all. You don't need my stripes. You don't need my blood. You don't need nothing. I've got. But I came not to call the righteous. If you're righteous, I got nothing for you. Got absolutely nothing for you. You find somebody says, I'm not a sinner, got nothing for you.

Somebody says, listen, I'm okay. I'm able to face God the way I am. I believe I'll be, I think I've done a death good in my life. to overweigh the bad that I've done, and I think the scales are tipping my favor. I don't want to do that. Scales already out. I've been weighing the scale, and doesn't found one. But now, Christ gives a just weight. He weighed in His scales. Scales are perfectly balanced in Him.

Huh? Oh, my. I didn't come to call righteous men. If you think you're righteous, Christ said, I got nothing for you. Absolutely nothing. But oh, my. They didn't hear his voice as Levi did and followed him. He didn't come to call him. What would he call him from? If he going to come to call these people, what would he call him from? They're already righteous. What is he going to call them from? Call them from their what? You know, they're all right. They're whole. They're complete. They're righteous. What would he call them from? They're already righteous.

But look what else he said right here. But I'm calling sinners. You glad he said that? I come to call sinners. Wonder how many of them sinners and publicans got converted in that bill that day. I didn't come to call the righteous. Got nothing for you. But oh my, I've come to call sinners, sinners, for their minds to be changed.

Just like Levi was, follow me. Here I go. And when you repent, it's a conversion. It's a mind change. It's a heart change. Everything is changed. And you get up and follow him. Oh, my. Our blessed, blessed Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your glorious, glorious gospel. I thank you come to call sinners. I am so grateful. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm one of them. I know it because your word says it. I know it because I've experienced it. and I know what it is, and I'm grateful for your blood that cleanses from all sin, all sin.

Lord, may this gospel find a lodging place today. May you be pleased to cause it to bring forth fruit to your glory and bless it to the hearts of your dear people. Forgive us of everything to so enlighten. We bless you and praise you in our Lord Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Amen. 125. Is that Jesus paid it all? Is that what it is? Yeah, 125. Let's stand together and we'll sing this. You'll be at liberty to go. I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in me Thine all in all.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Lord, now indeed I find, Thy power and Thine alone Can change the leper's spots And melt the heart of stone. All to Him I owed. Sin had left a temptation. He washed it white as snow. For nothing good have I Whereby thy grace to claim. I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb.

Jesus made it all, all to Him I owe. Sin hath left a crimson stain, He washed white as snow I love this one and when I stand in him complete Jesus died my soul to save my lips shall still repeat Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. See that left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. See you Wednesday night, God willing. Lord bless you.

"The Call to a Publican"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Christ calling sinners?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Why is following Christ essential for Christians?

What is the significance of Christ associating with sinners?

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"The Call to a Publican"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about Christ calling sinners?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Why is following Christ essential for Christians?

What is the significance of Christ associating with sinners?

Sermon Transcript

About Donnie Bell

Comments

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