God’s heart v people’s hearts

Mark 2:13-17

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As 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.

¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

This passage reminds me of Jeremiah who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, nailed it. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jerimiah 17:9) Or as a friend of mine would say, the heart is tricky. 29:13 says you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jesus invites Levi the tax collector to “follow me”, and he did. It seems possible that Matthew heard of Jesus teaching before he met Jesus, Matthew’s and Luke’s account have the beatitudes before Matthew’s calling.

I really enjoy reading Matthew’s Gospel because he is quite insightful into his own culture, which not all of us can do easily. I think perhaps this could be because he was a bit of outsider in his own culture, a tax collector and also a little different. This could be why God called him to be one of the 12 and to write one of the Gospels. What we do know for certain is that we are precious to God (see John 17:24). Why would you do that for sinners and tax collectors?

hat Jesus does and says upsets the Jewish Leaders. The teachers of the law ‘asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” I like how Matthew captures Jesus’ response in his Gospel: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)

Jesus is referring to Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” It also reminds me of Micah 6:8: “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Create a clean heart in me oh Lord. I pray that you would give me eyes to see people the way you see them, the person behind the brokenness and self-deceit, the person you love and died for.

Written by Dave Moore