Luke 5:30-32

Luke chapter 5 let me read begin reading with verse 27 we’ll read through 32 our focus though will be on 30 through 32 Luke 5 beginning with verse 27 and after these things he went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the reset 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 them but their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples saying why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners Jesus answering said unto them they that are whole whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. God blessed to us, his sacred and holy. During the Revolutionary War, General Washington was riding past a detachment of his men, and he saw a corporal who was commanding his men to lift the heavy log that was beyond their capacity and he was shouting at them giving orders to heave hoe this log. Well, since they couldn’t do it, Washington quickly dismounted off his horse, went over, pitched in, helped get the log moved and into its place. Turning to the corporal, he asked, why didn’t you help your men? Corporal said, sir, can’t you help your men? you see that I’m a corporal, which Washington removed his coat and said, sir, I see that you’re a corporal, but I wish you to see that I’m a general. Our text provides Christ’s defense here for his associates, his people, his disciples, because they were charged with eating and drinking with publicans and sinners. Like the corporal, the scribes and the Pharisees kept their distance from sinners and yelled out commands to them. But Jesus Christ, who is the captain of our salvation, like George Washington, condescends to mingle with us as sinners, that he might say this. After all, the great physician, has to be with the sick in order to heal the sick. So you see the great compassion of the Savior here in the salvation of even the worst of sinners. I want to speak about the physician to the spiritually sick from this passage this morning. Now, notice first, Christ’s close association with publicans and sinners. In the latter, part of verse 30, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? Jesus and his disciples are feasting with the worst people in society. When Levi, who was also called Matthew, remember, was called by Christ to salvation, the converted tax collector decided to have a great feast. Now this feast, I think, had a two-fold purpose. One was to celebrate the joyous occasion of Levi’s salvation, but I think even more importantly, I think it was a means of having his family and friends and coworkers hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Matthew’s gospel records it in this way, Matthew 9, 10, and it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat in the house. Behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with it. him and his disciples and that’s what the complaint is about here in our text now publicans were often covetousness a covetous people who overcharged taxes on the taxes that they collected in order to make a profit they enriched themselves other sins were oppression extortion taking bribes and of course false accusation they were viewed as the scum of society traitors for collecting the taxes for the Romans who at this point were ruling over the Jews but these were associated these were Levi’s old associates who else were even be in contact with but publicans and sinners and they’re the ones that were invited to the feast their profane lifestyle as people who did not regard God’s law was obvious to all. But who else, you know, would a public can know and have friends as friends. So they were invited to the feast. These were the kind of people that Jesus sat, ate with, and conversed with at this particular time. Now, no doubt some people, the friends and relatives and coworkers, and so forth. Maybe some came out of curiosity to find out what is going on in Levi’s life, that he’s now going to give up his prestigious position here as a tax collector and the money that comes with it in order to follow Christ. It seemed like an odd thing for them. Christ, in associating with sinners here, is not condoning their sinning their sin, He used the occasion, though, to proclaim the gospel to those who certainly needed to hear it. The lesson we have here is your witness for Jesus Christ is not just to be given to the respectable people of society, but even to the worst of society. Whoever God in his providence brings across your path in life, regardless of their social status, or their classification, they are people that God would have us in some way bring the gospel to bear in their lives. Like the sower in Christ’s parable, we take the handful of seed and we scattered. We were not so concerned about where it falls. We just scattered. Yes, we’d like to have it fall on good ground, but not all of it’s going to fall on good ground, but the point is we just sow the seed and see what God does. So here he is, feasting with the worst people of society. Now, this indicates to us that Christ is willing to receive sinners. It’s a wonderful thing that the holy and righteous son of God is willing to associate with and receive sinners. Now, a sinner is someone who is a transgressor of the law. That’s plain and simple as we can make it according to Scripture. A sinner is someone who is controlled by his own lusts and passions and can’t escape their control. Remember what Jesus said in John 8, he that sins is a servant, is a slave of sin. And this is what we’re talking about. Yet, Jesus in conversing and feasting with these publicans and sinners show us a willingness to take in, if you would, to embrace even the worst people in society. Look honestly at yourself. Maybe you may see yourself as the chief of sinners. You may see yourself as such that you would think, well, Christ wouldn’t have anything to do with me. I’m a hopeless kid. case, I’d never be granted mercy and grace by God, but have you ever tried Christ? Listen carefully to Christ’s words in John 637. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will no wise cast out. Such has really come to Christ. Such as desire to embrace Him as the Savior shall be received. You shall be brought near to Christ. and enjoy his fellowship and his presence. Now it is true that the text indicates to us that those who come savingly to Christ here are those who were given to Him by the Father from the very beginning, but we don’t know who they are, and thus Christ says that whoever comes, I will receive. Notice that there’s no restriction here. Will you be the worst of sinners? It doesn’t matter. Have you ever cried out to Christ in your spiritual blindness? Thou, son of David, have mercy on me. Have you, as a leprous and loathsome sinner, pleaded with the Lord, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean? Have you ever humbly prayed to Christ like the public in at the temple? God be merciful to me a sinner? Take Jesus Christ’s word. Come to him. See if he will not receive you. So, Christ’s close association with public and sinners ought to give hope to us. We’re all, in a sense, in that state. Secondly, we see in this text that the scribes and the Pharisees complain here about Christ associating with the public and sinners. The first part of verse 30, but there’s scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, why do you eat? and drink with publicans and sinners. Notice the attitude here of the scribes and the Pharisees. The scribes and the Pharisees were proud, self-righteouss, people who looked down on others. They consider themselves as superior. I like the way Isaiah speaks of the Jews, and I think he captures it perfectly. Isaiah 65-5. which say, stand by thyself, come not near me, for I am holier than thou. That’s the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees and Pharisees. That fits it to a T. So the scribes and Pharisees carefully afford any contact with publicans and centers. They kept their distance. We’ll be contaminated if we’re around them. They would never eat with them. Anybody coming from the marketplace, they take a bat, unless they have. gained some kind of contact with Gentiles or publicans and sinners. You hear the Pharisee praying at the temple, he stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I’m not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this public, I’m not like them. I’m far superior. Not only would they not associate, they would never be called a friend of publicans and sinners as Jesus was. So they were aloof. what did they care if people perished in their sins? Probably looked at it and they deserve to perish. Now, scripture does teach, we’re not to enter into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of the wicked. Think about that. He’s not saying you can’t have any association, you’re going to have some because you’re in the world. But don’t walk in the way or in the path of these people. Don’t follow their way of life. Jesus, however, was not having any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness that these people were engaged in. His association was of purpose to bring them the gospel. The scribes and the Pharisees took their complaint to Christ’s disciples. Isn’t it interesting? Sometimes they’ll take the complaint about the disciples to Christ, and they’ll take the complaint really about Christ to the disciples. But either way, Christ is the one. is their focus here, really. He’s the one that’s leading the disciples to do these things. And so their complaint really is about Christ. So he answers them here. Now, the scribes and the Pharisees believe that any intimate relations with the wicked people were, that would be against the law of God. So they malign Christ. They spoke ill of Christ. They hated him. They wanted to misrepresent him and turn people away. They wished no good for the public and sinners. They were aggrieved to see that they would repent and believe on Christ and follow Christ. So the scribes and the Pharisees were all about works righteousness, all about earning salvation by what they did and how great they were spiritually. What do they know about the grace and the mercy of God? Really nothing. So this was the attitude to the scribes and the Pharisees. Now you’ll notice that it’s common for the good actions of people to be misrepresented. The scribes and the Pharisees here didn’t come to hear Christ preach. They didn’t come to have their souls benefited. They came to find fault, and they found it. Their purpose was to turn people away. Christ so they put an evil construction on everything that Christ did. Jesus went about doing good. What are the scribes and Pharisees saying? They misrepresent Christ as doing evil. Isaiah 520s is woe unto them that call evil good and good evil. Put light for darkness and darkness for light and so forth. If Christ associates with sinners in order to give them the gospel, that he is maligned. as being like them. Well, birds of a feather flock together. If Christ cast out demons, it is claimed, well, he must be doing it by Bielzebub, the prince of the devils, and not by the power of God. If Christ heals a sick person at the synagogue, well, he must be evil. He violated the Sabbath day by healing on the Sabbath. If the actions of the sinless son of God are so misrepresentation, represented. We should not be discouraged, nor surprised, when we, as one of his followers, find our good deeds spoken of as evil. Groundless censures will plague every child of God. Your motives will be misconstrued. Your actions will be painted in the blackest colors. And this may require you to defend yourself. and not let your good be evil spoken of. I was thinking about this, I had read a autobiography of Spurgeon at one point. Actually, his wife wrote it, but it contains a lot of what he said. At a particular point in his ministry, when he became popular in London as he preached, he drew a lot of attention. It wasn’t unusual for, the editorial page to write about the preachers of the day. And today, probably more rare to have that occur. But the Ipswich Express, February 27, 1855, provided this editorial from their London correspondent, a clerical poltroon. There is some little excitement, in the religious world created by a young man, a Baptist minister, and whose father, I am told, is an independent minister of the name of Spurgeon in Colchester. This youth is fluent, and the consequences are most distressing. As his own chapel is under repair, he preaches in Exeter Hall every Sunday, and the place is crammed to suffocation. Always discontal. courses are redolent of bad taste are vulgar and theatrical, and yet he is so run after, unless you go a half an hour before the time, you will not be able to get in at all. I am told one leading minister of the independent denomination, after hearing this precocious youth, said that the exhibition was an insult to God and man. Actually, I hear the other Sunday. the gifted divine had the imprudence before preaching to say, as there were many young ladies present, that he was engaged, that his heart was, his heart it was another’s. He wished them clearly to understand that he might have no presence sent to him, no attentions paid to him, no worsted slippers worked for him by the young ladies present. I suppose that the dear divine, has been rendered uncomfortable by the fondness of his female auditors. At any rate, such is the impression he wishes to leave. The only impression, however, he seems to have produced upon the judicious few is one of intense sorrow and regret that such things should be and that such a man should draw. Now, Spurgeon’s feelings about this are recorded in a letter that he sent his father, a few days later of March 4, 1855, dear father, do you not be grieved at the slanderous libel in this week’s express? Of course it’s all lie without an atom of foundation, and while the whole of London is talking of me and thousands are unable to get near the door, the opinion of a penny-eliner is of little consequence. I beseeched you not to write but if you can see Mr. Harvey or some official it might do good. A full reply on all points will appear next week. I only fear for you. I do not like you to be grieved. For myself, I will rejoice. The devil is roused. The church is awakened, and I am now counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake. Good ballast, Father, good ballast. But oh, remember what I have said before, and do not check me. Last night I could not sleep till morning light. But now my master has cheered me, and I hail reproach and welcome shame. Love to you all, especially to my dearest mother, I mean to come home April 16th, so, amen, your affectionate, Sonsi H. Spurgeon. One week from the printing of that editorial, the Ipswich Express editor admitted error on the part of the paper. We regret, we much regret, that our London correspondent should have reported hearsay, which we are now informed was incorrect, respecting Mr. Sparge. It didn’t matter. They maligned him. They maligned him for preaching the gospel of Christ. This is what happens. So the scribes in the fairies, a complaint. about Christ associating with publicans and sinners. The third thing we see here this morning is the necessity of Christ dealing with publicans and sinners in verse 31. Jesus’ 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. Now, let me simply say this. There’s no one who is really whole or righteous. You must realize that. All have need of the great physician, but many people do not recognize this truth. They deny that they are sick. The scribes and the Pharisees consider themselves spiritually healthy. They consider themselves righteous. They did not see the need of Christ at all. So Christ leaves them alone. I came to take care of the sick. Accknowledge sinners. If you took a glass of water and you put some dirt in it and then you stirred it up and made it muddy water. And you let that glass sit. Eventually, the dirt debris would all slowly settle down to the bottom of the water. And if you looked at the glass after a while, it would appear to be fairly clean at the top in the middle. You could see through it. This is the way. way sinners are. The simple stirring of that water, however, brings it back to its state of mud. You know, it’s all dirty again if you just stir it up. The heart of man is full of the dirt, of sinful lusts, and carnal desires. However, when those evil lust and desires are not stirred up, you might imagine that your heart is pretty clean. You might love you, say, I’m a pretty good guy. you know, I don’t have any major sins in my life and so forth. So you might think, I’m righteous. I’m good. I don’t need a savior. Believe that your nature is evil and depraved as the scripture says it is. However, to be proved wrong, all you need is for a lust to be incited in your life, to stir it up. and you’ll see how wicked you are and what you’re capable of doing. I remind you, the scribes and the Pharisees are the one that are plotting murder against the Lord Jesus’ grace. Don’t tell me about how righteous you are. Why you want to murder people. Why out of covetousness you take advantage of widows, take their money from them and so forth. Don’t tell me about your righteousness. You’re not righteous at all. So you must realize nobody is really whole or righteous. But you need to realize that you’re spiritually sick. Now, sin is the sickness of the soul, not the body, but the soul. It is a deforming, weakening, wasting, and killing disease. The picture of the soul. The picture of a deforming, weakening, sin as a disease really doesn’t portray to us all the heinous nature of sin. It’s just a way for us to get a handle on how bad sin is. The idea of sickness doesn’t capture perhaps the perverseness of the will, or the evil rebelliousness of man’s nature, or the enmity and hatred of man toward God. But it’s just a way to view sin from a different perspective and get a handle on it. Think about this. Sin is an hereditary disease. You’re born in sin. You’re shaping in iniquity. And sin did your mother conceive you? For Adam’s original transgression is conferred to you. So it’s hereditary. It’s also a disabling disease. Those who are spiritually sick cannot please God. You can’t do good. You’re incapable of seeking after God, of praying and worshiping God right, of understanding the ways of God, or exhibiting any spiritual strength towards your salvation. It is a polluting disease. You defile everything you touch. If you’re evil, you make others around you evil. Your children imitate your vices. You influence your family, your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers by your behavior. It’s polluting. It’s an incurable disease. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard, his spots, that you are accustomed to do evil, not learn to do well. You can’t heal yourself. You can’t cure yourself. You can’t overcome this disease yourself. And it’s a fatal disease. But the wages of sin is death. Not merely bodily death, but eternal death in hellfire. So you are indeed suffering soul sickness and will utterly perish without divine intervention. that’s at least what we can gain from this. So you need to realize you are spiritually sick. Now, Christ is the physician for the spiritually sick. That’s what he tells us here. He specializes in it. He is the only one who can cure your dreaded disease. Jesus didn’t come into the world to save the righteous or the so-called righteous, but sinners. We were. He’s written, scripture, that Christ died for sinners. That Christ makes intercession for what? The transgressors. So while here on earth, he spends his time with known sinners, or at least acknowledge sinners, for they need him. Do you see your soul is sick? Do you see yourself as a sinner in the eyes of God? Do you desire to be healed? Then you go to the great physician. Man’s natural ignorance and self-righteousness and religion is such that men lose sight of the fact that they need Christ, the great physician. Christ came to call you to repentance, to turn you from your sins. He has to deliver sinners by dying in their place as a substitute and paying the debt that they owe. for the penalty of the law. He has to place your trust in Christ because he can wash away all your sins. He can cure this dreaded disease. So we see the necessity of Christ dealing with public and sinners. So his answer to the scribes and Pharisees is, what do you do when he eat, what do you do in eating with publicans? They need me. They need the Savior. You may not think you need me, but they know they need me. I always said, It’s always better to deal with a person who knows their Republican and sinner than to deal with one who’s a Pharisee. You’re always better off to deal with someone who acknowledges their sinner than the ones who think they’re self-righteous, because how can you reach the self-righteous? George Washington, though General of the Continental Army, was willing to join in and help his common soldiers move a log into place. Our Savior did not just let men struggle helplessly in their sin, but he stepped in and saved sinners from their sin. So we learned from this passage that Christ is willing to receive sinners. We learned from this passage that Christ, it’s common for his good actions to be maligned, to be evil spoken of. We learned from this passage that nobody is truly whole or righteous in the eyes of God. We learn from this passage that Christ is the only physician for soul sickness. Let us close with a word of prayer this morning.