Mark 2:13-17

Jesus came for the sinners, not the “saved”
Mark 2:13-17

Don’t you just hate self-righteous people?  Well, Jesus was no fan of them either.  At the house of Levi (a tax collector), Jesus was hanging around with IRS agents and prostitutes.  The teachers of the law (kind of like pastors) were also there and they thought Jesus should be with a different crowd.  What was Jesus’ reply?

Don’t you just hate self-righteous people?  Well, Jesus was no fan of them either.  At the house of Levi (a tax collector), Jesus was hanging around with IRS agents and prostitutes.  The teachers of the law (kind of like pastors) were also there and they thought Jesus should be with a different crowd.  What was Jesus’ reply?  Jesus replied with his mission statement: “I came to save sinners, not those who are already “saved.”  Well, of course he came to save the sinners.  That’s why he came to earth, died, and rose again.  Who though was “saved” in Jesus’ day?  Who was Jesus talking to?  Jesus actually used the term “righteous,” which means “right with God.”  The Pharisees (Religious leaders, Jews, who believed that a messiah was foretold in the Bible, and that he would be resurrected) certainly thought they were right with God, or “saved,” but they were deluding themselves.  The Bible states that no one is righteous (Romans 3:10).  We all need the savior Jesus.  The Pharisees could not see the very savior they were looking for standing right in front of them!  They were so wrapped up in their religion; they were blind to their need for God.

We as Christians can fall into the same trap of “playing church;” not understanding that we need Jesus to be saved.  God wants our hearts and our worship, not perfect church attendance.  I like the old saying that sitting in church makes you no more a Christian, than sitting in a garage makes you a car.  It’s true!  Acknowledge your need for Jesus today.