THE CALLING OF LEVI

Passage: Luke 5:27-32

Key verse: 32

NIV

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners(A)

27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,”(B) Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.(C)

29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors(D) and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect(E) complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”(F)

31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”(G)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Calls Levi

27 (A)After this he went out and saw (B)a tax collector named (C)Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And (D)leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company (E)of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and (F)their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, (G)“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 (H)I have not come to call the righteous (I)but sinners (J)to repentance.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Follow me (27-28) Jesus next saw a tax collector named Levi. Perhaps his parents hoped he would grow up as a servant of God and a holy priest. Levi abandoned his people, his culture and his religion in order to benefit from being a tax collector. To others he looked like a hopeless betrayer of God. But Jesus saw differently. He said, "Follow me." When Levi heard these words, he left everything and began a new life following Jesus. 2. To call sinners (29-32) Levi celebrated his new life by holding a great banquet, where he invited many other tax collectors, along with Jesus. The Jewish leaders complained that Jesus was associating with sinners. They felt righteous, but they could not be righteous by disassociating themselves from "sinners." Jesus alone makes us righteous. He takes away our sins. He calls us to follow him. This is repentance.

Prayer: Lord, I am in desperate need of healing. Thank you for calling me to follow you daily.

One Word: Follow Jesus