Yesterday Levi decided to follow Jesus, invited his colleagues for supper with Jesus. We saw all that meant for Levi, and today we see what it meant for his culture.
And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:30-32 ESV
What Jesus says makes so much sense in theory. Of course Jesus came to heal broken people, including these kinds of extortioners who’ve sold out their nation.
But it’s so easy to forget that in practice.
The Pharisees don’t seem to think Jesus should be friends with those he intends to heal. They act like he should keep a safe distance, perhaps as an aloof example of how good he is and how bad they are. Perhaps if they change their ways, then they can be seen with him.
Christians can do the same. Sometimes we’d rather give to a distant charity than help a neighbour. We’d rather keep a safe distance from people’s issues, perhaps we worry about what people will think if they see us with certain kind person.
This is a problem since we see Jesus doing the opposite. He goes right to people who don’t know him, and don’t act like him. He goes right to the sick, and heals them. The problem is Pharisees don’t see themselves as sick.
This is part of why we don’t advertise this as a Christian resource. We’re not looking to be a resource just for those who already go to church, know Jesus, and like that kind of thing.
If that’s you, it’s okay, you can support and join our team in this work – get in touch with me. What we’ll work on together is building a community of people that includes those who’d never show up at church to learn about Jesus.
It’s such people as that we exist for. Now that’s a pretty familiar group. It gets much more interesting when you consider what it’s like to serve prostitutes, drug addicts, and so on. What does it look like for Jesus’ followers to sit down and have supper with them in a way that introduces them to Jesus? We’ve included one fascinating example for you to watch here.
Question: Why do you think the religious authorities, the Pharisees and scribes, react the way they do? Have you ever reacted similarly?
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CloseRyan Sim - October 14, 2013
Monday - A New Idea - Friends To Family
It seems like every sitcom shares a feature: friends just come and go, they seldom knock or call first. Think of Friends – the characters simply came and went. You might think Seinfeld was an exception, with George and Elaine buzzing from the lobby, but don’t forget how Jerry’s neighbour Kramer just tumbles in the door. I’m sure to some degree this is about writing a good script – you can’t have a lot of down time waiting for people to answer the doorbell. But it also communicates something about the depth of their friendship. Some researchers say these kinds of friends have what’s called refrigerator rights. The term comes from a book of the same name, but you may have heard it in pop culture, too. It defines a close relationship, where even though they don’t live there, a friend is able to come and go at will, and even eat from the other’s fridge without asking. It’s a high level of friendship. For some people, maybe that seems natural enough. You grew up with it, perhaps. But for others, it bothers you. You might think it’s awkward, too intimate, or too trusting. You might ask, “What if I needed those leftovers for lunch tomorrow? What if that dessert was for a party? What if you come in my house while I’m in the shower, sleeping, or arguing with my spouse?” The lines between family and friend are starting to blur in that kind of relationship. That’s the shift we’re going to explore this week in our pursuit of becoming great neighbours. We’ll look at the relationships with our neighbours that go deepest – where we become like family, with a focused, high level of friendship. Question: How do you react to people having “refrigerator rights” in your house? Would you love more relationships that close, or are you a bit nervous?
Related Topics: Family, Friends | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Won't You Be My Neighbour?"
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EPIC: Abraham & Isaac - Thursday | February 19, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Abraham & Isaac - Tuesday | February 17, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Friday | February 13, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Thursday | February 12, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Abraham & Sarah - Wednesday | February 11, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Tower of Babel - Thursday | February 5, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Noah - Friday | January 30, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Noah - Thursday | January 29, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Cain and Abel - Friday | January 23, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Thursday | January 22, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Wednesday | January 21, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Tuesday | January 20, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Cain and Abel - Monday | January 19, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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EPIC: Adam and Eve - Thursday | January 15, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
EPIC: Adam and Eve - Wednesday | January 14, 2015 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Best of 2014: Reset Body & Food - Monday | December 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Friday | December 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Thursday | December 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Christmas - Tuesday | December 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Christmas - Monday | December 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: God in the Flesh - Thursday | December 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: God in the Flesh - Wednesday | December 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: God in the Flesh - Tuesday | December 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Friday | December 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Thursday | December 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Wednesday | December 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Tuesday | December 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Healer in the World - Monday | December 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Friday | December 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Thursday | December 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Wednesday | December 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Tuesday | December 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting King in the World - Monday | December 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Friday | November 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Thursday | November 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Wednesday | November 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Tuesday | November 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Friend in the World - Monday | November 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Friday | November 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Thursday | November 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Wednesday | November 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Tuesday | November 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Light of the World - Monday | November 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Friday | November 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Thursday | November 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Wednesday | November 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Tuesday | November 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Prophet in the World - Monday | November 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Friday | November 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Thursday | November 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Wednesday | November 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Tuesday | November 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Powerful Man in the World - Monday | November 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Jesus: The Most Interesting Priest in the World - Wednesday - Change It | October 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Jesus: The Most Interesting Priest in the World - Tuesday - Study It | October 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Thursday - Act On It - Foundation | October 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Foundation | October 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Foundation | October 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Foundation | October 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Thursday - Act On It - Forgiver | October 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Tuesday - Study It - Forgiver | October 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Forgiver | October 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Wednesday - Change It - Teacher | October 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
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Thursday - Act On It - Revolutionary | October 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen |