The Scum of the Earth
Luke 5:27-29 After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector sitting at his place for collecting taxes. His name was Levi. Jesus said to him, "Follow me!" Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. Then Levi gave a big dinner at his house for Jesus. At the table there were many tax collectors and some other people too.
Have you ever felt, at some point in your life, that Jesus couldn’t possibly have come for you? That somehow, you’re not good enough?
Some people are just considered to be, well, scum of the earth – child molesters, rapists, conmen who swindles the elderly couple out of their life’s savings. And back in Jesus’ day, add to that, tax collectors. Not only were they corrupt, but they were Jews who collected taxes for the occupying Romans, which means that they were considered to be traitors as well.
So, the Jesus mega-star juggernaut swings into town. Huge crowds are following Him as He walks down the road and in the midst of all that hoopla, Jesus spies Levi the tax collector, a guy with “scum of the earth status” on the First Century Jewish social register. So what does Jesus, this God-man, this Son of the living God, Creator of the universe, do?
Luke 5:27-29 After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector sitting at his place for collecting taxes. His name was Levi. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” Levi got up, left everything, and followed Jesus. Then Levi gave a big dinner at his house for Jesus. At the table there were many tax collectors and some other people too.
Can you believe that? That’s outrageous. There are so many other people there who are so much more deserving of Jesus’ attention. Doesn’t Jesus know that this Levi guy and all his mates are the scum of the earth?
Sure He does. That was the whole point. That’s why He came. For Levi. For you. For me. For anyone … anyone who’s prepared to follow Him. Don’t ever let the devil trick you into thinking that Jesus didn’t come for the likes of you. He absolutely came for you!
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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