A
friend of mine isn’t much into church these days. He’s behaved himself into destructively
life-altering situations. He doesn’t
think church people have ever been as bad as he has. He’s also seen first-hand the hypocrisy of
church people who hide behind their pretty faces while destroying each other’s
lives or otherwise act reprehensibly. He doesn’t
see the irony, yet.
Check out Luke 5:27-32
My
friend is like the tax collector, without the money. Tax collectors like Levi (later to be called
Matthew and believed to be the author of the gospel bearing his name) were not
just unpopular; they were despised.
The
Romans gave taxing rights to the highest bidder. The highest bidder would pay Caesar the
amount he bid, then charge the people to cover the bid, his expenses, and to
make a profit. There was no tax
rate. It was completely
unregulated. The Talmud referred to tax
collectors as robbers. It’s why John the
Baptist told tax collectors to collect no more than they should. The typical Jew at the time despised tax
collectors, not only for their greed and reputation for dishonesty, but for
their collaboration with the Roman occupiers.
The
church is the only fellowship in the world where the one requirement for
membership is the unworthiness of the candidate.
Robert
Munger
Jesus’
intentional affinity for exactly the wrong kind of people is striking when you
consider the gulf between the churched and the unchurched today. Tax collectors, prostitutes, shepherds,
woman… no wonder Levi throws a huge party at his home, and invites all of his
religious-establishment-reject friends.
And who else is there?
Jesus.
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.”
My
friend doesn’t realize it yet, but he’s the salt of the earth. And so are you.
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