Sick, Not Blind

Mark 2: ¹³ Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. ¹⁴ As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

¹⁵ Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. ¹⁶ And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

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Broke and confused, I had no guidance from my counselors. I mean, how was I supposed to pay my rent, have my car fixed and pay for tuition? What good was school anyway? Seeing how I was stewing over my situation, someone invited me to church.

Maybe I can tell these people about my problem, I thought to myself. When I arrived, the church was so focused on some kind of celebration that I could not express what was going on in my life. I left distraught.

• There were times I wanted help from “churchy” people and was met with an invitation to give.
• There were times I desired to say “I’m hurt” to the “churchy” people but was met with “Come to our fashion show.”
• There were times when I longed to get sound advice from “churchy” people and was met with clap at this song a little harder.

JESUS sat with sinners who knew they were sinners. They were the outcasts of society and knew they needed help. They did not fit in with “churchy” people so they hung out with each other. HE was accepted by them yet criticized by the “churchy” people. GOD wants me to follow HIS lead.

• JESUS wants me to seek the lost just like HE sought me.
• JESUS wants me to look for he hurt instead of gathering to feel comfortable.
• JESUS wants me to find those who need HIM rather than going to a club week after week.

Blind is what JESUS accused the Pharisees of being. HE challenged them to trade in their blindness for sickness but they refused to do so. They would never admit they were spiritually dying so they continued down their “churchy” blind path. JESUS wants me to open my eyes and admit “I am sick and I need JESUS today”, only then can HIS power be shown in me.

• Are you blinded by society?
• Do you think you are well when you are really spiritually sick?
• Will you admit to GOD you need HIS help and HIS help alone?
• Will you stop looking around at others and seek the lost for CHRIST?