One of the problems with our model of ‘invite Jesus into your life’ kind of evangelism is that He doesn’t fit. He tears the fabric of our old lives, and bursts the wineskins. He shatters our conceptions of morality and religion, and obliterates our categories of spirituality. He arrival announces a glorious unpredictability in our lives. Things we simply assumed would always be the case, simply aren’t. And, as Jesus suggests at the end of this week’s passage, that often proves simply too much (5:39).
Certainly for Levi, there was no way that Jesus could simply fit into his life. ‘...Levi got up, left everything and followed Him’ (5:28). Remembering Luke love of Leviticus, it’s likely that he tells us the story of Levi’s ‘great banquet’ not simply to give us context for the Pharisees complaints, but as a rendering of the Fellowship / Peace Offering that would be celebrated in the courts of the Tabernacle. Having walked the path of the Burnt, Memorial, Sin and Guilt offerings, and knowing that we are at peace with God we celebrate with a feast before God, inviting family and friends to enjoy fellowship in the presence of Christ.
But what should have been an atmosphere of celebration and thankfulness is spoiled by the complaining of the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law. We’ve seen before that self-righteous people struggle to make sense of grace. Those who settle for mere morality and religiosity have no way to understand or delight in the aggressive, restorative grace of God that come to us in Christ, nor the extravagant gratitude to which it gives rise. Their miserly, moribund, measured creed has no room for the evangelistic exuberance of those who truly follow Jesus.
Those who have experienced little – if any – of the grace of God in Jesus, have little appetite to introduce others to that grace. And like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, they stand on the sidelines of Jesus’ mission of restoration and criticise and complain about those who live in the liberty of that mission. After all, it doesn’t fit within the confines of their own spiritual poverty. But then again, neither does Jesus.
Questions:
Do you think that someone’s enthusiasm to be involved in evangelism is a measure of their own experience of grace? ...what other factors might be at play? Why do so many Christians struggle with talking to others about Jesus, or inviting them to places where they will hear about Him?
If ‘Bad company corrupts good character’ (I Cor.15:33), then how wise is it for Jesus’ disciples to go to a great banquet with ‘a large crowd of tax collectors and sinners’ (5:29)?
What do evangelists tend to mean when they suggest that people invite Jesus into their hearts? How different is that from Jesus’ command to ‘Follow me’? How do you feel about Rev.3:20 being used in evangelism?
How can we help people realise that they are ‘ill’ and need a Doctor? ...or that they are ‘sinners’ who need to be called to repentance? Or do you think people already know this?
In 5:33-35, Jesus teaches that when He is taken from His disciples, fasting will be a part of their spirituality (see this in e.g. Acts 13:2-3; 14:23). Why not share with your Home Group your experience of fasting as a disciple of Jesus? Do you think it is an ‘optional extra’ for Christians to fast? How do you engage with MIE’s termly days of Prayer and Fasting? Why do you think these are so poorly attended?
How wold you respond to someone who thought giving up TV, or sweets, or only eating vegetables would constitute a ‘fast’?
Jesus style Himself as ‘the Bridegroom’ in vv.34-35. Why do you think He introduces this when it doesn’t seem like anyone else is thinking about weddings!? How does thinking about Jesus in these terms shape your vision for the Church?
What is the ‘old’ and ‘new’ that Jesus is talking about in these little parables about cloth and wine (5:36-39)? Why are they so fundamentally incompatible, even damaging to each other? How does that affect the way you think about being a disciple?
Who would actually think ‘the old is better’? Why would they think that?
