A Call to Put God at the Center
February 27, 2000
Mark 2:13-22
The story of the call of Levi (or Matthew, as we better know him,) is simple and straightforward. Jesus stopped by Levi's place of business and said, "Follow Me." Immediately Matthew cleaned out his desk. They went to Matthew's house where they had something very much like a party. Matthew's old friends came. They were not typical church-type people. The church-type people of Capernaum were offended. Jesus said to them "These are the very kind of people I have come to invite into my kingdom." From that very day Matthew had a new reason for living. Jesus became the center of his life.
Jesus is still calling people to follow him. He doesn't (usually) come by in a visible form and ask us to get up and go with him. We think it would be simpler if he could and did. But believe me, Jesus still says "You! I want you! Come, follow me!"
Sometimes we church-type people get the call of Jesus all mixed up with our idea of the call of the church, or the call we heard way back then. It is always a wonderful thing when Jesus comes by and says "Follow me!" The best thing we can do is help people listen— to sort out all the voices that are shouting, help them seek to follow the voice of Jesus.
The so-called important people seemed to think Levi and his friends were not eligible to walk with God because of what they had been in the past. They knew tax collectors and publicans and sinners were not usually found in the synagogue when worship time came around. Actually they weren't welcome there.
But Jesus said, "If true religion is about getting right with God, then- well, maybe they should be welcome!"
THE CALL TO LIVE WITH GOD AT LIFE'S CENTER IS A CALL TO BE LOVED
The religion of the scribes and Pharisees saw living life with God at the center as a matter of rule and regulation. It was a joyless, sterile, juiceless way of living. By contrast, the relationship with God Jesus was introducing was made for real life— life the way it ought to be lived.
[Illustration: There is an old story of a woman who was married to an extreme hard-nosed legalist. A real nit-picker, he made a list of things his wife was to do and not to do and put it on the refrigerator. Scrub the floor. Wash the clothes. Pack the lunches. Bring my slippers— it was all there and believe me he made life miserable if she missed a beat. The list made her life very difficult. Thankfully, the legalist caught a bad cold because he had his mouth open so much, and he died.
In due time the lady married again, and this time her husband was quite different. He brought her flowers. He told her every day he loved her, and he seemed to mean it. He was thoughtful, and kind, and loving. Their home was happy.
But one day as she was cleaning she found an old list left by the first husband in a drawer somewhere. As she sat down to look at it she realized she was doing every single thing on the list and even more. Her life was not unhappy because she was doing for love what the old law had demanded that she do or else!]
THE CALL TO LIVE WITH GOD AT THE CENTER IS A CALL TO SHARE LIFE WITH JESUS
Jesus said, "I did not come to people who are whole. I came to bring genuine soul health to those who are sick or broken!" If there is no sin, we don't need a Savior. But the Bible says we all have sinned and come short of God's glory. The LAW tells us we have a list on the refrigerator and we had better get with it or else. Jesus comes along and says. "The old Way is dead. Come along with Me, and I'll show you the way of LOVE!"
The theological way of describing this New Life in Jesus is not dull and dry: three things take place, which coalesce into a fourth. When we decide we will follow the call and follow Jesus— not just mental and tentative, but when from our hearts we say "Come into me heart! Be Lord of my life!" these things begin to take place:
- we are given a genuine NEW LIFE inside (crying for food! regeneration)
- we are given A CLEAN SLATE (ALL our sins are forgiven justification)
- we are ADOPTED INTO GOD'S FAMILY (adoption)
- and together this effects our
- sanctification (we are made, we are being made, we will be made like Jesus)
THE CALL TO LIVE WITH GOD AT THE CENTER IS A CHALLENGE TO LOVE LIKE JESUS LOVED
Jesus loved those old scribes and Pharisees, I'm sure, even though they were miserable and made others miserable. He even loves us when we get set in our ways. But the message is: Jesus loves everyone. The hospitality of Jesus reached out. He was not ashamed to love "sinners." He even loved ME! He loves YOU!
Our live can reflect that hospitality. Our worship will reflect that hospitality.
[Illustration: I heard a great story recently about a brilliant young hippy-type college student whose regular outfit was tee shirt and jeans and long hair and all. He found the Lord in a college fellowship, but never really had been to a "church' church.
So one day he wandered into a really big neat downtown church right during morning worship. The service was pretty far along; actually the pastor was preaching. The place was full. All the aisle seats were taken. Our hippy friend listened for a moment and liked what he was hearing and he just sort of wandered down the center aisle and squatted down on the carpet. That is what they did in the informal college fellowship. But no one had ever done it in First Church before!
Just then the head deacon got up from his aisle seat and started toward the front where the young man sat in the aisle. The deacon was dressed impeccably: three piece suit, gold rimmed glasses, the whole nine yards. The congregation watched out of the corners of their eyes, and even though the pastor kept talking no one was hearing what he was saying except maybe the college student on the carpet.
When the deacon got to where the hippy was sitting he bent down and— he lowered himself to the carpet and sat down beside the young man so he wouldn't have to feel strange. The pastor said later that he was sure the people would forget his sermon that day, but they would never forget what the deacon did.
REAL religion, heart-felt religion is Jesus at the center of our lives, and that makes room then for real hospitality.]
Life with Jesus at the center will help us love people who don't "know enough" to worship "the right way" (like WE do it!)
Jesus is calling every one of us this morning, calling us to follow Him and put him at the center of our lives. He is asking us to put away selfishness and sin, and asking us if He can give us LIFE, and FORGIVE OUR SINS, and ADOPT US into his Family.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
As we come to Holy Communion time, let this be a way we can respond to the call of Jesus to "Come, follow Me!" Affirm your faith with me:
The Apostles' Creed - on Page 7 UMH
Invitation
Prayer of Confession - on Page 8 UMH
Let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God!
The Lord's Prayer
Communion
Here I Am, Lord (chorus only)
Benediction
