Jesus, friend of sinners
Intro:Three Main Characters
1…Levi…a Miserly Cheat
2…Pharisees….the Ministerial Elite
3…Mary…anointed Jesus’ Feet
Scripture…Luke 5:27-32
1…Jesus Calls Levi…a Miserly Cheat
a…Authority to Forgive Sins
b….Audacity to Love Sinners
c…Ability to Clean up and Consecrate Anyone
2…Levi Leaves
a…Abolish the Abominable Lifestyle…”If you loose your Life, you will find it…If you try to keep it, you will loose it!”
b…Another abundant Life Awaits!
3…Levi Invites His Friends….Next Scene
a…Present….The Ministerial Elite….shirt and tie….Upper crust
They too are sinners…they just don’t know it….Salvation in no other name
b…Present….Levi’s Friends, fellow tax collectors….Quite the clash
c…Reaction of the Religious is Critical
d…Jesus sees beyond Labels
e…Jesus even Dines with them….Mark 7:33
4…Pharisees and Prostitutes.. scene at Pharisee’s House for Supper
a…Point being.Pharisees. need Forgiveness
b…Pharisees need Friends…Jesus goes to their house too
c….Jesus Patiently gives them a Parable
d…Don’t take His love, forgiveness and friendship for granted
5…Challenge For Us
a…Be O.K. with being in with the Marginal ,,,Not a Popularity Contest
b…Aim to Love rather than being Liked
c…Put The Gospel to Work….live upside down, inside out and forward,back