Luke 5-7.6.22

Scripture

Luke 5:31

“Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Observation-What does it say?

In this chapter, Jesus called His first disciples, healed a man with leprosy, forgave and healed a paralyzed man, called Levi and ate with sinners and was questioned by the Pharisees about why His disciples didn’t pray and fast.

Understanding-What does it mean?

The bulk of Jesus’ ministry wasn’t in the Temple. It was outside of the temple, with ordinary people and sinners.

The men that Jesus chose as His disciples were ordinary men with ordinary jobs in the world. The man with leprosy and the paralyzed man whom Jesus healed and touched were not seen or favored, by societal standards. The tax collectors and sinners whom Jesus dined with and the way that His disciples didn’t fast and pray made religious leaders/teachers question Him.

Jesus didn’t care to heal the prideful and those “perfect” in their own eyes.  He came to disciple and heal those who recognized their need for Him.

Life Application

Without Jesus, we are nothing.  The Lord uses ordinary people like me and you to accomplish His will.

As we’ve been encouraging those in our ITC groups to establish a 3rd place away from our Christian circles (church and ITC group) to reach out, Jesus was the prime example of establishing relationships and always ministering outside of the Temple to people who truly needed Him.

Who is someone “ordinary” that you can reach out to and share the love of Jesus with today? Where is your 3rd place?

-Michelle Gaddi