This summer, during “Our Next Guest” series, the Daily Bible Readings will take you on a journey through the book of Mark. We’ll take an in-depth look at the life of Jesus, introducing you to all of the different guests, themes, and spiritual disciplines Jesus interacted with and practiced throughout the book. Our hope and prayer is that you’ll meet Jesus in new and fresh ways as we journey together through the Gospel according to Mark.
Day Two Mark 2:13-17
13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.
15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mark 2:13-17 (NLT)
Discover
1. What is Jesus doing in verse 13? (Re-read Mark 1:38 for a reminder of Jesus’ primary ministry.)
2. What is the first thing Levi does after becoming a disciple of Jesus?
3. What did these ‘disreputable sinners’ know about themselves according to verse 17?
Respond
Romans 2:4 tells us it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. While Jesus never affirmed sin in anyone (He preached a message of repentance), He did see people for who they were. He loved them, was kind to them, and called them to a better way of living. How are you at striking that balance of grace and truth? Meditate today on Mark 2:17 and Romans 2:4. Ask God to help you exhibit the type of kindness to others that leads them to repentance.
For Further Reading: Jesus, Friend of Sinners: But How?
For Families with Kids at Home
Jesus had a habit of showing kindness towards people whom society looked down on or pushed away. Brainstorm with your kids ways that they can show kindness to others who are often forgotten.
*TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.