.
Good morning everyone, welcome to the Faithful Word of the Baptist Church.
Great to see you all here for our Sunday morning service.
Y'all please have a secret.
Everyone open up that hymn of Psalm 30.
Begin this morning's service by singing Psalm 30, nothing but the blood.
Amen.
Let's start with Psalm 30.
Make me whole again, like the blood of Jesus.
All precious is the flow that makes me wild and slow.
The water and I know, like the blood of Jesus.
All my heart and this I see, like the blood of Jesus.
All precious is the flow that makes me wild and slow.
The water and I know, like the blood of Jesus.
All my heart and this I see, like the blood of Jesus.
All precious is the flow that makes me wild and slow.
The water and I know, like the blood of Jesus.
All my heart and this I see, like the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness, like the blood of Jesus.
All precious is the flow that makes me wild and slow.
The water and I know, like the blood of Jesus.
All my heart and this I see, like the blood of Jesus.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise, praise, clear and all astray.
Share this prayer like the secret food.
Grant me the soul, bring me faith in God.
Praise, praise, praise, bring this grace untold.
Voice to the bread and to the wine of God.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise to the morning and the evening.
Praise, praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise, praise, clear and all astray.
God of the sacred, we can and abide.
Our tender hands, wash me away.
The grace will be my praise to find.
Where the grace of the day leads to gain.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise to the morning and the evening.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise, praise, clear and all astray.
God of the sacred, we can and abide.
We need the soul, God of the living.
We are longing to see His grace.
Where the grace of His grace we see.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
Praise to the morning and the evening.
Praise, praise, God's praise.
All right, well, good morning, everybody.
It's great to see everybody out this morning.
And of course we have our service times there in the upper left-hand side every Sunday at 10 30 a.m.
We'll be back this evening at 5 30 p.m.
And then Thursdays at 7 is our midweek Bible study will be in Genesis chapter number 4 this week
Also, we have our churchwide soul winning regional soul winning times and our salvation and baptisms
For the month and year. So that's our final total there for how many people have received Christ out through our
Efforts knocking the doors preaching the gospel here in Tucson. So we had a record of 210
So that's an that's an annual record for our church. That's the previous record was an even 200
So we beat it out by 10
so
Again, we're always good to see that good to see a church growing in that way and doing the work that we're here to do
And also just a couple notes about our church again. We are family integrated
So we keep the children here in the service with us
There is a mother baby room back there for ladies and their children if needed and then if you're wondering about the bathrooms
There is a key located next to the mother
the ladies restroom, excuse me, just the other side of that door and
The bathrooms for the men are located outside
If you have any questions about that just grab somebody to help you and over on the right-hand side
of course is the happy birthday to everybody celebrating in the month of January and
That's what the doughnuts are there for so every the first of every month, of course
We put the doughnuts out for anyone who's celebrating and if your name has not been in
In was in the bulletin last year and you haven't gotten me that information
You want your name in the bulletin for your birthday?
Want us to be able to celebrate with you and your birthday month?
You got to get that information to me or an anniversary
We will celebrate wedding anniversaries as well, but I do have to have that information
So if you're not if you're if you're looking at January and wondering why you're not in there
It's not because I don't like you
Okay
It's because I don't know that you were born in January because I don't have that information
And then of course, it's everyone's favorite time of year tax season is upon us
So if you need your giving statements for the year 2023
This previous year just email the church there. You have the address on the bottom
It's also on the front of every bulletin if you need it
And we will go ahead and get that mailed over to you a
PDF if you need a signed copy on on church letterhead, you just need to indicate that I'll make that happen as well
But that is it for announcements. We'll go ahead and sing one more song before we get into the preaching this morning
Oh
Five
Simon
Oh
They saw means to bring him in to lay in before him when they did not find by what way they might bring him in
Because of the multiple they went upon the house
And let him down entirely. It was a couch in the midst before jesus
When he saw their faith he sensed that that sins are forgiven
And the scribes and pharisees began to read saying who is this which speaks blasphemous who can forgive sins for god alone?
But when jesus perceived their thoughts he answered his sense
What reason in your hearts whether it's easier to say that sins be forgiven or to say rise up and walk
But that you may know that son man power upon earth gets sinned. He sent him to the saint of paul's
I say it's the rise take up that couch and go into that house
And immediately he rose up before them and took up that ron. He lay and departed to his own house glorifying god
And they were all amazed glorified god filled with fear saying we have seen strange things
And after these things he went forth and saw publicly named levi saying at the receipt of custom he stands
Follow me and he left off rose up and followed
Levi made him create feast in his own house
And there was a great company of publicans of others that sat down with them
But their scribes and pharisees murmured at the sight of saying why do you eat and drink republicans and sinners?
And jesus said unto them they are whole not a physician
But they are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance
And they said unto why do disciples of john fast off and make prayers and likewise disciples and pharisees
And he said unto can you make the children of the bride chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them
The days will come the bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days mistake also parable
No, man goes to the new piece of a new garden upon an old
Otherwise both of you leave the correct the piece that was taken out of you
I pray it's not revealed and no man puts new wine into old bottles else the new wine reverse the bottles still
The bottle shall perish the new wine must be put into new bottles both are preserved
No, man also having drunk old wine. Stay away desire is new for he's saying the gold is better
But adam, would you pray for us?
Heavenly father just thank you for today lord god
Your goodness and your mercy are alive lord god. Thank you for this church lord god
That's gonna bless everybody here lord god and bless your word and bless the preaching
Go deep with the holy spirit lord. Thank you for all you do for us and Jesus all the night we pray
Amen, so we're there in luke chapter number five. We'll be back in uh luke here just in a minute
but if those of you that have been with us over the last, uh, several weeks now probably recognize, uh that this is a
Parable, uh a parallel passage from where we were
Last week in mark mark chapter number two. That's what we're continuing on this morning is our first by verse study through
Mark chapter number two and so if you want to keep something there in luke, we'll be back
Like I said just a minute, but go ahead and turn over to luke chapter number. Excuse me. Mark chapter number two
Mark chapter number two. We'll look at uh verse 13
If you remember last week, uh through mark, you probably recognized again some of that
In luke this morning where you had the one being born of the four
You have the scribes contending with jesus and so on and so forth
That's a very that's uh, what we see here in mark two as well, but we're going to look at verses 13
through 15 where
Uh, levi is called into the ministry
It says there in verse 13 and he went forth again by the seaside and all the multitude resorted unto him
And he taught them and as he passed by he saw levi the son of otheus
Sitting at the receipt of custom and said unto him follow me and he arose and followed him
And really i'm just going to focus on those couple of verses this morning
And a few things about levi, of course, this is matthew if you were to go to matthew chapter number nine
Uh, we won't go there where it's another parallel passage where you would see that he is actually named matthew
And that's nothing out of the ordinary in scripture
You'll see people referred to by different names and when you kind of put all the pieces together you figure out who is who?
And we also learn from matthew chapter nine that levi who is called from the receipt of custom here
Is the author or at least that's generally accepted that he is the author of the book of matthew
So that's who we're talking about this morning. That's who's being called into
christ's ministry here
and
If you would go back to luke we're done in mark, but I just wanted to point out, you know
What why are we in luke if we're going through the book of mark? Okay
Well, we're in mark, but we're going to look at the parallel passage of luke because I think there's a few
Things that we can get out of luke. It's always good your bible studies to go to parallel passages if there are one
if there are any rather and take a look at those and
Often you get a little bit more detail about the story when you do that
And we're there in luke chapter number five this morning. It says in verse 27 after these things he went forth and saw a publican
And as as mark calls him and one who sat at the receipt of custom right a publican. This is a tax collector
You know speaking of giving statements, you know, we all nothing. Nothing is new
We're all people have always been under tribute and there have always been those that were appointed to take that tribute. That's who matthew was
So it kind of gives you a sense an idea of who he was where he was coming from
Probably not a very well-liked guy. Okay. He throws this feast here in a minute
And really the only other people he invites are his fellow publicans people that have something in common with these probably, you know
These people in society probably weren't looked upon
Uh, you know with great fondness, especially among the jewish people because they were representing the fact
That they were being taxed by the roman empire. Okay, so
He's he's not necessarily a bad person. He's kind of just doing his job, but he's got one of those jobs that
Doesn't really bring you a lot of glory
In fact, it might cause you to be despised a little bit in the eyes of other people for right or wrong
Okay
that's that's who he is and it says there that he was sitting at the receipt of custom at the verse end of verse 27
In luke chapter number five and jesus said unto him follow me and I love how it's just those two little words
all jesus has to say is follow me and there's just
Something about jesus, of course, this is early on in his ministry. This is something
That is just he's just getting the ball rolling and jesus's fame of course is already beginning to spread abroad
So it's very likely that levi
Matthew has heard about jesus. He's knows who this is and perhaps that's why he so easily and so quickly
begins to follow jesus or perhaps it was just something about jesus when he just saw him his demeanor the way he
The way he carried himself just something compelled him to follow jesus
Either way all jesus had to say to get matthew to leave this his receipt of custom to leave his job
To leave the life that he had known was follow him. That's all he had to say follow me
And he says in verse 28 and he left all and rose up and followed him
Verse 29 and levi made a great feast in his own house
And there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down
With him and I want to look at levi's feast this morning levi's feast if I was going to put a subtitle
In fact, I have put a subtitle to the sermon. I would call it levi's feast
And I think there's a couple things that we can learn from levi from matthew here. First of all when jesus says follow me
He does so immediately, right? He doesn't
Have to sit there and weigh things out
He doesn't have to you know
Break out a contract and have certain stipulations in place before he's willing to follow jesus
He doesn't you know ask the ins and outs of what it's going to take to be a part of his ministry
He just sees seize the opportunity. He seizes upon it and immediately begins to follow jesus
He doesn't wait or have any excuses. He just begins to follow jesus
It says there in verse 28 and he left all he left all
And this is something that we see particularly in the lives of the apostles and those that followed christ the closest
Is that they often had to leave all?
peter
James, john, andrew those four fishermen it said of them that they forsook their nets
that
John and and his brother they left their father and the nets they left their business. That's that was their livelihood
They forsook all they left all and nothing has changed here either with levi
When christ comes to him and says hey, it's time for you to follow me
It's time for you to get involved in the ministry
It's time for you to do the things that you ought to do there was some sacrifices that had to take place
Levi had to say well i'm going to leave this
He couldn't he knew that he couldn't do both
The disciples often forsook all in fact in every instance
Now again, there's application we can make in our own lives
When it comes to this and what i'm not suggesting this morning is that in order for you to serve christ
You have to for you know, quit your job. Okay, the bible says if a man doesn't work neither should he eat
Okay
The bible tells us that we should uh be busy with and and work with our own hands and provide for those that lack
Okay, the i'm not suggesting that
The disciples though, however, is that they are not going to be able to do that
The disciples though, however in in jesus time
forsook
All because they had to forsake all in order to follow christ. Okay, they forsook in proportion to the opportunity
Okay, they forsook in proportion to the opportunity presented them. What do I mean by that?
What I mean is is that they had the opportunity to follow christ himself
during his earthly ministry
And we are not called to do that today we follow christ spiritually
We follow christ through the reading of the word of god through being members in the local new testament church
Through preaching the gospel by doing those things that are commanded of us
But you know, we're not called today to follow, you know, follow jesus christ himself around for three years
And do all the works that he had them to do they're forsaking all everything jobs family everything
Because of the fact that that's what was required to be in the literal earthly ministry of christ
That's what it takes. You couldn't have done it any other way
And of course that's a great sacrifice, isn't it?
It's a great sacrifice to leave behind all that which you're comfortable with that which you've known that which is familiar
That which has provided income for you and to just trust that following christ somehow my needs are going to be met
And i'm not going to have to worry about anything the needs of my family
It took it's a great leap of faith that they took
It's a great sacrifice, but it's also a great opportunity
These same men went on to form the backbone of christ's ministry
After he ascended into earth
They were the ones as it was said of them in acts that turned the world upside down for christ a small handful of people
Did great works, but it came in a great sacrifice
So they forsook in proportion to the opportunity
Opportunity
If you would keep something in luke and go over to first corinthians chapter number four first corinthians chapter number four
In luke chapter 14, i'll just read to you it says so likewise
Whoso, this is christ speaking whoso he he be whosoever he be of you
That forsaketh not all that he hath
He cannot be my disciple
if remember that's in the context of you know, one came to him and and wanted to follow him and and
You know the people began to have excuses and say well
I got to go bury my father and he said let the dead be bury their dead
You would see jesus often reminding people that wanted to follow him of the great price that they had to pay that they had to
Sit down and count the cost of what it took to actually follow him on earth
Now we don't want to misapply this today luke chapter 14
And say oh you have to forsake everything today in order to follow christ in order to serve god
That's why he said in luke 14 whosoever he be of you meaning the people that were present at that time
The people that he was spoken speaking to in that immediate context
Those people that were there with christ hearing the words when they first came out of his mouth
They had to forsake all in order to be his disciple
The good news is today
That we don't have to do that in order to follow christ
We are going to have to make sacrifices. We might have to make some changes
There's some things that we are going to have to do but it's not called of us today to forsake everything
What are we called to forsake well forsake sin
Forsake sin and you've been coming here every length of time, you know, that's that's something we preach often about here
About getting the sin out of your life and start doing the right things to obey the bible. That's what we're called to do
That's you know, and honestly that's really not much in comparison to what these men were called to forsake
Um
So first of all levi it says here in luke chapter five that he left all
He was called to forsake everything in order to
Participate in that great ministry. We're called to forsake sin
We're called to obey the bible. Okay, and that's a very broad subject, obviously
That's why it's important to be in church so you can learn all those things. Okay
but
Next we see that not only did he as it says there in verse 28 of luke five
He left all then he rose up
In order to follow christ, he had to get up on his feet and stand on his own two feet
And here's the application I make this morning is that you have to live the christian life for yourself
You have to rise up and stand on your own two feet if you're going to follow christ
I cannot live the christian life for you
Your parents cannot live the christian life for you
Your children cannot live the christian life for your spouse cannot live the christian life for you. Nobody else can do it
You have to follow christ
You have to decide that i'm going to stand on my own two feet that I also like levi am going to rise up and follow christ
And put one foot in front of the other see mature christians aren't people that are carried through the christian life
You can't carry people through through ministry that's what i've learned in the five years i've been doing this
Is that people have to decide at some point to stand on their own two feet
And make their own decision to follow christ or they're not going to
I'm not saying we don't help i'm not saying there isn't time to land lend a helping hand to somebody
Lift a brother a sister up and help them to move forward
But ultimately if we're going to make progress as christians we have to determine for ourselves that i'm going to serve christ
Nothing's going to stop me. I'll forsake whatever needs to be forsaken and i'm going to follow him
for myself
Mature christians aren't carried
So levi here. He left all
He rose up
And then I want to look at this next phrase and followed him
See, I thought this was about the feast
You said the subtitle was levi's feast. Well, that's verse 29
He makes this great feast. That sounds like a good time, doesn't it?
That sounds like the part we want to get to
You know, you you uh, you tell everybody we're having a potluck next sunday more people are going to show up
More people are more likely to to come back
Right, they're like, well, i'll make sure I don't miss that service
So I don't just show up right after service and and hog out, you know
I'm i'm joking, right, but i'm using as an illustration that you know, that's the fun part the feast sitting down with jesus
He said follow me and I just threw the doors wide open. I said come on in. Let's sit down and have a meal
You know levi for what? You know, though he might have been despised by his fellow men to some degree
You know when it came to jesus, you know, he opened his arms wide and said come on in
Sit down. Let's have a meal
It wasn't this
You know burden to have to have the presence of god with him. He saw it for the great opportunity that it was
But what comes before the feast?
forsaking
Rising up
And then following him those things came before the feast
He had to forsake he had to leave all he had to rise up and then he had to follow him
Meaning this that when he began to follow jesus, he was going in the direction that somebody else determined
You don't get to choose how to follow jesus
It's not up to you
You don't get to pick and choose and and cherry pick out of the word of god and say well, I like this part
I don't like that
Well, I like this part, but I don't like that. This sounds good, but this bothers me
You know, I agree with that, but I disagree with this
I'll go ahead and take that standard on but i'm going to dismiss this one. I'll embrace this doctrine and reject that one
That's how it works in the christian life
When he said i'll follow you when he said what jesus said and follow me and and levi
Forsook all and rose up and began to follow him. He said i'll just go wherever you lead
Whatever direction you want to take me lord. That's the direction i'm willing to go. That's how you follow christ
No stipulations
You see mature christians they they learn they aren't carried through the christian life they rise up and stand on their own two feet
And they're not
And they are obedient rather two directions
When they hear the preaching the word of god, they say well, that's what the bible says then that's what i'm going to do
That's what it means to follow christ
You know if the bible says hey
You know once you get saved you should be baptized, you know an obedient christian say well, then that's what i'm going to do
I'm going to get baptized
You know, it's the new year and we have a unique opportunity to be the first one to be baptized in 2023
And you know, honestly it'd be a little bit nicer this year or excuse me 2024, right? I get it everyone
Thank you for being patient with me
I haven't written 2023 yet and i've been signing dates lately this whole last week every time it was 2024
But you could be the first one this year to be baptized if you haven't been already
in 2024
You know, it'd be nice to have more than one this year. Okay, just subtle hint
Subtle hint
But that's what obedient christian would do wouldn't they they say what the bible says
To get baptized. Well, I don't care what anybody else thinks. I don't care how embarrassing it is. I don't care how afraid I am
I don't care. Uh, you know the fact that people are gonna be looking at me or whatever
They would just do that because they want to follow christ
And they're gonna follow him meaning they're gonna go in the direction that he leads
And he's gonna be the boss
They're obedient to directions, you know, the bible says we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together
You know, this is the year to be in church
You know, it's the start of a new year great goal would be hey i'm gonna be in church at least once a week
Will you say I did that last year? Okay. How about twice a week?
You said well, I did that last year. Well, let's bump it up to three then you become that three to thrive crowd. Okay
Okay
And i'm not trying to harp on these things
But again my point the the point i'm really going to try and drive home this morning
Is that when you really think about what we're called to as christians, we've got it easy
compared to men like levi
Compared to men like the apostles and the disciples and others who had to forsake all and leave everything now, obviously
You know, it's because they were following christ himself
I I don't want to say it was easy
But I would like to think that I would have an easy would be able to do the same thing
And that my wife would understand, you know, if jesus showed up and said hey you're coming with me for three years. I'd say honey
you know
You know, I could understand if she got upset if I was out at some deer camp for two weeks or something like that
She might wonder does he like me, right?
You know, but i'd hope she'd understand if jesus showed up say well, of course go it's a great opportunity
We have it, you know pretty easy obviously we don't have the exact same opportunity
But we still have a great opportunity to great do great things for god god and god has things for us to do
We have things if we're going to follow christ that we must obey
You know, it's the beginning of the new year
Bible reading you know man shall not live by bread alone
But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god doth man live
You know that that's something we ought to be doing we ought to be searching the scriptures
We ought to be searching the scriptures daily to see whether these things be so
If you haven't read your bible, you know in a year if you haven't read it once this is the year to read the bible
cover to cover 15 20 25 maybe if you're depending on your on your on your capability
To read, you know get through it
Get through it this year 15 minutes 20 minutes
You know get an audio bible plug it in
Say why you always harping on that because people don't read their bible
You need to be reading it
And look I could go on and on and cover the things that we always preach about here the things we ought to be doing
As christians my point this morning is is that if you're going to follow christ in 2024
You're going to have to decide that i'm going in a direction that somebody else has determined for me
The bible says in proverbs 9 forsake the foolish and live look we're not called to forsake everything
But you know, we are called to forsake the foolish to forsake foolishness to forsake sin
And we benefit because we live we go in the way of understanding
If you would you're there in first corinthians chapter number four look at verse 14
Paul said this I write not these things to shame you
But as my beloved sons, I warn you so we get an idea of how paul looked at the people that he preached to
You know, he looked at the people that he preached to as sons as children he was endeared to the people at corn
And look chapter go read chapter five. Okay, it gets pretty harsh
He tells him to deliver such and went on to satan for the destruction of the flesh right that this
That the soul may be saved, okay
But he's not being mean
Okay
He cares about these people sometimes the preacher has to preach things and say things
That are hard or mean or whatever you want to perceive it whatever you want to call it because he's doing it out of love
We're commanded to speak the truth and love
It goes on and says in verse 15 for though you have 10 000 instructors in christ yet
You have not many fathers for in christ. Jesus. I have begotten you through the gospel
Wherefore I beseech you which means to beg i'm begging you be he followers
of me
For this cause have I sent to motheus who is my beloved son and faithful in lord who shall bring into remembrance of my ways
Which be in christ?
As I teach everywhere
In every church look we don't have the opportunity today to follow christ
But we have an opportunity today to follow a ministry to follow a man of god you say who this guy
Okay
You know and all i'm trying to and and all i'm trying to do is teach this
And that's what paul is saying here he's saying hey follow me as I follow christ, right?
He said I sent to motheus to bring you to remembrance of my ways of my ways of my ways
Paul said to remind you of my ways
Which be in christ?
Okay
And let me just come out and say this if there's people here that can't follow me
And can I use the word pastor? Is that okay?
Because I am pastoring this church
I know i'm not you know, the overseer of this church that we are under faithful word baptist church in tempe
I understand that don't go blast me. Don't go tell on me. He's down there calling himself pastor
Okay, I know i'm the deacon that's my that's my official title
But I am pastoring this church
And I am the one that you know is is leading this this flock
And let me just say this if you can't follow me
as a pastor
I wonder if you could ever follow christ because what am I asking you to do?
Read your bible
Preach the gospel
Get baptized if you need to be in church
Be nice to your spouse
Raise your children get I mean i'm not I don't I didn't ask you to forsake everything. I'm not the one going hey leave your job
And follow me
Christ did that
Christ did that that was what it cost to follow him
And all i'm saying is hey, let's follow me as I follow christ let me be an example to you
On on how to live the christian life on how to raise a godly family and how to be a good church member
Let me be an example follow me
As I follow christ
Well, I don't know if I if I like that. We'll go to first corinthians chapter 11. I don't follow any man
Well, then you wouldn't have followed jesus the son of man you wouldn't have followed the man christ jesus
You wouldn't have followed paul who was a man
He said in philippians 3 brethren be followers together of me
And mark them which walk so as you have us for an example, he said follow me
Follow be followers together all of you follow me. That's what paul said
And mark them which walk so as you have us for an example follow us and follow those that are following us. That's what he's saying
First corinthians chapter 11 look at verse 1 be followers of me
Oh, how dare you paul?
How you dare you suggest anyone should should do what you say?
Should listen to to what you have to say should should you know be obedient to the preaching?
He said be followers of me even as I also am of christ
You know, and honestly i'm just a man I get it and i'm just a vessel i'm just the one delivering the message
But someone's got to get up and do it
And if you're going to you know not follow what the bible says if you're going to just disregard the word of god
Because of whose mouth it's coming out of
Then you wouldn't follow christ
You wouldn't be somebody who would forsake all you can't even forsake your pride and follow me
And look I get it i'm not, you know, it's not quite as an allure or an attraction to follow me as it would be christ
But that's what that's what I was saying in the beginning that the the forsaking that disciples did was in proportion to the opportunity presented
Well, none of us is going to have the opportunity to do the things that disciples did fact
We can still do great things we can still do great works
But we're never going to have the opportunity to witness the things that they witness it's done and gone that ministry has come and gone
But if you follow this ministry if you'll follow the preaching that comes across this pulpit and start to you know
Go in the direction that the bible
Dictates, you know, you will do great things for god. You will see souls come to christ your life will be changed
So
Um
So that's what I want to start on we're talking about levi's feast is that these are the things that came before the fun
The fun part is hey the meal sitting down and fellowshipping
And levi had to forsake all
And he had to rise up and he had to follow right. He had to be obedient. He had to submit he had to follow
christ
But let me point out here that not only did levi leave all
That levi had levity, okay
Levi had levity, you know, he had uh, you know, it was good spirited, you know, he wasn't down he had levity
He was light-hearted. I believe it was a joy. That's what i'm trying to get across
I'm using the alliteration. So maybe you'll remember when you leave. Okay, remember what?
That discipleship that following christ is not some drudgery that you have to just white knuckle through in the christian life
Well, I guess if i've got to do what the bible says I guess I will
I mean you think that's that's not the attitude levi had follow me. Well, I mean you are jesus so I suppose
Not everybody gets called so I guess if I have to follow jesus I will you think that was his attitude
Getting up all slow out of his seat. Oh
You know like a teenager is told to go clean the room
Oh
If I have to after all you are the boss
He said he probably leapt out of his seat said
You know, i'm tired of being uh, you know collecting taxes
Hey jesus, let's go over to my place
And put a meal on
Levi had levity. He made a great feast. He rejoiced when he was called to follow jesus
Discipleship is not a drudgery. I should have gone to first john chapter number five first john chapter number five
We all know this passage i'll begin reading in first john chapter number five
It says whosoever believeth that jesus is the christ is born of god
Whosoever has put their belief their trust in jesus christ as the son of god his death burial and resurrection is born again
To them gave you power to become the sons of god even to them that believe on his name
right
And everyone that believe that loveth him
That begat loveth him also that has begotten of him
He's saying everyone that loveth him that begat now who did the begetting?
god, right
You know god gave us his son that he might bring
Uh gave us jesus christ. It might be bringing many sons unto salvation right many children
He's the one that did the begetting god
Everyone that loveth him that begat everyone that loves god
Loveth him also that is begotten of him. It means he's going to love the brotherhood
You know if you're begotten of god, you know, you're going to love your spiritual siblings
Verse two by this we know that we we love the children of god when we love god and keep his commandments
When we love god and we keep his commandments
That's how we know that we love the children of god
You got to think about what he's saying here by this we know
Okay about what he's about to say by this i'm about to tell you
By this we know that we love the children of god
How do we know that we love the children of god our brothers and sisters in christ when we love god?
Well, how do we know when we love god when we keep his commandments?
You know if we love the world the love of the father is not in us
I mean, it doesn't mean that god doesn't love us. It means our love for god isn't there when we love the world
There's no room
No, man can serve two masters. He will hate the one and love the other also. He will hold the one and despise the other
For this is the love of god that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous
They're not a drudgery
Look serving god isn't a drudgery. It's not some
You know, uh great burden that that's just going to bear, you know weigh you down in life and just grind you to powder
Jesus said come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden
I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light
That's the invitation to follow christ
Oh, it's so grievous to read my bible. Oh, really?
It's so grievous to have the holy spirit of god commune with you through the word of god
To be able to pick up the book that the the natural man cannot understand
The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of god neither they can you know them for they are
Spiritually discerned. Oh, it's so what a what a what a burden
To have these words of all these precious promises all these uh, all these things to look forward to all this encouragement
And yes all the things that you know, chap our hide to
You know, what what a you know hard thing that to read a book that's gonna you know straighten us out
You have to listen to the preaching of it. Oh, what a drudgery to have to come to church
You know to carve out, you know some time on a sunday morning
I know we could all be at home taking down the christmas decorations
Or doing whatever else it is that people are doing out there today
But you know, we're have you been called to to follow me around every single day of the week
Have you been called to you know, follow me you wouldn't want to and I wouldn't want you to
It's not pretty
You know, that's all we've been called to his commandments are not grievous. They're not
Go to hebrews chapter number 12 hebrews chapter number 12
That's not what you see with levi
You know levi made a feast after
He forsook all after he rose up and stood on his own two feet
After he followed jesus in the direction that he was leading. That's when the feast came
Look at hebrews chapter 12 look look at verse 11
It says in Hebrews chapter 12. It says in Hebrews chapter 12
Look at Hebrews chapter 12 look look at verse 11 now no chastening for the present time
Seemeth to be joyous but grievous
What is grievous is it god's commandments?
No, it's the chasing that's grievous right? We just read in first john
That his commandments are not grievous now. We're here in hebrews 11 or 2 12. Excuse me verse 11
Where it says that chasing is what is grievous?
right
Right
Nevertheless afterward yield at the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby
It's a profitable thing to be chastened
It's not what you know, any of us would choose and it's not necessarily anything that all of us have to have
But my point is this is that
If the christian life is grievous to you if it's hard
It might be because you're doing it wrong
Right because here's the thing once you're a child of god
You know, if you choose not to follow christ, this is you get hebrews you get the hebrews 12 treatment
Because the bible says in hebrews 12 that he chasteneth every son whom he receiveth neither
Is there any son whom he chased in the thought and he goes on and says and if you be without chastisement
Then are you bastards are not sons
saying meaning that if you as god's child go out and live a wicked life and not
And not be chastened by god, then you're not saved. You're not a son
You know, that's and that's the that's the uh, you know the criticism that's all often leveled
At those of us that believe in salvation by grace through faith and eternal security once saved always saved
People say oh you're saying people can live however they want and go to heaven
That's what you know, we don't go to heaven by the merit of our own works folks
We're saved by grace by salvation by grace through faith and not of works lest any man should boast
When I stand before god, the only thing I say why should I let you in the blood of christ? That's it
Not the blood of christ and I repented of my sin
The blood of christ and I got baptized the blood of christ and whatever. Nope, just blood of christ period
And those you know, i'm and i'm in
That's already settled
So yeah, I can go live however, I want and go to heaven because i'm saved by grace salvation is easy for god
So loved the world
He made it that easy that all I had to do is believe to put my faith in christ
But here's the thing if I go live however, I want
It's gonna be grievous
It's gonna be a lot of chastening
It's gonna be a lot of bad things that happen
And it's not like, you know, it's not like kids with their with their earthly parents where first they have to get caught, right?
There's a chance they might get away with it
You're not getting away with a god
You know the eyes of the lord you can search to and fro throughout the whole earth beholding the evil and the good, okay?
But here's the thing if the christian life to you is just some drudgery just something you have to pull yourself through
Chances are you're doing it wrong
And when we're not doing the things that are commanded of us when we're not following christ as we ought to then
Yeah, the christian life is going to be hard when we're not in church. We're not reading our bibles. We're not winning souls
We're not serving god when we aren't getting the sins that we know we ought to get out of our lives out of our lives
It's going to be hard
Go to first thessalonians chapter number five, excuse me chapter number one
The bible says in psalms 2
Serve the lord with fear and rejoice with trembling
Serve the lord with fear, you know you we ought to serve god
out of fear of being chastened
You know if that's what it comes down to for you well
I'm, just going to serve god because I don't want to get beat up in life
Then go ahead and serve god, but all i'm saying this morning is that you know, that doesn't have to be your only motivation
Well, i'm just in church because you know, the bible says I had to be and I don't want to be in trouble
You know, I'm just reading my bible because I don't want god to come down on me
You know, that's that's a great motivation. Okay, but
That's that's like what a child needs
If we never chased into our children, we never you know, disciplined our children who knows what they'd get up to
I mean you see them out there. We've all seen them
These parents that don't give their kids what they need. They only give them what they want
right
They're a terror to be around. Okay
But again, that's how you keep children aligned with fear now
We are children spiritually and we ought to fear god serve the lord with fear
And rejoice with trembling
You know, you can rejoice you can be happy
It's it this verse reminds me of the phrase running scared
running scared
You know, you can be rejoicing man things are going great life is good, but don't get comfortable. Don't forget the trembling
Life's good, but hopefully the bubble doesn't burst
Serve the lord with fear and rejoice with trembling look at first thessalonians chapter 1
Verse 5 for our gospel came unto you not in word only but also in power and in the holy ghost and in much assurance
Oh man preaching it's so hard. It's just you know the bible
The word of god the word that was preached came in the whole power of the holy ghost and in much assurance
There's much assurance in the word of god
As you know what manner of man we were among you for your sake and he became followers of us
And of the lord having received the word in much affliction
Wasn't easy
There was affliction that came to the thessalonians when they received the word of god
The family, you know, they got saved the family's going well, why aren't you coming down to the temple and worshipping the idols anymore?
What do you mean you're not going to go banqueting?
What do you mean you're not going to be given over to all the lasciviousness that that the that the heathen were prone to?
What is this you're oh you're part of that that sect of the Nazarenes now
You're preaching about that Jesus character. You're one of these Christians
There's a lot of affliction that came with being a Christian
I'm not saying that it's a cakewalk. I'm not saying that it's not going to have its difficulties
But what I am saying is it's not as hard as some people make it out to be
It's not as hard as it has to be, you know, some people make it harder themselves than it needs to be
When they're not obeying what the bible says
It comes in much affliction with joy of the holy ghost
Look the holy ghost brings joy in our lives
Look the holy ghost brings joy in our lives we should be people that have joy in our lives
I mean that's the spirit love joy love joy
I mean these are the fruits of the spirit the fruit of the spirit
Joy is one of them
We ought to have it and if we don't it's because we're doing it wrong
Something's where something's missing
Something's got it. We need to fix something
Right, that's the fruit of the spirit love joy
Uh gentleness faith goodness meekness, uh temperance patience. I know i'm kind of mixing that up
But that is that is the fruit of the spirit
Joy something's wrong
Something's wrong and we need to find out
And i'll tell you right now it's it's not anybody else well, I don't have joy because the preacher
Is
Joy because my children look i'm not saying that those sometimes some of those things can't be sources of anger
We should have joy in much affliction
Go
I'll begin reading in verse 14. He says now we exhort you brethren
Warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak be patient toward all men
So you get this litany of commandments, right?
See that none render evil for evil unto any man
But ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men look at verse 16 rejoice evermore
Evermore that's a commandment like we ought to be rejoicing. We should be thinking about you know, we have things to rejoice over folks
And I get it, you know, sometimes life gets hard we go through things we have sorrows but you know
ultimately
If you're saved, you've got a lot to be
happy about
You know, we could all focus on the things that are wrong we could all focus on the negative things in our life
You know, we could all we could all get together and all point out all the things that aren't going right
And all the things we wish would change or could change or would change
But you know, that's not going to bring any rejoicing into your life is it to just focus on all the problems that you have
Let's focus on the good things
You know and hopefully that list will get longer as the years go by
Pray without ceasing and everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you quench not the spirit
abstain verse 22 from all appearance of evil
Abstain from all appearance of evil what's he saying get the sin out of your life. You don't even go near the appearance of it
Well, you know, I I don't know the Christian life is such a drag
It's so hard. That's carnality. That's spoken like a sinner
Some spoken like somebody who doesn't have the fullness of the Holy Ghost
If you think the Christian life is just some some you got to drag you yourself through you know, it's a drag to people who are carnal
Let's wrap it up though
Go to back to what I had you Luke chapter number five. Oh
I'm sorry
Go to Matthew 10 Matthew 10
The other thing I want to point out here is that I'm not going to talk about the fullness of the Holy Ghost
The other thing I want to point out here in the story is that you know, Luke is somebody
Who when he was called to the ministry?
forsook all rose up and followed and
Then there was a great feast
Because serving God following Christ is not something to lament
It's not something that's a drudgery
Discipleship is not a drudgery
It's a source of joy
If we're doing the things which please God and he's pleased with us
You know, we should have the fullness of the Holy Ghost
We should have the love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness and temperance
That is the fruit of the Spirit those things should be there
And if they're not it's our fault. There's something that's missing there
The other thing I want to point out is that Levi is a is a later addition
to the Apostles now
He's going to name his twelve apostles, you know in the next chapter, right?
He's gonna get to that in just a moment
Like this is right up to where he goes up on the mount and he calls the disciples and he picks out the twelve
Okay, and Levi Matthew is kind of it appears to me at least as I understand it. He's kind of sneaking in towards the end
This is right before he you know, he's kind of he's not a first-round pick as they say, right?
But he's still getting in there if you look at Matthew chapter number 10 verse 2
Now the names of the twelve apostles are these the first now, why does it say the first it's not an order of you know
It's not alphabetical
It's the order in which the disciples came to Christ at least to some degree, right?
We know the four for sure that are named here Simon who's called Peter and Andrew his brother James the son of Zebanee and John
His brother those are the first four that were called into the ministry, okay?
Philip and Bartholomew who's Nathaniel Thomas and Matthew the publican so he's like number eight
Okay, this is literally, you know in a list, you know, if it's numerically ordered here, then you know
Based upon the timing in which they came to Christ ministry
Levi's kind of towards the end there, right?
It's kind of the middle of the pack
Any and if he's a guy that's sitting at a receipt of custom, you know
I'm sure they didn't just you know, that wasn't a job they gave to a kid
You know somebody, you know who got an education who could it was some kind of a scribe who could read and write probably in different
languages
You know, I don't know. I'm not you know big on studying all the culture and all that you just use your head
We know that you know for a long time getting an education was a privilege
And let me just go ahead and park it there for a second
Those of you kids who lament having to do schoolwork
Well, you know there was a lot of kids throughout history that were you didn't know how to read and while you're you know
They're doing your schoolwork. They were out in a field somewhere or a coal mine
You know, I wish I was in school
Well, you know
There's probably there's a lot of more kids throughout history that would have loved to have the opportunity that you have to learn to read
And to write and to and to better yourself intellectually, okay
But my point is this is that you know, if Matthew's someone who is sitting at the receipt of custom
It was doing like a bookkeeping job. He's obviously an educated man, meaning that he's probably a little bit older
I'm not saying he's an old man
But you know, he's probably got some years behind him probably in his middle age somewhere like that
At least enough time has gone by to where he's been able to develop these skills. That's what I'm saying
so he's not always he being kind of you know called in the towards the
You know towards the end of the disciples being chosen, but he's also probably a little bit older
Okay, and that my point is this is that it's never too late in your life to get right with God
It's never too late
Well, you know I'd serve God, but I didn't come up in a Christian home
Well, welcome to the party
You know neither did I
Okay, you know I'd serve God but you know, I'm getting up there in years
Well Moses was 80 when he did his greatest work, so what's your excuse?
Well, I'm not Moses. I know
You know, but you know
there's plenty of examples of men in there that in and women who did some of their greatest works as
In their in their later years in the latter half of their life
And honestly, you know if I were in my latter half and I guess I am at this point
If I were one that got saved later in life
I
Mean I would just throw myself into the ministry as much as I could. I mean you would think that would be the natural reaction
Because you'd realize I only have this much time to serve God
and I'll say this if there's people that got that mentality if there's people that maybe were a little bit older and
Threw themselves in the ministry and serving God and did as much as they could for God at the time that they had left
They would probably do more than the vast majority of Christians that you know had decades to serve God
Because most Christians don't serve God
They don't
They sit out on church they the Bible if they even have one, you know, it's collecting dust somewhere
They haven't read it one time in their entire life
Then they've been saved for decades
But if there was you know some older person somebody who's maybe on the back half of their life who just got on fire and took
You know advantage of the opportunity given them
They would do more than all those Christians who came up in godly homes and just sat on their hands and did nothing for God
That's what I see in Levi
You know, he forsakes all but you know, he where it what kind of a person who is he?
He's probably a little bit up. I'm not gonna say he's old man, but you know
He's probably not somebody who has been serving God his whole life
It's not like he's a scribe or a Pharisee you see what I'm saying?
And you can say this about a lot of these guys middle-aged men. Look, it's never too late to start serving God
You know Levi leapt at the opportunity to serve Jesus
And he did so joy if you would let's just go to Luke
Okay, and I'm gonna make my closing statements here and I'm almost done
Sure, the doughnuts haven't gone anywhere. So just calm down. I
Got I got three dozen. All right, and I sprinkled in some doughnut holes coffee's still hot. It's on a percolator
And I want to look at another person in closing here who also threw a feast for Jesus
When Jesus came around said come over to my place and have supper and it was the Pharisee Simon
If
You look there in Luke chapter 7 it says in verse 36
And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him and this isn't the tax collector. This is a Pharisee
This is someone who's in the Jews religion full-time
It's a Levite
And he went in the Pharisees house and sat down to meet and behold a woman in the city
Which was a sinner when she knew that Jesus said I'd be in the Pharisees house brought an alabaster box
Box of ointment and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears
And did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment
Now in the Pharisee which had been in him sought he spake within himself
Saying this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman it that this is that toucheth him
For she is a sinner and Jesus answering said unto him Simon have somewhat to say unto thee he saith master say on
There was a certain debtor which had to debt a certain creditor which had two debtors the one on
500 pence the other 50 and they had nothing to pay frankly forgave them both
Tell me therefore which of them will love him most
Out of these two guys that were in debt to this creditor who's gonna show more love
The guy who owed 500 or the guy who owed 50
Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most and he said unto him thou hast rightly judged
Of course, you know, that's not a hard one to figure out is it?
And he turned the woman and said see and said unto Simon see is thou this woman
I entered in thine house thou gave us me no water for my feet
But she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head thou gave us me no kiss
But this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet
My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment
Wherefore I say unto thee her sins, which are many are forgiven for she loved much
But to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little
You know Levi is somebody who?
Probably had some sins in his life like anybody else
You know and often the reason why these people who sat at the receipt of custom had a bad reputation is because they were crooks
Now I'm not gonna paint with so broad a brush to say that was the case with Matthew here, but it wouldn't surprise me either
What I'm saying is this is that you know if you're you know if you're saved later in life
You say and you look back in a life of sin don't say well
You know I've just had the sinful past and you know I can't serve God
You know you could still serve God with as much zeal if not more so than anybody else
In fact what I'm reading here is that it seems like it would actually compel you to love God even more
Those that have you know come up and lived a wicked life
I'm not saying that only they can love God as much as they do
I'm you know everybody can love God and serve God to any degree that they want
But what I am saying is that you know getting saved later in life. It's not an excuse to not serve God I
Mean this woman's got a reputation. She's got a past
She's a woman of ill repute
And yet she loves God because why because she's recognizing how much she's been doing
And that's not to sit here and make anyone feel bad that is you know coming up in a Christian home
Or is has you know not lived a wicked life of sin don't feel like compelled to go out and do that
So you can be like this woman
You know just thank God that you've been you know you you're being spared from that
You don't have to deal with all the baggage that comes with that
But the point I'm trying to make is that Levi leapt upon the throne of the Lord, and he's been given the throne of the Lord
I'm trying to make is that Levi leapt upon the opportunity, and he did so with joy
You know Simon the Pharisee has him over the guy you think would know better than anybody
What it means to have the Christ in your house and all you can do is criticize
He doesn't wash his feet off. He's not very hospitable
Maybe he just wants to be seen with Jesus
But Simon
The guy who had the bad reputation the guy who was a tax collector the guy who sat through seat of custom
He's rejoicing
He's saying what a wow me of all people gets to be in your ministry
What a great opportunity he leapt on it, and he didn't leap on it. Go well if I have to
He didn't ask Jesus just drag him through follow me you know I
Got you Levi
He rose up, and he stood on his own two feet and he followed for himself
And he served God
You know I wonder sometimes why is it some people just refuse to serve God
they just can't seem to get over the hump and start serving God like they know they ought to and
You know based upon what I read we just read there in Luke chapter 7 the only answer
I can really seem to come up with is that they they don't have the love that they should a
Lack of service stems from a lack of love
And a lack of love stems from a lack of understanding of salvation's true value
You know if you're having a hard time serving God, maybe you should just meditate on the fact that you're saved
Just think about what happened where you'd be headed if you weren't saved
That's what this that's what compelled this woman to bring this you know
Precious box of ointment and break it and follow Jesus's feet she understood
Salvation the the true price that it was going to be paid through Christ death burial and resurrection
And if you're having a hard time serving God, and you just feel like there's no love there
Just go meditate on where you'd be where you'd be headed if you weren't saved and in case you're wondering. That's hell
That's hell. That's where every single one
Christ
You know and the thing is that some people are gonna realize the true value of salvation in this life and immediately
Serve God from a place of gratitude
Those are the Levi's
The past is the past they're they're not letting that be an excuse. They're not letting it be hang up
They're not letting maybe they're a little bit older. They didn't have the background some of it
They're not letting that be a hang up
They just see the opportunity because they're so grateful to be saved to be part of a ministry to have Christ to follow
They just leave upon the opportunity. They're glad to do it
They serve from a place of gratitude immediately
You know and here's the thing everybody eventually every child of God will
Appreciate
The price that was paid for salvation eventually in heaven
Some people will finally dawn on them in heaven. They'll go home
That's how much Christ went through that that's how much Christ that's the opportunity then the love will be there
But it's gonna be too late to do anything about it
Look, it's too late in heaven to serve God
I mean, I know we're gonna serve God in his temple
But the rewards that you're gonna earn in heaven are earned here and now
here and now and
The people that are gonna earn them are the people that love God
And want to serve him out of a grateful heart. That's who Levi is
People who leap at the opportunity and get on their feet and start moving
Let's go ahead closing a word of prayer your Lord again. Thank you for this great example of Levi in the scripture Lord
I pray you help us to be like him or to leap at the opportunity to serve you that we have in this life and
Lord help us to not
Look at your commandments as grievous to
Look at the things that we were called to do it as some great burden that that must just be born through life Lord
But it's actually a great opportunity to serve you that your yoke truly is light and your burden is easy Lord
And we pray you help us to to shoulder up under that bird and take that yoke upon ourselves and to learn of you
And Lord to as we learn and grow and know more about who you are
And your truth through your word Lord that we would be compelled out of love and gratitude to serve you
With all the days that we have in our in our lives. We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen
All right, we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we're just
Oh
You