Mark 2: 15 – 17
15 And as he sat at dinner[c] in Levi’s[d] house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting[e] with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. 16 When the scribes of[f] the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat[g] with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
I have spent much of the last few weeks pondering the long-term implications of the coronavirus pandemic. Will churches move their ministry model to an online platform permanently? Will churches ever recover those who have begun to love their Sundays off? Will young people find more of a reason to avoid church now that it can be done online?
The truth of the matter is that if Christian leaders are not careful. If we pour all of our energy and time into building online ministries we will begin to miss the point of ministry all together. Jesus’ classic line this afternoon reinforces the fact that Christianity is relational. There is no amount of online ministry that can replace the relationships built over a dinner table. I, myself, have been impacted by this very revelation. Even in “normal” times are we really spending enough time together?
Jesus in Mark 2 is on the road. The life of His early days in ministry were very similar to a successful new band. He traveled from town to town and drew large crowds. He was not a loner. Everyone wanted to eat with him and listen to him. Jesus and the disciples were cooler than the backstreet boys in the early 2000s. Yet, even with the large crowds Jesus gathered he ate with sinners and tax collectors.
This time of separation should not be used to build the best website or most relevant teaching series. The time of separation should be used a preparation for eating with sinners. I pray that all of us, including myself, do not think fondly of the day in which we will be reunited with each other. Rather, I pray that we all begin to prepare ourselves to make contact with the spiritually sick. I pray that as we continue to develop our sense of need in Christ we realize that others need him too. So much so that we are willing to invite them to dinner. How hard can that be?
Pastor Mat