Mark+2

Mark 2:13-17 What stands out? Follow me - Jesus says it once and it's done I have not come to call the righteous - only those who see themselves as needy hear the message

v. 13 Who is part of this large crowd? A mix of lots of different people Scribes who were "checking him out"

What were they looking for? Perhaps to be healed? Waiting to see something cool.

What was Jesus' response to the people who were gathered? He kept teaching

What was Levi doing when Jesus called him? Collecting taxes So this prophet with all these people following him calls Levi We see immediate obedience What were the people thinking at that point?

This is a great picture of how Jesus' needs are provided

Matthew 4:19 - Cross Reference When Jesus called disciples, they were all kind in their workplace Jesus makes it a point to speak to the righteous and the unclean

So Levi is at his house throwing a party for Jesus His house was probably full of his friends and he may not have invited the righteous in Jesus and his disciples came There is something about someone opening their homes

Matthew 9:12-13 parallels Mark 2:17 & expounds upon it

So sometimes we get so insulated in our lives that there are not really opportunities to hang out with non-Christians Wherever you are, you should build relationships What the church, the body, this community needs to be is people who come along side one another and live life with them. The beauty of the church should be just that. We need to be OK with hurting with people.

Mark 2:18-22

It wasn't simply that Jesus was eating with tax collectors. It was that he was eating period. Why are people fasting and Jesus is not? Was he not going to pay attention to the Rules?

The fasting is mentioned to show the contrast between man's rules and the fact that Jesus is right in front of them. It's not about rituals and rules, it's about relationship.

It did not make sense to them while Jesus was right in front of them.

Jesus was trying to make a connection between the old & new covenant. He was also trying to show himself as the bridegroom. Luke 5:39 no one after drinking the old wine wants the new...the Pharisees would have a hard time accepting the new covenant because of the comfort they find in the familiar.

This all occurred after he turned water into wine

Our application: How many times does he have to show us in how many different ways before we get it? How many people go to church year after year and still just don't get it?

People are comfortable with the law because it is spelled out. Then here comes Jesus and he is not following the rules. Rules give people a box to put God in.

Jesus could use the example of the bridegroom because there are a lot of laws that the people would be familiar with that would click when it comes to weddings and the bride and the groom.