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Jesus: He Came to Call Sinners - 2/18/26

  • Tabernacle Baptist Church
  • Feb 18
  • 2 min read

INTRO

  • Mark 2:1–12 established Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. Mark 2:13–17 shows the mission of that authority—Jesus calls sinners and eats with them.

  • This begins the “controversy” cycle (2:1–3:6): opposition grows as Jesus exposes heart religion vs. self-righteous religion.

  • Forgiveness (2:5) leads naturally to calling and community (2:14–15): forgiven people become following people, and following people gather around Jesus.

The Call — vv. 13–14 (Jesus seeks and calls Levi)

  • Jesus is on mission—teaching as He goes (v. 13).

  • He sees Levi at the tax booth…an outsider, hated and suspected (v. 14).

  • Jesus’ call is personal and authoritative… “Follow me.” (v. 14)

The Response and Impact — v. 15 (Following leads to witness)

  • Levi rose and followed—then hosted Jesus (cf. Matt. 9:10; Luke 5:29).

  • Immediately, his life changed—new Lord, new priorities, new direction.

  • He invited others: “many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples” (v. 15).

  • In that culture, table fellowship signaled relationship and welcome.

  • “For there were many who followed him” (v. 15): Jesus’ teaching + a changed life = gospel momentum.

The Opposition — v. 16 (Self-righteous religion protests grace)

  • The scribes of the Pharisees see Jesus eating with “sinners” and ask: “Why does he eat…?”

  • Religion focuses on the outside and protects standing and reputation…the gospel goes after the heart and pursues the lost.

The Explanation — v. 17 (Jesus’ mission: the Physician for sinners)

  • Jesus answers with clarity: the purpose of a physician is to go to the sick.

  • “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

    • “Righteous” = the self-perceived righteous.

    • Jesus calls sinners into discipleship through grace… repentance, faith, following.

The What Now

  • Follow Jesus quickly.

  • Open your life to gospel relationships.

  • Reject self-righteous distance.

  • Bring the sick to the Physician… and trust God to save.

Sources:

  • Crossway Expository Commentary on Mark

  • John MacArthur Commentary on Mark

  • Expositor’s Bible Commentary on Mark

  • ChatGPT (“EZRA”)— my digital scribe for clarity and grammar.

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