He Came for the Undeserving - Luke 5:27-32

What if the moment that changed your life wasn’t a moral upgrade, but a mercy encounter? We walk through Luke 5:27–32 and watch Jesus lock eyes with Levi the tax collector, a man everyone labeled unpatriotic, untrustworthy, and unclean—and then invite him to follow. Levi rises, leaves the booth, and throws a feast where outcasts meet the only One who can make the unclean clean. Along the way, we tackle why the law exposes our need, why works can’t justify us, and why grace lands only on hearts that admit they’re undeserving.

Expect a call to action that is both tender and urgent: come to the One who came for you, and then set a table like Levi did so others can meet Him. We talk practical evangelism, everyday invitations, and the hope that no sin is greater than God’s grace. 

Transcript

Remembering When Faith Began

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Do you remember the moment you began following Christ? Do you remember the moment you made a decision to turn from sin and to trust in Jesus? For some of you, that might have been at a VBS at a very young age. You heard the gospel, someone shared it with you, you believed, and you walked an aisle and were later baptized. Maybe for some of you that was your parents sharing the gospel message with you. For some of you, that might have been in college. You had a roommate or a suitemate or a friend who shared what Jesus had done for you. Or maybe you were gifted a Bible at some point in your life and you just began reading it. And through the power of the words of God, he opened your eyes to believe Jesus is who he says he is, and God did what he said he would accomplish. We all have different stories for how we came to know the Lord. Different people, in different places, different influences. But despite all the differences of how we came to know the Lord, one thing we share in common. We came to know we desperately needed Jesus. Desperately. If you have sought the salvation God has provided in His Son, it is only because you came to know the greatness of your sin against God. No matter where you were, no matter what you were doing, no matter who you were with, you came to understand you were unclean because of sin, unworthy of eternal life, and undeserving of God's mercy. And that's where Jesus met you. This is essential, essential to understanding the gospel message. The Bible tells us no one is righteous, not one. Not only the Bible tells us that no one is righteous, but the Bible also tells us that no one can become righteous by any work of their own doing. Throughout the Bible storyline, God established a law for his people, including 613 commands. Those commands showed us the holiness of God, but also simultaneously showed humanity our lack of purity, our unholiness. In fact, the law does not save anyone. For by works of the law, the book of Romans says, no one will be justified in the sight of God. So the law does not save, it shows us we need saving. The law and the word of God teaches us that by our own effort we cannot earn, attain, or achieve a right standing with God. In other words, we are undeserving of mercy. The only thing we deserve is death, the proper punishment for our sin against a holy God. This is an essential detail in the story of you becoming a follower of God, you understanding you did not deserve salvation. The only thing you deserved was death. But as you know, Jesus, through his bloodshed, has offered life for all those who turn from their sin and trust in him. For all those who recognize that he came bearing upon himself the wrath of God, taking upon himself your sin and the punishment for it, being for you a substitute, so that God would remain just and would justify. This is very important to know because salvation only comes to those undeserving because that's all there is. That's our first point. Point number one this morning, as you follow along, is this Jesus has come for undeserving people. I wanted you to understand he's come for undeserving people, because I also want you to understand a second, similar point. While salvation only comes for those undeserving of it, because that's all there is, salvation does not come to those undeserving who, at least at the time, believe themselves to be righteous and deserve it. Jesus said in Luke 13, unless you repent, that is, turn from sin to the mercy of God, you will perish. So, the mercy of God, salvation, only comes to those who repent, and essential to repenting is what? Recognizing you are not righteous. Recognizing you don't deserve mercy, but need it. Those who do not recognize their sin, who do not repent from it and rely on their own righteousness, do not have salvation. Let me make it even clearer. If you believe you are deserving of salvation, you probably don't have it. This is important as we turn to our passage this morning. Because in our passage, Jesus will say, I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Because there were some who believed themselves to be righteous. Jesus is saying he did not come avoiding their conviction, but that they don't actually exist. Both for the rebellious and the self-righteous. Luke 5, 27 through 32, if you'd follow along. After this, Jesus went out and he saw a tax collector named Levi. Levi was sitting at his tax booth, and Jesus said to him, Follow me, and leaving everything, Levi rose and followed Jesus. He then made him a great feast in his house, and there were a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at a table with them. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? And Jesus answered them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. So far in Luke's gospel, we've seen Jesus heal those with physical limitations. But now, as he's calling his disciples, he's going to go to some with questionable occupations, like that of a tax collector. Matthew or Levi, Levi, who we're reading about here, is actually Matthew, the gospel author of the Gospel of Matthew, was a tax collector. He collected money from the Jewish people to give money to Rome. Now, I've talked about tax collectors before, and you've probably heard my spiel on this, but if not, you need to know. Tax collectors were not light, and that's putting it lightly. Tax collectors were unpatriotic, untrustworthy, and unclean. Let me explain all three. Unpatriotic because the tax collectors, like Levi, they were Jews. They were Jewish people who sought protection from Rome through a job given by Rome. They collected money from their Jewish kinsmen for Rome. And of course, you can just imagine taking money from your fellow kinsmen, your ethnic people, to give to a people that kind of hold you under their thumb. Well, they thought you were treasonous. You were not well liked. Not only were they unpatriotic, they were untrustworthy. Not only did they take your money, but they were known to take extra to pad their own pockets, and they had, you know, Roman guardsmen to make sure you did it. Not only were they unpatriotic and untrustworthy, they were unclean. Their job made them ritually unclean, and so they were not able to enjoy the typical life of a Jewish person entering into the temple and worshiping God. They were unclean. In fact, there's old rabbinic commentary in the Talmud that says it was okay to lie to a tax collector. Now, it's almost tax season, and I don't like tax season because sometimes that means I have to pay the government more money. It's like I'm paying the government a lot of money. And so a lot of you are like, okay, I get why you would not like a tax collector. IRS, yada yada yada, but you probably don't get it. Not at all. The Roman Empire at the time ruled the known world. And to rule the world and to grow as a kingdom, they had to have a huge army. They didn't have heat-seeking missiles or drones. They had men, and men need food, and men need swords, and men need homes. And so taxes funded the Roman army. I don't know how much you know about the Roman Empire, but the Romans were a very brutal people. There are historical records around the days of Jesus that all the roads that led to Rome often were filled with different traitors or enemies hanging on crosses so that when you walked into Rome, you knew you don't mess with Rome. And guess what? Now your next door neighbor just purchased the right from Rome to take money from you to fund their army. Your friend just paid off Rome for the right to collect your hard-earned pay that's going to go to hurting and harming your people. And if you don't do that, he's going to make you do that by force. And also he's going to take a little bit extra to pat his own pockets. This was their reputation. They were hated. And you got to think, man, I don't like him either. They were unpatriotic, untrustworthy, unclean, and we might even say, undeserving of the mercy of God. So when Jesus reaches out to Levi, he is reaching out to what would have been known as a traitor, a thief, one who knew he was undeserving of the mercy of God. The Bible teaches us that we, like this tax collector, were just as undeserving of God's mercy. The Bible teaches us that our sin separates us from a holy God, and our punishment is no different than every person apart from Him. Without salvation, our condemnation is sure. The punishment of our sin is death. But God in His great mercy offered a substitute by sending the very Son that called Levi to follow after Him. The Son that would be crucified in the place of conspirators and sinners. So Jesus came to earth, he lived a perfect life, and he died a sacrificial death so that sinners who repent of their sin and trust in him might be saved for eternal life forever. Levi did not earn that love. Jesus did not deserve to die for undeserving people, and yet he did, so that any and all undeserving who repent of their sin and turn to him will not get what they deserve, but what they don't. Salvation.

SPEAKER_00 13:41

Mercy.

Undeserved Grace Offered

Leaving Everything To Follow

Rich Young Ruler Contrast

SPEAKER_01 13:45

This is the great mercy of God, and it's only understood by those who understand they are undeserving. It's only received by those who, when confronted with the word of life, repent of sin and follow him. And that's what Levi does. He recognized his need for Jesus and he runs to him. You see the verse, leaving everything behind. Military protection, financial security, a job, power, and every part of his former life. He leaves it. You gotta think just for a moment. The disciples are a mixture of different guys. Some are fishermen. But you had these two guys. You had Matthew, and then you had this guy named Simon who was a zealot. You got a zealot. A zealot was one who hated Rome and were willing to kind of be violent, to usurp Rome. And I'm enough people, but they thought they could win. And then you've got a guy who works for Rome to keep himself safe. And they're about to be disciples together following Jesus. That only can happen if they understand they need a lot of mercy. So I have a question for you as we begin this morning. Have you, like Levi, come to understand you are in desperate need of Jesus? That without him you'd be destitute. You would still remain under the wrath of God. Is this you? Do you recognize your sin? Do you recognize your need for Jesus? Do you recognize what Jesus had come to accomplish? And have you, upon recognizing that, turned and run to Jesus, leaving anything behind? Leaving your sin. Running to him, committing your life to follow after him. In view of all he's done for you, you want to live your life for him. Jesus calls sinners like you and I to follow him with all we are, leaving everything we used to follow behind that we might be saved. Will you? There is a different person in the Bible with a somewhat similar story. We know him as the rich young ruler. In Matthew chapter 19, we learn about this man, and here's how the story goes. There was a man who came up to Jesus and he said, Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life? And Jesus responded to this man, Why do you ask me what about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments. And he said to him, Which ones? And Jesus said, You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The young man said to him, All of these I do. What do I still lack? And Jesus said, If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. So when confronted with the sin that riches were his master, the rich young ruler chose to continue serving his greed. When asked if following Jesus was worth losing his money, the rich young ruler replies, No. Levi, like the rich young ruler, had a lot of money. And he was asked a similar question. Am I worth losing everything? Levi's answer, oh absolutely. Absolutely. There are two different hearts in these two men. Both financially wealthy, both safe because of that wealth, both offered life. Will they take it? And the Bible tells us about is it worth losing everything to gain Christ? Do you see gaining the world and losing your soul, a good trade or a bad trade? Would you say, if I have Jesus, I have everything, even if everything else is taken away? Here's a series of questions. Can you say, if everything is stripped away, Jesus is enough? Can you say, if all I hold on to is taken from me, and all I have is the one who holds me, Jesus is still enough. Can you say Jesus is better than anything and everything this world has to offer? And he has offered me all of himself. Can you say nothing in my hands I hold on to is not worth giving up to gain him? Can you say, nothing in my hands I bring simply to the cross, I cling? Can you say with Paul, I count everything as lost for the sake of knowing Christ? Can you say, point number two, Jesus is worth losing anything and everything I had before following him? Here's what we've seen. Jesus came for the undeserving.

SPEAKER_00 19:55

Can you say that's me?

Is Jesus Better Than Everything

Sharing Jesus With Everyone

Pharisees Grumble At Grace

SPEAKER_01 19:57

We've seen Jesus saves those who repent and follow him. Can you say that's me? The third thing we've seen, Jesus is worth losing everything. Can you say, I believe it? And here's the last thing we will see in just a moment. Jesus is worth sharing with everyone. Can you say, I'll do it? I'll do it. Verse 29. Levi then made Jesus a great feast in his house. And there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at the table with them. So what's going on? Well, Jesus is throwing a huge party. Sorry, Levi is throwing a huge party, a reception for Jesus, and he's inviting all of his friends, the outsiders, the outcasts, the sinners. Do you think he was trying to introduce who he knew to everyone else he knew? I think so. J.C. Ryle said, a converted man will not wish to go to heaven alone. So I think Levi saw his friends as the mission field that needed to know Jesus loves the undeserving. I think Levi is sharing his new relationship with Jesus and inviting his lost friends to know him. I mean, it's a great example of the same invitation we should offer our friends. Hey, do you know about the man I've met? Can I introduce you to Jesus? If he has come to save me, surely he will save you. We all love to talk about what we love. If I have a restaurant I really like, I am eager to tell you about it. There's no instructions from the owner of that restaurant to tell me, to tell others, hey, here's what you should say to them. No, you talk about naturally what you love. So, how often do you talk about the one who has loved you with his life? Let's talk about him. Share one with your friends. Hey, let me introduce you to somebody. His name's Jesus. He cares for you. He loves you. He died for you. He offers you life. Life you don't deserve. He gives it freely at the high cost of his own death. Jesus is worth sharing with everyone. This is our mission. And the highs and lows of life, we can't forget that. Levi's a great example. He was a sinner. He met a Savior and He shared it with everybody. That's point number three. Your relationship with Jesus is worth sharing with everyone you know. No matter their background, their friend group, their sin, their habits, hangups, addictions, or their past, no one's sin is greater than the grace of God. No one's sin is greater than the grace of God. I mean, God loves sinners so much that he sacrificed his only son that they might live. God came for sinners. We shouldn't say someone's too far off. We have the opportunity as undeserving people to do to introduce everyone that God has intentionally placed us around to the savior of undeserving people. We as undeserving people get to tell everyone about the savior of undeserving people. I don't know about you. Think about it. The longer you have known the Lord, have you become more excited to share Jesus with people? Or less? Oftentimes, the longer we know the Lord, the more often we become insulated from the world. Paul says this ought not be so in 1 Corinthians 5. Jesus encourages us we should not lose our compassion for the world in Matthew chapter 9 and our zeal to reach the world, Acts chapter 1, verse 8. For what purpose are we still here? If Jesus was done saving, then he'd be back here, and we'd be with him. So the reason we're still on the earth here is because there's still sheep that are of his fold that have not been brought in. And we get to be the people that say, Hey, come follow the great shepherd. Verse 30, and the Pharisees and their scribes, they grumbled as they do. And I just wonder what they sounded like, right? You know, I don't know. The word grumble is used all the time. I just think of like bah humbug, right? They're whispering among themselves, probably.

The Doctor For The Sick

SPEAKER_00 25:09

Can you believe this? That person's gross. You know what they've done? You know where they've been?

Come To The One Who Came

Inside The Feast Or Outside

SPEAKER_01 25:24

The same kind of lie Satan likes to tell you when you fear that God is not for you. I know what you've done. I know what you've looked at. I know what you've thought. I know what you've said. And Jesus at the right hand of the Father left heaven's throne, came to sinful earth to save sinners. You were accused by the great accuser, the Satan. And Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father, mediating, telling his Father, they're mine. Oh, don't listen to the accuser. Pharisees are joining in with Satan. Can you believe him? Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Do you see that? They don't even go to Jesus. They go to the disciples. Can you believe this guy? Thinking we'll have an audience there. The Pharisees were holding strict rules. They had separated themselves from the sinners of the world. They're angry, and they're angry because Jesus is claiming to be who he is, and he's not like them. Jesus' action suggests that the complete separation that the Pharisees advocated for does not honor God. They're shocked that Jesus would find his company with tax collectors and sinners, that they would intentionally invite those in who were ritually unclean to come into the temple of God. So here comes the climax of the text. Verse 31. Before the disciples can answer the Pharisees' question, Jesus steps in. That's what he says. Here's the difference. They say, Why would you accept an audience of sinners? And what's Jesus' reply? Well, because I came for them. I came for them. If you go to the doctor, this is an illustration, Jesus gets. If you go to the doctor, it's because you recognize you're sick. I don't often go to the doctor unless I feel like, hey, there's probably something that could be fixed here. Or improved upon. Or I am actually really sick. You go to the doctor when you're sick. So Jesus is saying, I came for those who are sick and who recognize it. And I call them to repent that I might save them from the sort of sickness that leads to death. And we see Jesus, of course, is rejected by those who don't believe they're sick. Who don't believe they need him. So the question is, do you know how much you need him? Jesus has come to redeem rebellious, repentant people and offer his righteousness. All who recognize him and turn will be saved. Christ has come for sinners to offer forgiveness. Do not fear going before him with the request he's come to grant. Let me say that again. Christ has come for sinners. So, sinner, do not do not fear going before the God who came for you.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

I mean, do not fear going before God if Jesus invites you.

Responding With Repentance And Mission

Prayer Of Gratitude And Sending

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Do not take Satan's counsel and stay away because of past sins. Go to Christ. Go before Him. Ask for forgiveness. That's why He's coming. That's why He's come. For you. For me. Come to the one who's come for you. Those in the company of Jesus that night were experiencing the greatest gift that anyone could ever offer. While those outside grumbling neglected grace. That day, those deceived and unrepentant, rejecting the people God was redeeming, because of their supposed self-righteousness, missed out on a supper in the presence of the Lamb. And the Bible tells us there is coming a day that those who remain unrepentant and continue to reject Jesus will not just be missing out on a routine supper, but will not be counted in the company of the marriage supper of the Lamb. So maybe this morning, as I said, can you think of the time that you gave your life to the Lord? You felt convicted of your sin and you made a decision to follow Jesus, you can't think of any sort of moment of conviction and a moment of decision. Maybe that's you. Or maybe this morning you've been following the Lord, but you look more like those outside the supper than those inside. Will you go before the Lord even today? The one who came for you. Asking for mercy, seeking forgiveness. If you don't get anything else from the message, know that Jesus loves the undeserving. Those who recognize their need for mercy. So may we consistently remember that we're undeserving people when we remember Christ. May we continually meet our desperate need for the grace of God. May we not go callous to the need of our lost world in our community of faith, and may we continue to reach the lost as undeserving people with the news that Jesus has come for undeserving people. Let's pray. God, when we look at the life of Levi, a life far from you, a life you redeemed. Help us also to model his example of going to our friends, our family, those that we know, and inviting them to a relationship with the man we met, with the God who saved our life. Lord, when we look back to the cross, help us remember grace. We did not deserve to be counted among those you have called. We do not deserve to be counted among the company, the marriage supper of the Lamb and the future. Lord, but you, you have called us. You have made us new. You have adopted us into your family. You call us friend. We call you Father. Oh God, we love you. We're desperate for you. Thank you for your spirit that provides us assurance, sealing us to the day you return. Oh God, we look forward to that day together. Help us to bring as many people with us, prepared for heaven, as we can. As we listen to JC Ryle, a converted man will not wish to go to heaven alone. God, we don't want to go alone. You will work through our sharing of saving, we ask. In your name we pray. Amen.