Jesus called Levi, a tax collector, to “come follow me.” Levi left his business and called his friends to join him and Jesus for a meal.
The church leaders grumbled to Jesus’ other disciples, asking them why Jesus chose to eat with sinners. 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." Luke 5:31-32
Jesus is teaching that everyone that sins is sick and needs him to bring his healing power into their lives. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned.” Genesis 6:5 says, “that every intention of the thoughts of his (Man’s) heart was only evil continually.”
The hardest part of being cured is admitting that we need to go to the doctor with our illness. Like those church leaders of long ago, we fail to recognize the severity of our sickness (sin). Because we can always find someone who sins more than we do, we don’t think that we need help with our sins. But 1 John 1:8 says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
As we look at our personal lives and the direction of our nation, we must all admit that sin is everywhere. We are not listening very well to the Word of God. Personally we are devoting our lives to pleasing ourselves and practicing all kinds of evil in the sight of God. Nationally, we are allowing laws to be enacted that go directly against God’s clear Word. We are not exempt from these sins just because we did not do them ourselves or support the people who did them. If we don’t publicly acknowledge them to be sin, then we become conspirators by our silence.
Jesus came to save sinners like us. He died to pay the debt our sins required. He freely forgives all who repent, admit their sins and are willing to turn away from that sin and walk again in the way that God requires of those who “follow him.” That is what the Great Physician prescribes for the sick (sinners). There is no other cure because “every intention of the thoughts of his (Man’s) heart was only evil continually” is still true for the person who does not have Jesus in the heart.
Jesus came to save sinners like us. There is hope in him because he is faithful to his Word as it is recorded in the Bible. It doesn’t change because he is God and has no need to change. That is why he can always be trusted and believed to do what he has promised. He will heal us if we call upon him to do it.
Commit yourself to worship with him regularly because that is where he dispenses his healing grace and mercy, freely and abundantly for all. To God be the Glory.