耶稣在拣选门徒的时候，做了一些出人意外的事。利未是个税吏——这是一个被社会鄙视的、以腐败和贪婪闻名的职业。税吏被法利赛人贴上“罪人”的标签，而法利赛人是一群宗教领袖，他们关心的是遵循自己所解释的神的律法，并避免“不洁”的人或行为。
耶稣呼召利未做祂的门徒，挑战他过一种全新的生活。利未因着回应耶稣，生命彻底地改变了。他撇下一切跟从了耶稣，还“在自己家里，为耶稣大摆宴席，”还有许多税吏和别人也参加了。我们可能会猜到，这引起了法利赛人的批评。
我们很容易把自己的社交圈限制在那些和我们很相像的人。然而耶稣在回应法利赛人时说：“我来本不是召义人悔改，乃是召罪人悔改。”这句话向我们显示出祂的优先次序。祂不在意被自义的律法师批评，他更关心的是去拯救那些迷失在罪中的人。其结果是：许多生命被彻底地、永远地改变了。
敬虔的危险是分裂主义。我们作为基督跟随者的使命是去融入我们所在的社区。在离弃恶行的前提下，我们决不能让自己和那些尚未遇见耶稣和听见福音的人隔离开来。
神啊，求祢使我们看见那些尚未认识耶稣之人对新生命和喜乐的需要，愿我们帮助并引领他们来认识耶稣。阿们。
路加福音 5:27-32
27 这事以后，耶稣出去，看见一个税吏，名叫利未，坐在税关上，就对他说：“你跟从我来！”
28 他就撇下所有的，起来跟从了耶稣。
29 利未在自己家里为耶稣大摆筵席，有许多税吏和别人与他们一同坐席。
30 法利赛人和文士就向耶稣的门徒发怨言说：“你们为什么和税吏并罪人一同吃喝呢？”
31 耶稣对他们说：“无病的人用不着医生，有病的人才用得着。
32 我来本不是召义人悔改，乃是召罪人悔改。”
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” — Luke 5:32
When Jesus chose his disciples, he did some things people did not expect. Levi was a tax collector—part of a socially despised profession known for corruption and greed. Tax collectors were labeled as “sinners” by the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders who were concerned with following their own interpretation of God’s law and avoiding “unclean” people or behavior.
Calling Levi to discipleship, Jesus challenged him to a totally new way of life. And in his response, Levi’s life changed forever. He left everything to follow Jesus. Levi also “held a great banquet for Jesus at his house,” and a crowd of tax collectors and others joined in. As we might guess, this attracted the criticism of the Pharisees.
It is tempting to limit our social circles to people who are mostly like us. Yet Jesus reveals his priorities when he responds to the Pharisees by saying, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He cared more about reaching people lost in sin than being criticized by self-righteous legalists. The result: lives changed for eternity.
The danger of piety is separatism. Our mission as Christ-followers is to engage the communities where we are planted. While we rightly separate ourselves from evil deeds, we must never isolate ourselves from people who have yet to meet Jesus and hear his good news.
God, give us eyes to see the need for new life and joy in people who do not know Jesus, and may we help in leading them to him. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
