Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. Matt 9:29
I mentioned earlier that in reality many of us don't really know many lost people.
I am not so sure lost people matter to me as they should. I like being around people who are like me, think like me, talk like me, like the things that I like. I don't particularly like being around people who tell dirty jokes, swear, get drunk, and flirt. That just isn't my idea of a good time, so you can imagine that these pals of Levi are looked down upon by the religious people of his day as well, but they are people Jesus wanted to get to know better. He was glad to be at their party. He was happy to show them there was more to life than making money unethically, lying, and living lives that are empty.
As Christians we do need to protect ourselves from the sinful habits of the world - not doing what the world does. 2 Corinthians 6:14 & 17 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? "Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." Most people we associate with affect us. I would never advise a recovering alcoholic to continue to go to the bar, but neither do I say give up any contact. Your best group to hold you accountable are fellow believers.
Because lost people matter to Christ, He could associate with people others didn't want anything to do with. I appreciated the plan of one of my seminar professors who regularly took community in order to develop relationships with those who need Christ. Bill Hybles took up sailing and purposely got a crew that are not church goers. This friendship evangelism allows for future conversations, counseling, and salvation experiences.
I do not believe the Lord wants us to isolate ourselves from contact with unsaved people.
Notice Mark 2:15 carefully, "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him." They may not be "following" in quite the specific sense of Levi - in response to Jesus' call. Yet in some sense they too were there, not just out of curiosity or because of Levi's invitation, but in response to divine grace.
This may have been a farewell dinner Matthew gave for his friends, his tax-collecting buddies. It was also an opportunity to introduce them to his newfound Lord. It was therefore a normal, natural occasion of festivity and joy as they gathered together for this feast. All the tax collectors of the city, all the sinners, all the despised social outcasts were sitting there. As the scribes of the Pharisees passed by, they saw that right in the midst of it all, among the beer bottles and the poker chips, sat Jesus. They were absolutely scandalized! It was obvious that He was the friend of these men. The scribes were simply appalled at this and called the disciples aside: "Why does he do things like that? Doesn't he know who these people are? Why does he allow himself to be seen in the company of such men?"
Application and prayer: Lord, help me move out of my little christian bubble to meet and greet those who don't know you. Set up my next divine appointment.
