David Bahn – Reflections

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. ¹³ And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

¹⁷ And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

²⁰ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

²² “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! ²³ Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. – Luke 6:12-22 [ESV]

Years ago I read a farcical report from the Galilee HR Consultancy Firm. It detailed the various strengths and weaknesses of the 12 men Jesus had chosen to be his traveling companions. It pointed out Peter’s tendency to blurt out ideas without thinking, Thomas’ skeptical nature, Philips slow-wittedness, James’ and John’s quick and fiery tempers, and so on. Their no to the most likely to be effective in aiding Jesus’ venture was Judas. Good with money. Tight with religious leaders. Artful planning and strategic thinking. 

Thankfully it was only a pretense. Jesus didn’t pick disciples on the basis of what man values. As God says, “The Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) But even in that case, there are moments that make us wonder. After all, Jesus did call Peter Satan on one occasion. And James and John were ready to call down lightening on some who didn’t tow the line. Thomas wouldn’t believe until he saw. Jesus even said, “You, being evil…”! (Matthew 7:11)

So what gives here? What did Jesus see in the hearts of these 12? I suspect it was the same things God sees in our hearts today. We’re all a mixed bag. Sometimes we actually do get it right. Like Peter, we confess that Jesus is the Christ. Like John, we do respond to Jesus’ love with our own, and rejoice to be a disciple Jesus loves. 

I think Jesus saw people in need of grace, knowledge and purpose. And we are much the same. We need God’s grace. He must call us. He must extend the hand. We need to know who Jesus really is and what he is capable of. Healing. Teaching. Leading. Blessing. We also need purpose. And Jesus gives it. The highest calling. After all,  “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)

That’s a good thing for me to remember today. How about you?

On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. ⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand. ”And he did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. – Luke 6:6-11 [ESV]

There was a loud clunk. The sound of a head hitting the wooden pew. No cushions. Nothing to soften the blow. Or muffle the sound. But I didn’t know what had happened. Fortunately my vicarage supervisor pastor realized what had happened. He saw the comotion. And he stopped his sermon mid-sentence and said, “Let’s pray for him while he’s being helped.” 

That was 45 years ago, and I learned something that day; two things actually. I learned that when someone suffers some sort of medical or personal incident in the middle of the service, you need to take note. And pray. And make sure he is being attended to. Since that time I’ve been preaching or leading worship which such a thing happens and did just that. I called it out, and offered a prayer. On one occasion we prayed while we waited until the EMS personnel arrived with gurney and all to take the man to the hospital. Thankfully he was OK. On another occasion a gentleman actually regained enough strength to remain in the service! 

But I believe that worship was made for man, not man for worship. In other words worship is important for the good of men, women and children. But worship blesses us. We don’t bless worship. Worship is a means by which we receive God’s gifts, but so is human kindness, physical care, and prayer support. Jesus knew this. He stops the service in the synagogue that day and brings the man front and center for his healing touch.

It is quite noteworthy that he brings the man up for all to see. In that moment, the man is more than a disabled man. He is the center of God’s attention. Perhaps there was a smirk on his face since he was being honored when all other times he was ignored, ridiculed, or even treated as one cursed by God. He might have been embarrassed at all the attention; one who would rather hide in the corner than be the center of attention. Soon he will a healed man, and a hero to some or a villain to others. 

No matter. Jesus sees a man who needs his help. He sees a man who is more important than the sabbath laws. He sees a man who will receive God’s glorious grace. To be sure the sabbath laws the Pharisees were some of the most strict and detailed laws of the Jewish people. There are 39 categories of work that are prohibited on the Sabbath. Thirty-nine! Categories: 

1. Carrying 2. Burning 3. Extinguishing 4. Finishing 5. Writing 6. Erasing 7. Cooking 8. Washing 9. Sewing 10. Tearing 11. Knotting 12. Untying 13. Shaping 14. Plowing 15. Planting 16. Reaping 17. Harvesting 18. Threshing 19. Winnowing 20. Selecting 21. Sifting 22. Grinding 23. Kneading 24. Combing 25. Spinning 26. Dyeing 27. Chain-stitching 28. Warping 29. Weaving 30. Unraveling 31. Building 32. Demolishing 33. Trapping 34. Shearing 35. Slaughtering 36. Skinning 37. Tanning 38. Smoothing 39. Marking

And healing is actually not prohibited. But even if it was, Jesus has the prerogative to determine what is good and evil any day of the week. And the good thing is for Jesus to heal this man. I don’t know what might stand in your way of God’s attention or favor. But trust me, it’s nothing God would abide. His love covers a multitude of sins. His blood cleanses us from all sins. He never overlooks a person with a withered hand or a broken heart. 

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” ³ And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” ⁵ And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. ⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand. ”And he did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. – Luke 6:1-11 [ESV]

Liberal theologians has posited something called Situational Ethics. Since ‘circumstances alter cases’,  they argue, situationism holds that in practice what in some times and places we call right is in other times and places wrong… For example, lying is ordinarily not in the best interest of interpersonal communication and social integrity, but is justifiable nevertheless in certain situations.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer did not finish book, Ethics, before he died. It was published following his death. He argued that the foundation of ethical behaviour lay in how the reality of the world and the reality of God were reconciled in the reality of Christ. Both in his thinking and in his life, ethics were centered on the demand for action by responsible men and women in the face of evil. Certainly that thinking went into his decision to participate in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. 

On a very small level we probably invoke such an approach to difficult situations. The classical question comes to mind: “Does this dress make me look fat?” How do you answer that? Or, what do you say when an angry husband bangs on your door asking whether you know where his wife is? Whether she’s hiding in your bedroom or you’ve taken her to a hotel, do you tell him? 

There are situations when whatever you choose to do, you will sin. In those cases, the advice of my seminary professor comes to mind: If you have to sin, sin on the side of love. “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 5:8) afterall. So if you must sin – if either choice you make will result in sin, choose the one that expresses love for God and for your brother or sister. I don’t always get that right. But that’s where I seek to go.

Jesus always got it right. That’s mainly because as God in the flesh, he is the final arbiter of good and evil. I’m not sure he justified David’s actions when he brought that example to the Pharisees’ attention. But he declared for sure that his disciples were not sinning when they plucked the grain on the sabbath. Much less when he healed the man with the withered hand.

More often we might be inclined not to act for fear of breaking some command of God. Whether it is helping someone in desperate need, speaking up for someone who is an obvious scoundrel, or failing to step forward when it’s time to bring Jesus into the picture. God help us! And if we must sin, let love for God and love for neighbor chart our course. I think that’s a life-long pursuit. And I’m not sure I’ll ever get it 100% right. 

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” ³ And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” ⁵ And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. ⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand. ”And he did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. – Luke 6:1-11 [ESV]

It has become a lot less frequent over the years. But you may recall the days when rebooting your computer was nearly a daily necessity. Some program would clash with another. Or maybe you just wanted to switch programs. Shut down one. Open another. But even then there was sometimes that stray electron, a missed switch on a transistor, or a corrupt file. Reboot!

Jesus’ ministry required a reboot for many people of his day. In fact it calls for a constant and complete reboots for everyone. Even today. 

The Pharisees needed a reboot in their understanding of God’s Law. They knew it well. But they had turned it on its head. They made the Law their master – and not in the manner that Paul speaks of in Galatians 3:24. God’s intent for the Law was to guide us to Christ. They thought the Law was a means only to set themselves apart as God’s people. It was that and more. More importantly it was God’s way of showing their need for a Savior from Sin. They worked as hard as they could to avoid needing such a Savior. 

But here comes Jesus. Turning things right-side-up again. The Sabbath was made for man. Man is lord of the sabbath. Of course when Jesus speaks of himself as the Son of Man, he is invoking his identity as the messiah. This is not a self-deprecating reference. He will approach the Ancient of Days,

And to him was given dominion
    and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed.  – Daniel 7:13-14

Now they must reboot twice! Jesus is claiming to be the Son of Man. They will bow down to him. They will submit to his authority. That is quite a reboot! Not a happy one. One they will strongly resist. 

But they’re not the only ones who will need to reboot. And those will be happier for it. Some will need to reboot their life of disease, fear, subjugation, grovelling, and obiescence. They will see their lives changed remarkably for the better. Their sins will be forgiven. Their diseases will be healed. Their hearts will be cleansed. O happy day!

But for those who have had that second kind of reboot realize it’s not a one and done deal. Scripture talks about the need to repent and believe the Good News. But that’s not a one time event. Daily we are to be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Daily we are to turn away from sin. Daily we are to reboot.

It does get old. We quickly wish we didn’t have to turn off the computer and start it up again. But when we do, the machine runs far better. So too for us. When we do repent, shut down the old programs of deceit, lust, sloth, angert, pride, envy, avarice, fear, and gluttony, (the seven deadly sins plus two), and start anew, we are the better for it. That’s no guarantee of success, diamond rings, yachts, and mansions. But it is the way of peace of heart and soul, hope and joy, love and peace. That’s a reboot we can all beenfit from!

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”³ And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:⁴ how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?”⁵ And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.⁷ And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.”And he did so, and his hand was restored.¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. – Luke 6:1-11 [ESV]

I think I know why Jesus was so hard on the Pharisees. On the one hand they believed the Scriptures. They held fast to the commandments of the Old Testament. They valued the temple and worship, and had a great reverence for God. In fact it was at least in large part due to the Pharisees that the Jewish faith did not go away during the 400 years of silence after the Old Testament prophet (Malachi) and the last Old Testament prophet: John the Baptist. They jealously guarded the Word of God. They set up the synagogue system to allow Jewish families to learn and worship. This was especially important when there was no temple in Jerusalem. 

But as good as they were about keeping the Law, they missed the point of the Law. Man was not made for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for man. Think about that. And think about the important truth that Jesus is Lord even of the Sabbath. 

All this becomes so very clear when Jesus heals the man on the Sabbath, and rather than rejoice in that, the Pharisees begin to plot how to take Jesus out. Rather than praising God for healing the man they are filled with rage. Rather then being filled with joy and gratitude they plot Jesus’ demise. 

I’m not certain we ever go to that extreme – picking and choosing our pet sin and ignoring a greater deliverance. But I suspect we all do. Somehow Jesus kept it all straight. And in doing so, he made a way for anyone to be delivered. Through humble faith. By his grace. We all want to put God on trial. But that has already been done. And the outcome was a sad commentary on the sorry estate of fallen men and women. 

But just as God worked through the man with the withered hand, he also worked through a cross and cruel torment. And any who look to him – all the way from the sabbath to the cross, and then to the empty tomb – will be saved. We certainly could never deliver ourselves!

On this Lord’s Day, please pray these psalms for the people of Ukraine.

And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” ³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” ³⁶ He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” – Luke 5:33-39 [ESV]

One of my favorite YouTube channels is Jimmy’s World. Jimmy is a very wealthy man who loves to buy old abandoned airplanes, fix them up and get them airworthy again. He sells them (I think!) after the work is done and he’s gotten them back into the air. His most recent effort is around a Cessna 310. That’s the kind of airplane that Sky King flew in the television program from the 50’s. 

Well this particular airplane has been a tale of woe from day one. That seems to be because it sat unattended and unflown and uncared for for 37 years! Added to that – and perhaps even more damaging – was the manner in which it was repaired over the years. Wiring harnesses have been patched together willy nilly. Many wires unlabeled. Many simply cut when some of the initial restoration process began. It is a poster child for putting bandaids on broken arms and tire patches on Formula One race cars. Not wise. Not effective. Not good. 

You want to rebuild something? Get to the ground level. Don’t put patches on walls with faulty framing. Don’t try to cover up bad trouble with paint. Don’t put lipstick on a pig!

Jesus is bringing a whole new approach to God to the people of his day. They had strayed so far from God’s intent and desire of and for his people. They were more concerned about their power and position than they were about doing God’s work and serving God’s people. 

Jesus realizes this and speaks to them about trying to patch old clothes with new cloth. It may work for a time. But the new will soon be torn away from the old. 

Jesus is bringing a whole new way of life to God’s people. No longer centered in law-keeping and ceremonial religious activity. Not cozy with the Romans. Not concerned about self. Not worried about appearances. Concerned with the heart. 

In essence Jesus was calling for a heart transplant. He was calling people to a right-side-up view of the world, of God, and of their calling as God’s people. Theirs was a privilege coupled with responsibility. Theirs was a possession to be shared not hoarded. 

That called for new wineskins for the new wine of grace, faith, love, and mercy. Maybe you need that kind of wineskin as well. We all do. It may be time to discard the old wineskin of resentment, worry, greed, selfishness, lust, and mannouvering for favorable position. In place of those things, drink in the wine of God’s love. Clothe yourself in Christ’s righteousness. Seek to know and imitate the heart of Christ. 

That’s way better than any patch. Or mask. Or bandaid. Or pretention. 

And the Pharisees said to Jesus, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” ³⁴ And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” ³⁶ He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” – Luke 5:27-39 [ESV]

I was in college. And I was inspired to write a poem by a good dose of resentment that was added to watching an attractive college coed smiling and laughing. She was the center of attention. She was pretty. And I resented that. No excuse on my part. It was definitely not from a good place in my heart. A broken place for sure. But not a good place. “Good times Sally. She smiles and waves her hands. She sings and delights all the boys in the band.” Something like that. I guess it wasn’t such a great poem either. 

I took her for a party girl. I was not in a party mood. I was probably at that moment more like the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal Son: resentful and self-righteous. All the while there was a party going on. For the lost one had been found. The dead one was alive again. The gone one was home again. But there was yet one who didn’t want to be in such a home. He remained outside. Refusing to come in and join the party. 

Jesus is partying with Matthew, tax collectors, and sinners (presumably prostitutes). And the Pharisees and their scribes are not happy. In fact they are offended. The are critical of Jesus and his disciples. They demand answers. Why don’t you act more like John’s disciples. They understand decorum. They don’t understand, however, what is happening right before their eyes. For the bridegroom is present. He’s looking for his bride. In Jesus’ day weddings were a cause for celebration. There would be great festivities. There will be much joy. Much celebration. There was no fasting or sadness.

Jesus will teach throughout his ministry that God loves sinners. He calls them to a better life. He brings them hope and a future. He is the source of praise to God. And when one sinner repents there is joy in the presence of the angels. This was a party in anticipation of all that would happen as Jesus touched more and more lives with his grace and love.

There are those even today who want to make the Christian faith all about dos and don’ts. Shalts and shalt nots. Long faces. Fearful silence. But Jesus is telling us that whenever he is present, and people are being brought to God in repentance and faith, there should be a grand celebration. A party. That’s not any excuse for a party. But it is a cause for a celebration of God’s grace and glory. Let’s not miss that party!

By the way, since I mentioned the parable of the Prodigal Son, I thought I’d share this video of the story told from the perspective of a modern day New York restauranteur. You may have seen it before, but it’s worth seeing it again. Indeed, let’s not miss the party!

After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

²⁹ And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. ³⁰ And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:27-32 [ESV]

My parents had friends who were from Germany. He served in the German army and it shaped him for life. My parents witnessed to them, but he would not believe. He said he had seen and experienced things so evil that he could not believe in God. I know little about the specifics, so I can only imagine. And I wonder whether he perhaps participated in some things he believed he could never be forgiven of. 

On another occasion I was standing in the gap for some members of the church I was serving. They were being visited by non-Christian “missionaries” and were considering abandoning the faith centered in Jesus Christ, and his gracious promise of forgiveness and salvation by grace through faith. There had been a particularly gruesome murder recently in the news and we spoke about how awful that was. Then it became clear that they believed the murderer would never be forgiven. No matter what. That was a powerful moment of clarity.

If forgiveness is anything it must be given. Freely. Trust must be earned. Reconciliation must be worked out. But forgiveness is the foundation of both. And unless it is truly and freely given, there is no foundation for the others. 

But forgiveness is freely given at a great price to the giver. Some people believe that to forgive is to say, “It was nothing.” In fact, however, forgiveness is to say, “That was wrong. I was hurt. But I let go of my judgement against you. I do not hold that against you.” That is costly. That is difficult. But even here the foundation of that is Jesus’ forgiveness of us. And his forgiveness is costly to him beyond measure.  

The Pharisees and their scribes may well have been sincerely worried that Jesus was usurping the place of God. They may have been afraid that people were being led astray by this Galilean preacher. They may also have been afraid of the sinners and tax collectors; fearful because they didn’t know how to relate to them other than by judging them. They needed to recognize their own sinfulness and learn how grace actually works.

But the same grace that Jesus was affording the sinners and tax collectors was available to the Pharisees and their scribes. It’s a shame they didn’t think they needed it. They did. More than they knew. But Jesus is now reaching out to the ones who were at the other end of the spectrum. It’s likely they were ones who would think there was no hope of God’s mercy for them because their sin was so bad. But just as there is no one who does not need God’s forgiveness and grace, there is also no one who repents of their sin whom Jesus will not receive. We all need God’s grace. God’s grace is available to all. 

Jesus’ first sermon testifies to this truth: “The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.” That’s the kind of strong medicine we all need. 

After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” ²⁸ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

²⁹ And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. ³⁰ And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:27-32 [ESV]

Diane had a very interesting experience in the ER waiting room a few years ago. It was a good thing, too. She was taken to the ER because she was feeling quite ill. In fact she had pneumonia! At the registration there was a question that got her to the front of the line. “Have you visited West Africa in the past 30 days?” She put, “I just returned from EAST Africa three days ago.” It was during the days of grave concern about ebola, and West Africa was a hot spot. I guess as far as they were concerned East Africa was close enough. The brought her right in, and put her in an exam room. And when they came to check her out, they were all garbed in medical has-mat suits. Turns out she did have pneumonia, but not ebola! 

So often we sit and wait, and wait, and wait…before finally being taken in to be cared for. You are surrounded by others who are waiting. And just when it is your time to go, someone comes in with a very serious injury is brought into the ER. You are no longer first in line. The more urgent need must be attended to. How do you feel about that? If yours is indeed an emergency, but the intake process/triage indicated you were a level 2 need and the person being taken in front of you has a legitimate need for more urgent attention, you might still wish you had not lost your spot. Don’t deny that too quickly!

In his book, Winning on Purpose, John Edmund Kaiser , Bill Easum, et. al., make a great point about the need to prioritize reaching the lost over caring for the saved. They say we need to do this because no one in the neighborhood who is lost and far from God will come in to the pastor’s office and lambast them for failing to reach out to them. In fact, most will be happy to be left alone! If they are going to be reached, we must reach toward them. 

This is what Jesus is showing when he calls Matthew the tax collector to follow him. Immediately after that Matthew has a party at which he invites all his apparently unchurched friends. Sinners, tax collectors, and other undesirable types are invited to the party. And Jesus seems to relish the moment. He is obviously not encouraging or validating the current religious leaders. In fact he appears to be snubbing them. At least he is snubbing their sensibilities. Jesus was engaging in a behavior no self-respecting Jewish religious leader would even consider. 

I have to breathe deep when I think of how this might be applied to the ministry of the traditional church today. I’m not sure we are as bad as the Pharisees are in this regard, but I’m not sure we’re not. What do you think? Is this a call to repent? Is this a call to pause to consider our priorities? 

Admittedly Scripture teaches us to do good to all people – especially those who are in the household of faith (cf. Galatians 6:10). And we must do this. Yet Jesus seems to make a point of doing good for lost people. I’m wondering how these two go together. How about you?