Personally, I have been convicted of how I am sharing the gospel. For most of my life I have fallen back on the adage of "Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary." As much as this might be a great catch-phrase for making sure our actions match our words, we cannot fall back on this as an excuse for not opening our mouth, which I have done. Paul asks in his letter to the Church in Rome, how can they hear if the gospel has not been preached? If our words do not match our actions we have a problem but we have just as big of a problem if no one knows the why behind our actions. Who do you know that needs to HEAR the gospel message? The answer is the sick and hurting, the sinner and those unable to save themselves.  Maybe your coworker; your next door neighbor; your relative; your brother or sister; your child(ren); your spouse? In essence, everyone. Please take time today to pray about those areas in your life that do not align with the gospel, give them to Jesus and ask Him to transform you. Pray also for those around you who need to hear the message of Christ, pray for boldness that "words can be given to you as you share the mystery of the gospel" (Ephesians 6:19.) 

Please join us in worship this Sunday. Here is a preview of the worship set.

      In this pericope [an extract from a text], as in the previous one, there is a focus on sin and forgiveness, on exclusion and acceptance. Jesus' acceptance of the unacceptable serves not only the negative purpose of showing up the hostility and narrow exclusivism of the scribes, but also the positive purpose of indicating the revolutionary nature of the new situation in the kingdom of God. The meal where ["And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him" Mark 2:15] forms a vivid illustration of the inclusiveness of the new community of the forgiven, to which even, indeed especially, the most unlikely are called. It is likely that Mark saw in this rather special meal a symbol of the messianic banquet; if so, the guest list is not at all what most Jews would have expected.

Questions to Consider:
1. What is our expectation of how the kingdom of God should look? What does the Church, today, look like and does it line up with Jesus' view?
​2. What are the "establishments" that the church, today, might conflict with? i.e. culture, Progressive Christianity, etc...
3. How should the church respond to critics on the biblical standards by which she should live?

I want to draw a parallel of this passage and where we are today. As we read in the story of Levi and as RT France alludes to, Jesus does not pull any punches when he addresses the Pharisees, he is extremely clear with his actions and is bold in his stance on the kingdom of God.   What this means is that Jesus was forthright and unrelenting on his teachings and standpoints. There was no turning, there was not couching, there was only truth; an objective truth that comes from the Most High. The church must be the same in our day and age. We cannot bend to the whims of the culture and the pressure of an age similar to that found in early Israel "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes." Judges 17:6. We have a king, His name is Jesus. As I am writing this I'm listening to a song that says "Take the world, give me Jesus!" This must be our battle cry...but know full well, you will be hated by the culture, called out as a bigot, cancelled as a hater, persecuted as a religious zealot, a menace to society, and a barrier to advanced and progressive ways! Be comforted by Jesus' words, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 As Jesus did the Church must also, we must speak the truth in love with no turning, no couching, with a constancy of divine truth. Once again it is not our position to soften the blow of the gospel.

Apologetics: 
What is apologetics? Specifically, what is Christian Apologetics and what role does it play in our lives today? By definition, apologetics comes from the greek word apologia which means to have a formal defense of an opinion or position; or to speak in defense of one's position. Most modern understanding ties apologetics specifically to religion and the theological debates which arise; probably due to its use within the Church since it was first established. We see the early church fathers using apologetics to defend Christianity but we have specific scriptures that point to its use with the disciples and eye-witnesses of Jesus Christ and his ministry. Acts 26:2, Paul says, "I am about to make my defense before you today" as he defends himself before Festus and King Agrippa against his accusers. Paul also mentions it in his letter to the church in Philippi (Philippians 1:7), as well as Peter who says, "Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15)." Apologetics is an essential part of the ministry of the church, however, as with other ministries, it should never be the sole focus of the church at large. Never should we abandon the preaching of the gospel, the caring for the needy and hurting...it was never intended for the church to bully the lost into the kingdom of God, but to share the hope that lies within us by sharing a faith that is not only miraculous but also reasonable with a defensible position. That being said we are going to focus on apologetics within the Mark passage. 

Mark 2:14-17
14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
15 And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

If you noticed in the Matthew passage the tax collector was named Matthew not Levi, as seen in the Mark and Luke narrative. There are skeptics who will point to this disconnect as a contextual contradiction and proof that the Bible can be disproved. A quick aside before we jump into the specific textual criticism: there has been a rise in, what some call, "pop atheism." Many of these "pop atheists" take an approach of shaming, degrading, and mocking Christianity using tweets, memes, and YouTube videos to introduce doubt by pulling on our emotions, not necessarily by using logic or well developed arguments. Do not let yourself get sucked into this emotional roller-coaster. We all know that our heart and emotions can pull us in many directions and lead us down questionable paths. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is more deceitful than all else. And is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Our emotions should warn us but not control us;  they are real but not reliable. There is a principle called Occam's razor, in its simplest explanation (pun intended) it states "the simplest explanation is usually the right one." So let us apply this principle to the Mark/Matthew "controversy."

​Reasonable Arguments:
1. Levi and Matthew are understood to be two different names of the same person.
- It was very common in the Jewish community to have two names: a common name and traditional name. Or like the case of Paul who had a Jewish and Greek name, Saul and Paul respectively. 
Argument against: is that both Levi and Matthew are common names. 
2. Levi's name was changed by Jesus to Matthew.
- We have many examples in the Bible where God changes someones name; Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, etc.. 
- If Jesus did indeed change Levi's name to Matthew it would be reasonable that Matthew (author of the Gospel of Matthew) would identify himself by his new name.
Argument against: There is no name-change story, for Levi, found in the gospels. 

The following are less likely but also potential answers:
1. Two completely different persons with very similar stories.
2. Levi was not a name. Matthew was of the tribe of Levi. 

This is not an exhaustive list.

Most scholars believe that the tax collector in the gospel stories are indeed the same person, Levi is Matthew. This is commonly found in the culture, at the time, and is the most simple answer that is very reasonable and, as some would put it, not a lot of "mental gymnastics" went into drawing this conclusion. In this case we cannot be 100% certain, however, no matter the answer  it has no bearing on any theology that is central to Biblical Christianity. Instead, it shows Jesus having mercy upon those most despised in Israel and inviting them to ​follow Him; which is central to the gospel message. Let us not be distracted by things that have no bearing on our central beliefs: Read 1 Corinthians 15.

Both of these texts are very similar in nature to the Mark passage that we read yesterday. However, I want to focus on Matthew 9:13 where Jesus states, "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but the  sinners." Jesus is quoting from the book of Hosea, specifically Hosea 6:6 For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice (NET). I want to encourage you to read through the book of Hosea because it presents a beautiful picture of the redemptive justice, love, and mercy of God found in the story arch of the Bible. In essence, it showcases the Biblical worldview, in a heartbreaking way, and shows the lengths that God went to in order to bring about restoration. Hosea, a prophet of God, is instructed by God to marry a prostitute and to love her, despite her sinful past, and to redeem her after she strays from him, her husband, and finds herself once again in prostitution. (Hosea 1-3) In the same way, man has strayed from God causing great anguish and separation to the point where we continually find ourselves falling into "old habits" or "sin patterns" but there was a price to pay for our harlotry...this resulted in the atoning work of Christ that was accomplished by His death and resurrection. I believe that Jesus pointed back to Hosea to challenge the worldview of the pharisees, he even phrases it as a challenge, "Go and learn what this means." We should take this challenge as well and examine our hearts and our lives to see if the way we live our life (our values and behaviors) are actually in line with a Jesus-centric worldview.
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Many sermons have been taught about the hero's we see in the Bible;  Noah, Abraham, and Moses. David slays Goliath, just like you can slay the giants that pop up in your life. Hosea loved his wife like God loves us, therefore we (husbands) are represented by Hosea! However, this is not the case at all. In the story of David, WE are the Israelites that are shaking in the boots and won't face Goliath. Jesus is the giant slayer. In Hosea, WE are Gomer (the prostitute), who has strayed far from God. Jesus is the loving husband who redeems us, his bride. Let us not deceive ourselves that we are to be the hero in the biblical narrative, or even in our own story. In the Mark passage I like to think that I am not a pharisee or a tax collector. Maybe I am Jesus? (JK) But the reality is I have been both, a self-righteous man who doesn't think he needs the healing hand of Jesus, then coming to the realization that I am just a tax-collector, sick with sin, that I am just poor, blind, and naked Revelation 3:17 but can be clothed with righteous blood of the lamb.  Everything we think, do, or say should point back to the one who deserves everything we have to give. In Hosea 6:6 it says that God desires our faithfulness (our compassion towards God and His laws and His ways and His people), that our hearts would be His before we sacrifice.

What does this mean to the Pharisees? Jesus said this about them, "This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me." You see, the Pharisees had set up these traditions and man-made rituals so that they could point to themself and say, "Look what I have accomplished." I have kept the law and the traditions, I am an expert in the scriptures and by all accounts sinless. I am a servant of the Lord Most High...and yet Jesus, God in the flesh, says your hearts are far from me. Jesus says, later in scripture, "that you wouldn't even clothe me, or feed me, or take care of me...you wouldn't even think about becoming "unclean" to tend to one of my lost sheep. I do not know you, and you obviously do not know me." (Paraphrase)

What does this mean for us? We need to "go and learn" what it means to be compassionate. To be Christ-like, to be Christ-ians (little Christ's). What we do, what we say, how we act needs to be, not just influenced, but overwhelmingly Christ-centered. How we spend our time, talent, and money needs to be aimed at spreading the name of Jesus because He is the only one that saves. Do people know you for your instagram account or for your faithfulness to God? Do people know you because of the house you have or the car you drive? Or is it your faithfulness to God? Do you spend your time in your relationships (or place of work) just being a good person, a good influence? Or are you on mission for God? Everything we do is feed by our worldview, it nourishes us and drives us. Not to be automatons who just chatter and make noise...BUT THAT EVERY SINGLE THINGE WE DO IS SEASONED WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS. What are you known for? What are you persecuted for? What are you living for? If the answer is not Jesus Christ and His Glory then you may need to challenge your worldview.

Mark 2:14-17
14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
15 And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
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​Please make time to watch the videos about worldview.

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​Questions to Consider:

1. What did the Lord speak to you after reading "The Vision" from William Booth?

2. In our text (Mark 2:1-12) it says "Jesus went to Capernaum" and then the miracle happened. How does this speak to us about the call to "Go"?

3. What is the difference between creating opportunities for the gospel and waiting for opportunities? 

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And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

This sentiment of "We have never seen anything like this!" was common in the life and ministry of Christ and the first church. 
Is it the same with the church today? 
From RJ Dugone:
Let me propose something radical: We need less tradition and more, “We have never seen anything like this!”  We need less tried and true and more, “We have never seen anything like this!”  We need less of mundane, same old, same old, and more, “We have never seen anything like this!”  We need to experience God in a way that causes people to say, “We have never seen anything like this!”  To experience something that is so outside the box, so outside the expectation, so outside experience that people would proclaim, “We have never seen anything like this;” It would need to be something that is out of the ordinary. Perhaps even supernatural.  By definition “supernatural” is a force that is beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
When it comes to a supernatural move of God—where do we even begin?  Well, you begin by believing enough to make God your first stop in prayer.  You begin by believing enough to bring your two loaves and a few fishes to Jesus, so that He can feed 5,000.  You begin by believing enough to haul your friend who is paralyzed to Jesus by any means possible.  You begin by fighting through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. You make running to Jesus (who is your advocate and makes intercession for you) the person that you turn to when you are faced with things that are difficult, and maybe even impossible—never forgetting that with God, all things are possible!
Missionary/Author Nik Ripken was asked, “Why don’t we see God doing miracles in our time like we read about in the Book of Acts?”  (Let me paraphrase Nik’s answer)  “If you want to see healings, and demons being cast out, and miracles; go serve as a missionary in a third world country where Believers are forced by circumstances to trust in God.  When there are no doctors, no hospitals, no medical facilities of any kind; going to God becomes the default position for Believers.  They ask for prayer and they are healed.  In the American church, going to the doctor has become our default position, and we have not, because we ask not.”
Listen to the exhortation of James.  He is giving us the default position of faith when we are sick.  James 5:14-15 (NASB) 14  Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15  and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Is anyone among you sick?  HE MUST call for the elders of the church.  He must…we must!  This is our default position when it comes to sickness.  We start by calling for the elders to pray for us.  Why do we call for the elders to pray over us?  Because we know that the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick.  When we do this, we have taken the first step to move away from the mundane. 
Do we want to see God move in a way that causes people to say, “We have never seen anything like this?”  It all starts with believing in Jesus enough to ask, to knock and to seek.  In the case of the paralyzed man, his friends believed enough to push through all the natural barriers that stood between them and Jesus.  Even the roof was not enough to deter them from the miracle that was waiting to happen.