November 27: A Seat at the Table

“Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, ‘Why do you eat and drink with such scum?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.'”
—Luke 5:27-32 (NLT)

When Jesus called Levi (also known as Matthew), it caused quite a stir, and for good reason. Tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jews because they collaborated with the Roman authorities. They often exploited their own people by overcharging taxes for personal profit. Most Jews considered them traitors and outcasts. They were seen as “sinners” who were morally compromised and spiritually hopeless.

Yet, Jesus intentionally chose Levi. He didn’t hesitate or think twice. Jesus knew exactly who Levi was, yet He still invited him to “Follow me.” By doing this, Jesus made a bold statement that His Kingdom would be marked by grace and redemption, rather than judgment and exclusion.

Notice that Levi immediately responds, leaving everything behind. In his excitement he invites Jesus into his world by throwing a party filled with other “undesirables.” The Pharisees were disgusted by this scene, questioning why Jesus would even associate with such sinners, people who were “scum” in their minds. They failed to realize that this was precisely why Jesus had come. He didn’t come for those who thought they were righteous; He came to save sinners who recognized their need for a Savior.

It’s worth mentioning that Jesus’s disciples came from dramatically different backgrounds. They were fishermen, tax collectors and zealots. Each represented a different part of society and brought with them their own unique perspectives. In bringing them together, Jesus modeled what the church would become: a diverse community unified not by common interests or social status, but by a shared experience of God’s grace.

As Augustine powerfully reminds us: “The church is not a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners.”¹ This is the heartbeat of Jesus’ invitation and mission. His table is always open to all who recognize their need for His grace… and ours should be as well.
Reflection:
1. Do you find yourself more often associating with those who are like you, or do you intentionally welcome people who are different?

2. How does Jesus’ invitation to Levi challenge your view of who is included in His Kingdom?

3. How might you become more intentionally open to welcoming and serving those who are often overlooked or excluded?

Prayer:
Ask God to open your heart to see others as He sees them. Pray for opportunities to demonstrate the radical, welcoming love of Jesus to those around you, especially those who might feel far from Him.

Footnotes:
¹ Augustine of Hippo