Tue Oct 14

Listen up, little ones

Listen for the words Jesus and tax collector.

Reading

Luke 5:27–32—Calling sinners to repentance

Optional Reading

Joel 2:12-27

Keys for kids

• Jesus called Levi to follow him.
• Levi was a tax collector and sinner.
• Levi repented of his sin and followed Jesus.

Questions

1. What other name do we know Levi as in the gospels?
2. Why were the Pharisees upset with Jesus?
3. What does it mean to repent?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors.)

Like the prophet Joel, Jesus’ public ministry was a ministry of calling people to repentance. Among his first public words included the call to repent (Mark 1:15). Among his final public words was the promise that repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in Jesus’ name to all the nations (Luke 24:47).

In our text here, having called Levi to repentance, the Pharisees ask him to defend eating with tax collectors and sinners (Levi had been both). Jesus states that he came to call sinners to repentance. Sinners like Levi, who when called to follow Jesus did. As Hughes comments, Levi did follow Christ for the rest of his life, for this Levi is none other than Matthew the Gospel writer (cf. Matthew 9:9; 10:2, 3). Jesus was in the business of calling sinners. But, as Morris notes, He did not, however, come to leave them in their sin. He called them to repentance.

Repentance is to change our mind. Where once we were content in our sin, or even in our self-righteousness as the Pharisees were, when we repent, we turn from sin to God. We hear and obey Jesus’ call to follow him. And having come, we rejoice that Jesus changes us to be more and more like him. Repent and believe this good news.

Swedish Method questions

Praise

Psalm 51b, 134b

Prayer

1. Rejoice that you, a sinner, have been called to repentance.
2. Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
3. Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.