God's grace is scandalous in that it calls the unlikely to follow Him, such as tax collectors (Levi). It also dines with the undesirable in society, like tax collectors and sinners. Grace is only available to those who acknowledge their spiritual sickness and unrighteousness, not the self-righteous. The glory of the gospel is that through Christ's atoning sacrifice, God extends His grace freely to all.

1. The Glory of the gospel is found in the
scandal of God's grace.

2. 13 He went out again beside the sea, and all
the crowd was coming to him, and he was
teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he
saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the
tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow
me.” And he rose and followed him.

3. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners were reclining
with Jesus and his disciples, for there were
many who followed him.16 And the scribes
of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was
eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to
his disciples,

4. “Why does he eat with tax collectors and
sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said
to them, “Those who are well have no need of
a physician, but those who are sick. I came
not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

5. I. Grace Calls the Unlikely (vv. 13-14).

6. II. Grace Dines with the Undesirable ( v.15).

7. For even the Son of Man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life as a
random for many (Mark 10:45).

8. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the
righteous for the unrighteous, that he might
bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh but made alive in the spirit (1 Peter
3:18).

9. III. Grace is available only for the Unhealthy
(vv. 16-17).

10. Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;

11. upon him was the chastisement that brought
us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—everyone—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).

12. The Glory of the gospel is found in the
scandal of God's grace.