2-3-13 sermon

1. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”
Hebrews 12:2
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2. Religious leaders were always pointing fingers at
Jesus’ back, accusing him of being a heretic or
doing something that the Bible clearly says He
shouldn’t.
So if they aren’t pointing accusing fingers at our
backs, maybe we’re not really following Him.
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3. The Donkey and the Potential Buyer
Aesop’s Fable
Moral: You are known by the Company you keep
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4. The Company He Keeps
Mark 2:13-17
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5. 13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and
taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14 As he
walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting
at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my
Mark 2:13-17
disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and
followed him.15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his
disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with
many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.
(There were many people of this kind among Jesus’
followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious
law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax
collectors and other sinners, they asked his
disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”17 When
Jesus heard this, he told 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.” 6

6. 23
17
Mark 2 “I have come to call Romans 3 for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God,
J
not those who think they are 24
and all are justified freely by his
righteous, but those who
grace through the redemption that
know they are sinners.” came by Christ Jesus.
Thought God was really
impressed with their Customs agent >
always-being-rightness. Despised by most
Their airtight in-or- folks in town for
out world had no room collaborating with
for messy, messed up Romans.
Clearly
people. for Jesus
No room Cast of wanted a
either. Characte different
Accepted Jesus’
P
life.
rs invitation, then
Levi threw a party so
his co-workers
could know Jesus,
too. 7

7. Even our
greatest heroes
can one day
find themselves
without fans or
friends.
Lance Armstrong
From cancer-survivor who won
the Tour de France an
unprecedented seven times to
world-class cheater, liar, LIVESTRONG
LIVEDWRONG
and hypocrite.
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8. 17
Mark 2 “I have come to call 1Timothy 1 13Even though I
J
not those who think they are was once a blasphemer and a
persecutor and a violent man, I
righteous, but those who was shown mercy because I
know they are sinners.” acted in ignorance and
unbelief. 14The grace of our
Religious leaders Lord was poured out on
pointed accusing me abundantly, along with
fingers at Jesus when the faith and love that are
He openly loved those in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a
who knew they were trustworthy saying that
deserves full acceptance:
sinners. Christ Jesus came into the
Jesus wanted to be
known by the company He Cast of world to save sinners—of
whom I am the worst. 16But
kept.
If we remember Characte for that very reason I was
shown mercy so that in me, the
whom Jesus dared
to love
You rs Who worst of sinners, Christ Jesus
might display his immense
abundantly and &I ? patience as an example for
those who would believe in him
publicly then... and receive eternal life.
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9. “Saul of Tarsus would never have accepted the accusation that he was a sinner until he
experienced the grace of God through his encounter with the risen Christ...Redemption from sin
begins with understanding, not with condemnation.”
Ray Anderson
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10. 17
Mark 3 “I have come to call 1Timothy 1 13Even though I
J
not those who think they are was once a blasphemer and a
persecutor and a violent man, I
righteous, but those who was shown mercy because I
know they are sinners.” acted in ignorance and
unbelief. 14The grace of our
Religious leaders Lord was poured out on
pointed accusing me abundantly, along with
fingers at Jesus when the faith and love that are
He openly loved those in Christ Jesus. 15Here is a
who knew they were trustworthy saying that
deserves full acceptance:
sinners. Christ Jesus came into the
Jesus wanted to be
known by the company He Cast of world to save sinners—of
whom I am the worst. 16But
kept.
If they remember Characte for that very reason I was
shown mercy so that in me, the
whom Jesus dared
to love
Who rs You worst of sinners, Christ Jesus
might display his immense
abundantly and ? &I patience as an example for
those who would believe in him
publicly then... and receive eternal life.
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11. “It is of no benefit to the Kingdom of God to call someone a sinner; but rather offer the grace of
God so that they discover that for themselves.”
Ray Anderson
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