“Sorry, Rabbi,”
That’s what my friend says to me right after he says something among our friends that might be judged a little bit off-color. It’s usually a joke or something about sex.
Two subjects pastors know nothing about, apparently.
Pastors ruin more parties. People have to watch their behavior. One of my friends who is not a Christian will actually warn his friends when he introduce me. “Watch what you say. He can send you to hell,” he said recently. (Didn’t realize I had such a commanding presence.)
I wonder if Levi said that when he introduced Jesus to his friends.
This Sunday, at the Gathering Church, we will look at one of the craziest things that Jesus did. He asked a tax collector, named Levi (Matthew) to be one of his followers. (Mark 2:12-17)
Then Levi threw a party to introduce Jesus to his tax collector friends. I would love to have seen that party. Religious people were upset about it. How could someone who spoke about God with such authority dare to hang out with such a sinful crowd? How could Jesus really expect to launch the kingdom of God in that group?
A hint? It had something to do with the way Jesus thought about them.
We’ll go to a party this Sunday.