Mark 2:13-17 The Call of Levi Matthew
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: January 3, 2018 Mark 2:13-17
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd kept coming to him, and he kept teaching them.
(Understanding the Passage) Jesus was in the town and people came and overcrowded and Peter’s house was damaged, so Jesus went back to staying in open areas. He went down by the sea, and the crowd followed Him, so He taught them. Jesus probably liked the seashore and the natural beauty there. Plus if he was thirsty, I guess there was water to drink.
As he was walking along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax collector’s desk. Jesus told him, “Follow me!” So Levi got up and followed him. Later he was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners were also eating with Jesus and his disciples, because there were many who were following him. When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard that, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick ones do. I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners.”
(Understanding the Passage) It is unclear if the tax collector’s desk was by the sea or not, but one source that I read suggested that Levi was collecting taxes on the fishermen. What did Jesus see in Levi that told Him that Levi would follow right away? Later, they ate at Levi’s house. Levi would have had a nice house with a bad reputation. That may have been what kept it from being overrun like Peter’s house. It may have had a walled court around the house with servants to deal with anyone who tried to crash the party. Plus, the religious people and patriots wouldn’t have been caught dead in a tax collector’s house. The passage says Jesus and His disciples ate there. Since Levi was later one of the twelve, this cannot mean all of the disciples. It may have been Peter, Andrew, James, John, and maybe someone else.
(Revelation of God) One of the reasons that Jesus may have felt relief when eating with the sinners is that it meant that the Pharisees and scribes wouldn’t be there to constantly attack Him. He could enjoy doing what He loved-showing sinners how to have a relationship with His Father rather than sparring against the people who claimed to have a relationship with His Father. He could rescue people from His enemy instead of fighting skirmishes with so-called friends of God who were really His enemy.
(Application and Prayer) The religious people condemned Jesus for socializing with sinners and traitors. Jesus’ response was that He had come to heal the sick and the sinners. Righteous people would not receive Jesus’ call. In other words, righteousness of our own will keep us from hearing Jesus’ call. It is when we know that our SELF is wrong and unworthy, that we have the ability to hear Jesus’ call. I pray to be open to Your call and to hear the messages you have for me. I pray to socialize with you.