The Circle of the Fellowship of the Ring
I read Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and watched through them with Kennedi, but my personal favorite is the Fellowship of the Ring. These ordinary meek Hobbits from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
In that scene, with Aragorn as leader, the world is in grave peril, yet pierced by a ray of hope. Legolas took Gimli with him because of their great friendship, greater than any between Elf and Dwarf (which had a rivalry between them). It is a strange sight indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-earth, or that the Eldar should receive them.
In the backdrop, knowing that JRR Tolkien fought in WW1 and witnessed the evils of WW2, this scene just hits differently. Life is hard, isn’t it? It’s so painful. It’s full of problems and struggles we have to face.
Thank God for friends in hard times huh? Later in the final trilogy movie “The Two Towers” we see where Frodo is about to quit Sam says, “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
I’ve been where Frodo has been, “Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.” I am so glad though weary, broken, and guilty failing sinner I am, I have a Savior who befriends me and carries me through the trials. I am thankful that Jesus is unlike me, but he is called a friend of sinners (Matt 11:19; Luke 7:34).
1. Jesus, the Friend of Sinners
Before Mark 2:13-17, Jesus up to this point has done miracle after miracle. He does exorcism and casts the devil out of people. Jesus heals thousands of people, an unbelievable miracle!
People on the very verge of death, Jesus heals. Jesus heals a lame man on the sabbath. He has been lame for 38 years. He wasn’t injured. It has been almost 4 decades of his life. Jesus heals him instantly. The religious leaders said Jesus was a demon-possessed.
Yet, this separates him from any other world religion, doesn’t he? Jesus gives sight to the blind man freely. Jesus heals with the dirt and gives sight to the person. “Who did this for you?” The blind man has never seen Jesus healed! Who healed you? “Jesus who calls him Christ!”
The religious leaders are upset! They are scared to leave the synagogue. “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25).
“And as he reclined at a table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.” (Mark 2:15). This is really what got Jesus in trouble for Jesus hanging with sinners. Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners.
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (v. 17). Just FYI, for the Pharisees, however, sinners were anyone who did not follow their interpretation of Scripture. My way or the highway deal. You don’t really know someone’s maturity until they don’t get their way.
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17). What Jesus was communicating is so often what we run into as a problem in sharing, helping and serving people who are far from God.
2. Sinners, to Befriend Jesus
“As he walked along, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus sitting….” (Mark 2:14). Who was Levi in the Bible? He is known as the disciple Matthew the tax collector. Now he has a conflict with his people. Jews didn’t like the tax collectors. Tax collectors were some of the most hated people in Israel.
Something else that is different from how people were ordinary people here. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13). Some of the people are businessmen.
They were not scholars in rabbinic training. People had a passion for the Lord and had a willingness to sacrifice for the Lord. What does Jesus do here? “Follow me.” (v. 14). Yes, Jesus was a friend of sinners. What’s the big deal about that?
I think of when I was younger playing dodgeball during recess, I was always the last one to be selected. I had asthma was not athletic and was a leftover. But, not with God cause He wants you today. Jesus invites you into fellowship.
We were once in darkness, enemies of God, objects of wrath, and in the slave market of sin and God purchased us out to be His children. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1).
How can that be possible? How can I enter into that? Well, let’s see and learn from Levi’s response. “And he rose and followed him.” (v. 14).
Anyone and everyone who believes and confesses can be forgiven by Jesus if they will come to him and ask for his healing.
You, To Become Friends with Sinners
The song, “Jesus What a Friend for Sinners” verse 1 beautifully puts it together.
Jesus! What a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
What does this mean for us as Christians today that Jesus is a friend of sinners? As Christians, we ought to be friends of sinners too.
Going back to the Lord of the Rings movie, one of my all-time favorite movie scenes…
- Aragorn: You have some skill with a blade?
- Eowyn: The women of this country learned long ago, that those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain.
- Aragorn: What do you fear, my lady?
- Eowyn: A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire.
- Aragorn: You are a daughter of kings: a shieldmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate.
Jesus did not tell him to sell everything, but Jesus was trying to make a point. How we use our resources to tell others about Jesus communicates truly who we are.
He tells the rich fool, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22), which is a journey of the gospel. I echo the words Voddie Baucham said well, “Let me clear up something… God is not against you having things, He’s against things having you.”
How do we walk in a materialistic world and not become materialistic? “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor” (Matt 19:21). Where do you store your treasures?
Where do you store your treasures? As Christians, we ought to be radically transformed as well.