It Starts with a Square

Renovating Friendship

BY Regan Hewitt

In many ways, the Bible is a story of friendship. There is friendship within the Godhead between Father, Son and Spirit. God befriends Adam and Eve in the garden, but sin breaks the friendship. As God’s revelation continues, people stay distant and friendship with God repeatedly fails because of sin. Jesus came to restore our friendship with God. The Pharisees call Jesus a friend of sinners, which was intended to be an insult, but nothing could be further from the truth. 

In Mark 2:13-17, Jesus makes his way to the shore of the Sea of Galilee and continues to teach. As he is passing by, Jesus sees a man named Levi sitting at a tax booth. Jewish tax collectors were easily the most hated men in Hebrew society, as they had betrayed their own people for the Romans. Jesus sees more than a social pariah; he sees the man. Jesus does the unthinkable and calls this “villain” to follow him, and the craziest thing happens – he does. He leaves his job, deserts his post and follows Jesus. 

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  -Mark 2:13-17

Later, Levi hosts a party for all his tax collector and sinner friends. Jesus joins this motley crew surrounded by disciples and sinners. This revolutionary social practice is too much for the scribes and Pharisees to bear. In disgusting condescension, they question Jesus’ behavior and companions. He does not argue with them about sin but clarifies that he did not come for the religious hypocrite who claims to be  righteous by his religious deeds. Jesus is a physician who has come for the sinner who acknowledges the malady of a sin-sick soul. Jesus loves sinners and delights in seeing their transformation. Levi, who many will recognize as the gospel writer Matthew, leaves everything to follow Jesus. The grace of God transforms this greedy tax collector into a faithful disciple. 

Is it possible to have a friend who knows you better than anyone, even better than you know yourself? A friend who, despite knowing everything about you, still loves you, even likes you? Could you have a friend who will transform you so that you might be a better friend to others? Yes. His name is Jesus. He is a friend of sinners. He will be your friend too.

John Nix 

Senior Pastor 

The Orchard Church 

theorchardchurch.com

September/October 2021 Tour Collierville Magazine