The Call to Repentance

After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5: 27-32).

The scribes and Pharisees were provoked again. This time it was the company Jesus and His disciples attracted and kept. Jesus called a tax collector to follow Him.  Levi immediately left his old life behind, threw a party for the Savior, and invited friends and colleagues to meet the Master. There is obvious evidence of a changed life here. There is also a negative response from the Pharisees and scribes. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record here for truth seekers the powerful results of the call to repentance.

The call to repentance prompts sanctification. Responding immediately to Christ’s call, Levi left everything and he followed Christ. The first step of holiness is a step away from the world… “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). The Holy Spirit teaches through Paul’s pen that evidence of genuine repentance is a step toward the holiness of Christ… “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). True disciples enjoy increasing sanctification and victory over sin as we answer the call to repentance daily and we walk ever more closely with Christ… “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Intimate fellowship with Christ and abiding in His word’s truth helps us become an answer to Jesus’ prayer that we are increasingly set apart from and a holy influence on the world around us… “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:18-19).

The call to repentance propels sharing. Levi was compelled to introduce Christ to his family, friends, and colleagues. He opened his house, prepared a meal, and threw a lavish party, all to attract those he loved to the Savior. When we are truly transformed by Christ we see others as either saved or lost because He has taken over our heart. Our selfishness is replaced by His burden for the lost… “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Everyone is our partner in the gospel… “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5), or needs to hear the gospel… “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The call to repentance provokes sinners. Levi’s burden to share Christ resulted in a house full of the vilest sinners of the community, and this severely irritated the religious leaders of the same community. As serious disciples, living above sin and sharing the good news with our circles of family, friends, and fellow workers, we should expect opposition… “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). Evidence of maturing faith, victory over sin, increasing compassion, and confident witnessing is bound to include opposition because these are evidence that we are becoming more like Christ. Serious disciples will provoke wrath in unrepentant sinners because our Christ-like words and deeds convict them of sin and their need to repent… “If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father” (John 15:24).

As we grow up into Christ we grow in holiness and impact our communities as we answer…

The Call to Repentance.