2014-08-03: Luke-The Investigative Gospel – Calling Sinners Home

Sermon Audio: Calling Sinners Home
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 5:27-39
Duration: 24:39
Size: 11.2 MB

Luke-The Investigative Gospel
Calling Sinners Home
Luke 5:27-39

Is it possible to get so busy doing churchy things that we forget our purpose for existence.

It is too easy for Christian believers to forget that they are sinners – yes forgiven, but still, in themselves, weak and vulnerable.

The Church is not a Country Club but a life saving station.

1. Jesus offers real forgiveness for real guilt.

Perhaps of all the people in Capernaum, Levi was the most publicly unacceptable candidate to be a disciple of Jesus.

For Levi, following Jesus was a substantial sacrifice, if this venture was a failure he could not go back.

2. Those who are truly saved do not want to go to heaven alone.

The occasion gave him the opportunity to explain his decision and more importantly to introduce his friends to Jesus, and let them learn for themselves what kind of Person could have produced such a dramatic change in Levi’s life.

The questions for today are: “What kind of picture are you giving of being a Christian?” and “Are you content to go to heaven alone?”

3. The only ones who can be saved are those who realize that they are lost.

The first step toward healing the sin sickness is admitting that we have a need and that we cannot heal ourselves.

4. There is joy in the service of the Lord.

To the Pharisees spirituality consisted of doing things you do not want to do, and refraining from things that you do want to do.

There is power in the gospel that demands a new container. The church became that new container.

Unfortunately the church of today, can become so busy doing good things that we forget that have been left here with a commission.