This morning’s reading from Luke 5:27–32 reminds us that Jesus sees people not for who they’ve been, but for who they can become through grace. When He calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him, Levi leaves everything behind and throws a banquet—inviting Jesus and a house full of “sinners.” The religious leaders are shocked, but Jesus makes it plain: He came for the sick, not the well. That’s the kind of love that changes lives—one that starts with relationship, leads with grace, and calls people into something more. If we’re going to follow Jesus, we’ve got to love people the way He does—honestly, fully, and right where they are.

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Good morning! It’s great to be back with you after a week away. I hope you had a good week. It’s a big one here—school is starting back in Madison. For the first time since around 2009, we don’t have a child starting school. That’s hard to wrap my head around. If you’re a parent getting ready for the school year, know I’m praying for you. For us, college mode is just around the corner.

Today we’re continuing in Luke’s Gospel, reading from chapter 5, verses 27–32—the calling of Levi, also known as Matthew. This story follows immediately after Jesus healed the paralyzed man whose friends lowered him through the roof. Remember how Jesus forgave the man’s sins first, then healed him to show his authority? Now we see what happens next.

Jesus walks by a tax collector named Levi sitting at his booth and simply says, “Follow me.” Levi gets up, leaves everything behind, and follows him. Then Levi throws a big banquet for Jesus at his house. Many tax collectors and others join them at the table. The Pharisees and scribes question this, asking, “Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answers, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

This theme pops up again later in Luke 15. It begins by saying all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering to hear Jesus, and the Pharisees grumbled: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” That question—why Jesus eats with sinners—shows up multiple times in the Gospel.

And honestly, it’s one of the reasons I love Jesus so much. Preaching at camp meetings and in churches, I never get tired of telling people about him—because he’s changed my life. Jesus pulled me out of arrogance, out of judgment, and showed me grace. He keeps shaping me. At the core of everything I know, it’s this: I love my family, and I love Jesus.

One of the things I love most about him is that he’s a friend of sinners. There’s a line from a Rich Mullins song, Surely God Is With Us, that captures it perfectly: “The whores all seem to love him, and the drunks propose a toast.” It was a big deal in that culture to eat with someone—it meant connection, intimacy, and belonging. Even today in the South, we understand something about the power of sharing a meal. When you eat with someone, especially in your home, you’re welcoming them into your life.

Years ago in Israel, I ate with friends of one of my mentors. They told us, “You never have to worry about a meal in Israel again. You are always welcome at our table.” That moment of hospitality was sacred. That’s what’s happening in this story. When Matthew invites Jesus into his home, he’s saying, “You’re part of me now.” And Jesus accepts the invitation.

But let’s be clear—Jesus doesn’t leave Matthew where he found him. Matthew was a tax collector, which in that time meant being a liar, a cheat, and a traitor. Jesus calls him out of that. He loves him, yes, but he also calls him forward—out of sin and into a new life. That’s what real love does. It sees us as we are but doesn’t leave us there.

Jesus’ love begins with genuine relationship. He loves Matthew. He loves Matthew’s friends. He sits at the table with them. And the religious leaders are scandalized. “What is he doing?” they ask. “Why is he with them?”

But that’s exactly the point.

We are called to love people—not for who they could become, but for who they are right now: children of God, people for whom Christ died. Genuine love sees their worth. We can’t argue people into heaven, but we can love them there. Jesus did. He loved Matthew, he loved the outcasts, and he still loves us all today.

That’s the message of Luke we’ll see again and again: Jesus going to the ones others have cast aside, the ones many believe are too far gone. And he loves them.

So today, in your job, your family, your community—do you love people? Do you see them as beloved children of God? If we’re going to invite people to leave behind brokenness, to step into the light, we have to start with love.

That’s what Jesus did. He loved Matthew. He called him. And Matthew followed.

It’s good to be back. I think I’m around for the rest of the year, so you’re stuck with me. Tomorrow, we’ll pick up with Luke 5:33. Have a great day.