Sermon Study Guide

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Eat Like Jesus “The Habits of Making Jesus Known” Luke 5:27-32 September 16, 2018 BIG IDEA As a community, we’ve fixed our eyes on “Making Jesus Known Through Community Impact.” Today we are jumping into the habit of eating with people as a way of expanding the Kingdom of God.

THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE Context: The context for these verses falls in the middle of what many describe as the “conflict stories” of Jesus and the Pharisees. Luke gives us five stories of how Jesus addressed the Pharisees in their rule-keeping by showing them the heart of what they were missing all along. The call of Levi is a beautiful picture of how God intends to immediately use us in the lives of others as we follow Him. Luke 5:27-32 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 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. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

MAIN IDEA Just as Jesus commissioned his disciples to make him known, he has commissioned us to do the same.

Ridgewood Church www.myrwc.org

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DISCUSSION & APPLICATION 1. Jesus Calls Us Wherever We Are Luke 5:27-28 – After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. Two things to grab ahold of from these verses are: 1. Jesus crosses every barrier in order to call Levi into something better. Levi was despised by most people and didn’t have a good reputation, and Christ came to change that entirely. 2. Levi’s response to Christ’s call is total and complete. He set the pace for all disciples of Jesus from then on. Will we follow the Lord completely into what He has called us to do? a. How have you experienced Jesus’ call to follow Him?

b. Can you describe times in your life when it’s been hard to follow completely and totally?

2. Jesus Identifies Himself With Us Luke 5:29 – 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. Jesus comes to interact with Levi and his friends which serves to break the social boundaries of the day. Levi doesn’t try to clean himself and Christ doesn’t expect him to do so either. a. Why is it that many people think that they have to clean themselves up first in order for God to accept them? Is that part of your story?

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b. Are there any people or groups of people that you have been avoiding because it would cost you something socially or personally in order to love them as Jesus would love them?

3. Jesus Came Eating and Drinking Luke 7:34 – “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking.” The Lord’s mode of ministry was using food and relationships to bring love to the world! a. How have you personally sought to deepen relationships?

b. Can you see yourself using meals to broaden and deepen relationships in Jesus’ name?

4. Jesus Breaks Our Paradigms Luke 5:30 – And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” The Pharisees were the religious people and they were grumbling about Jesus’ “extended interpersonal association” with these folks which bothered their sharp lines of fake religiosity. Their word usage here is active (verbs) and they are saying, “Why do you do this often?” a. Are there places in your life that tend to be more about religious rules than actual relationship with God?

b. What patterns in your life might God be bringing you to change?

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5. Jesus Pursues the Sick and Sinners Luke 5:31-32 – And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” This set of verses starts off with Levi’s call to follow Jesus and that is the same call Jesus extends to us. Jesus doesn’t leave us in our imperfection, but is the one who made THE way for us! He is with us. The same pursuit that Jesus is making on us, we are called to make in the lives of those around us—to make genuine friendships with people far from God. Jesus is a friend of sinners! Not just accepting or tolerant, but friends! They loved being around him. a. Who is God calling you to eat with this week?

b. How can you create a lasting rhythm of dining with people to love them toward Jesus?

PRAY Father, I want to learn to follow the habit of Jesus to eat and drink with those that You’ve called me to love and reach. Give me the right heart and great energy to press in to people around me and simply eat and drink with them. Thanks for fully accepting me because of Jesus. Help me to walk in that same heart with others. Amen.

DIG DEEPER For further study this week:  

A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community and Mission around the Table – by Tim Chester The Simplest Way to Change the World – by Willis and Clements

NEXT WEEK’S BIG IDEA The Habits of Making Jesus Known: “Listen” (Psalm 46:10)

Ridgewood Church www.myrwc.org

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