Luke 5:27-39  Luke tells us that Jesus "noticed"  Levi.. Matthew "sitting in the tax office" .  Two words changed Levi's life and his name.  "Follow Me."  The result of those two words took Matthew from a place of serving self and Rome.. to complete surrender to Jesus Christ.  "And he left everything behind, and rose and began to follow Him." 

The first thing that Matthew does is prepare a "reception".. a feast, a banquet.. and bring in his friends and co-workers.  Tax-gatherers and sinners came to dinner with Jesus and His disciples.  Luke tells us it was a "great crowd".   It is not surprising that the scribes and Pharisees had a problem with this. They grumbled and murmured to the disciples of Jesus, "Why do you ear and drink with publicans and sinners?"  The disciples were probably wondering that themselves!  It was Jesus who answers, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick, I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."  Hallelujah!

As always, the religious leaders have no answer for Jesus.  Instead they pivot to another question, trying to prove their own righteousness.  They challenged Jesus because He was not ordering His disciples to fast like the disciples of John or their own disciples.  What kind of a teacher was He anyway?

Jesus gave them an answer that they could not understand.  He called His disciples His "attendants"  or "sons of the bridalchamber".  As long as He was there, these friends would aid Him in preparation for the wedding day.  But, when He is gone.. they would fast.. and those days were coming. 

Jesus ends this conversation with a parable. He spoke of taking a piece from a new garment and using it to patch and old one.  Really a foolish thing to do.  You want to keep the new garment whole!  Then He uses the illustration of a new batch of wine going into an old wineskin.. again a foolish thing to do for it would cause the old wineskin to burst.  He ends with this statement, " And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough' " 

Jesus was doing a new work. He was doing what only He could do and they were stuck in the old ways and habits and traditions that could not accomplish what He would by His life, death, and resurrection.  Jesus was bringing the power and authority of His Father... He was bringing the way of salvation for all people.. including tax-gathers and sinners.  He called His disciples friends and sons.. who would serve Him out of love and faith.  It was a new way, and the scribes and Pharisees did not like it a bit!

Father, what do You want us to learn from Jesus today? We are so thankful that You sent Jesus to call us to repentance.  We thank You that You know our every need and that You have given us such a wonderful Savior who alone can help us.  We thank You for the ways that You have provided for us to come into Your Kingdom.. whole, blameless, and complete in Christ Jesus.  All glory and praise to Your Holy Name. Amen.