We All Need a Doctor

  I'm so thankful for a team of leaders who love students and love Jesus.  Last night one of our leaders Sam spoke truth from her heart, her story, and from Mark.  Check out some of her words here:  

Mark 2: 15-17

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were religious leaders saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus is seen here eating with the “tax collectors and sinners” the tax collectors who were dishonest and greedy and the sinners who were people who disobeyed the things Jesus had taught. These were the outsiders. The others. The ones that didn’t follow the rules. Yet, Jesus chose to find friendship with them. Jesus chose to commune, hang out with and eat with those who weren’t what society said they should be. They weren’t the good people. How crazy is that?? Now, many of us are like the religious leaders and ask “but why would Jesus want to eat with the worst people? The people who are dishonest, the people who are outsiders?” and then Jesus tells us the most awesome thing. That he came for those who are sick, those who are the ones least like him.

He says “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” Jesus says, “I am a doctor, let me heal you” I mean, could he get any more clear about what his purpose is? He is here to save those who need him most. Those who are sick.

I don’t know about you, but I needed a doctor. I was sick. I was looking for approval in all the places that weren’t going to give that to me. And I feel like a lot of you are sick too. Are you also looking for approval in other people? Are you going to that party because you know then that boy will like you if you do? Are you turning to alcohol or drugs to fill that hole? Maybe you’re only focusing on the negatives of yourself, constantly finding your flaws, rather than finding positives....Maybe you’re greedy or dishonest like Levi. Maybe you put others down because it makes you feel better? Maybe you’re trying to please everyone by doing things you wouldn’t normally do...I’m not sure why you might be sick, but I have such good news. It doesn’t matter why you’re sick because Jesus is a doctor for all of those things. And he tells us that he’s here for us...those who are sick, outsiders, and alone.

It’s really humbling though to admit that we can’t do things on our own, that we need a doctor.  Many of you know I was in a pretty serious accident last year and it resulted in a broken back and some pretty messed up knees. I was pretty helpless. I couldn’t dress myself, I couldn’t drive, I couldn’t pick things up off the ground. I needed doctors, I needed my parents, and I needed my friends. Yet it was hard to admit that. It’s hard to admit that we aren’t capable of doing everything on our own. It’s hard to admit that we are helpless. And it is even harder, when we feel like others don't understand what we’re going through.

Jesus is our doctor. He is here to save us and to heal us. And he loves us regardless of what our past is. But some people don’t know that about him. So what is almost as important as realizing he loves us regardless, is that he calls us to love each other the same way.  He came to save us, to love us even though we are sick and the outsiders and we have his love regardless of what we’ve done. It’s hard and humbling to admit that we’re sick. I know. But once we get that, we have to know that others are feeling the same way. So we are called to love the outsiders too. To love those that are different, or don’t have what we have, or those who even have done us wrong.  


Parents, teachers, church leaders, middle school students- Please join us for these two special clubs:
April 7th OLD LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm (Bring your parent to club!)  Guest speaker- Dan Meers- KC Wolf
 
April 14th YOUNGER LIFE CLUB @LSCC 7:47pm (Middle school parents and students invited!)