“And he went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:13-17

If Jesus were to come today and call as one of His apostles and teachers someone who collected taxes for a foreign dictator and became rich at our expense, would we be pleased? If Jesus then spent time and even ate together with such tax collectors and other known sinners rather than separating Himself from such and associating only with good church-going citizens, what would we say of Him? Consider God’s Word, Mark 2:13-17.

“And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him…” (Mark 2:13-14)

It is easy to filter our lives so we only interact with people who make us feel comfortable, safe, and validated. In the ancient world, religious leaders took this to an extreme. They drew hard, visual lines between the “righteous” and the “sinful and unclean.”

But when Jesus walked up to the customs booth and called Levi (Matthew) — a tax collector viewed as a traitor to his people — He broke the mold. What happened next at Levi’s house reveals the beating heart of Christ’s mission.

Feast of the Unwelcome

Imagine the scene inside the house. Levi is overjoyed by his new calling, so he throws a feast to introduce his friends to Jesus:

“And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.” (Mark 2:15)

In that culture, sharing a meal wasn’t just about refueling; it was an act of deep fellowship, acceptance, and intimacy. Jesus didn’t just tolerate these people; He sat at meat with them. He reclined at their table.

Predictably, the religious elite were scandalized. They stayed outside, looking in with critical eyes:

“And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)

The Pharisees saw a contamination of holiness. They wondered how a man claiming to be from God could rub shoulders with the spiritually compromised.

Warning for Self-Righteousness

Jesus overheard their murmuring and responded with a profound medical analogy that exposes the core of human pride and divine mercy:

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 2:17)

Consider what a doctor does. A physician doesn’t spend his day hanging out in wellness clinics surrounded only by perfectly healthy people. If he did, he wouldn’t be fulfilling his purpose. A doctor goes where the disease is. He goes to the hurting, the broken, and the dying.

Jesus’ words carry a gentle but piercing irony:

• The “Publicans and Sinners” knew they were sick. They knew their lives were broken, and they flocked to the one Man who offered true healing.
• The Scribes and Pharisees were just as sick with the terminal disease of sin, but their pride blinded them. Because they thought they were “whole” and “righteous,” they refused the only Doctor who could save them.

The dangerous trap for many believers today is to act more like the Pharisees than the Physician. We can easily find ourselves looking down on the world’s brokenness, retreating into holy huddles, and asking, “How can they live like that?”

But if we are honest, every single one of us is a patient of Jesus. We all suffer from spiritual sickness. He did not call us because we were good; He called us because we needed a Savior.

If you feel broken, unworthy, or heavily burdened by your sinfulness and past misdeeds, take heart. You are exactly the kind of person Jesus came to find. And if you have already partaken of His healing grace, ask Him to give you His heart for the hurting. May we be willing to step out of our comfort zones, pull up a chair, and invite the “sick” to meet the Great Physician of our souls.

Lord, forgive me for the times I have looked at others with judgment instead of compassion. Thank You for being the Great Physician who looked past my uncleanness and sin and called me to repentance and faith. Give me a heart like Yours — willing to go to the broken and share the healing power of Your gospel. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5

When tempted in the wilderness and urged to worship Satan rather than the true God, Jesus, making reference to Deuteronomy 6:13, said: “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4:10).

But who is the LORD God whom we are to worship and serve? Who is each of us to love with all his heart, soul, and might? Who are we to trust for our eternal salvation?

In Deuteronomy 6:4, God reveals the fact that the LORD God (Jehovah Elohim) is one Jehovah. But the very name of God, Jehovah (singular) and Elohim (plural), indicates that God is one God and yet more than one Person. Consider the plurality of persons and the oneness of God revealed in passages like Genesis 1:2; 1:26-27; 3:22-24; Psalm 2; Numbers 6:22-27; Isaiah 48:16-17.

And, in Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands baptism in the name of the true God with the words: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost….” We, therefore, learn that the three persons of the Godhead are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Consider other passages speaking of the Trinity, such as 1 John 5:7; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Isaiah 48:16-17.

Therefore, we believe and teach that the true God, who has revealed Himself to us in the Bible, is one God and three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There are not three Gods, but one God, and yet each Person is fully God and equal in divine attributes, such as being eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowing.

The Father begets the Son from all eternity, the Son is begotten of the Father from all eternity, and the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son from all eternity (cf. Psalm 2:7; John 1:18; 3:16; 14:15-26; John 16:7-16).

To worship and serve the true God, we must worship and serve the Triune (three/one) God who is one God and yet three Persons. Those who deny the Son do not know or worship the Father (cf. John 14:6-7; 1 John 2:23; 2 John 9), and apart from the Spirit, we cannot know or trust in the Father or the Son (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3).

Jesus said, in John 5:23: “All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”

Christians worship the one true God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — through faith in Jesus Christ, who is God the Son and true man, who went to the cross to redeem us.

We thank Thee, O gracious Holy Spirit, for revealing to us the Father and the Son and making known to us the salvation provided for us through the atoning sacrifice of God the Son for the sins of all people. Keep us in the one true faith that we might worship and glorify You, with the Father and the Son, ever one God for all eternity. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:36-42 (Read Acts 2)

A piercing truth often comes with a painful sting. We tend to trust those in authority, particularly in matters of faith. We rely on our religious leaders, our church bodies, and the traditions we’ve inherited, often without questioning whether they align with divine truth revealed in the Bible. Yet, the story of Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2, serves as a powerful reminder that even deeply religious people, led by their trusted guides, can tragically miss God’s clearest revelation. It also shows us the path back to Him when that painful truth is revealed.

Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, stood before a crowd of devout Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. He didn’t mince words. He declared that the very Jesus, whom they and their religious leaders had rejected and crucified, God had made “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

This was a gut-wrenching revelation. Imagine the guilt, the shame, the profound realization that they had participated, however unknowingly, in the rejection and murder of their long-awaited Messiah. Their hearts were “pricked,” pierced by the weight of their grave error. Their immediate, desperate cry was, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).

Peter’s answer was direct and to the point. He didn’t offer complicated rituals or lengthy penance. He laid out a clear path to reconciliation with God and new life: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). Furthermore, he exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40).

This ancient account remains profoundly relevant to us today. Just as those in Peter’s audience, we too can find ourselves blindly following our church bodies and religious leaders, even when they lead us astray. History is replete with examples of religious institutions falling into error, embracing doctrines or practices that deviate from God’s Word. Our comfort in tradition or our loyalty to a particular denomination can sometimes overshadow our personal responsibility to discern truth. When we encounter a truth that challenges our long-held beliefs or exposes an error within our spiritual landscape, the question that should echo in our hearts is the same as that of Peter’s hearers: “What shall we do?”

Peter’s words offer the timeless answer. First, repent. This is not merely feeling sorry for ourselves; it’s acknowledging our error, turning from it, and looking to God in faith for mercy and forgiveness in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Second, we are to be baptized, every one of us, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (cf. Matt. 28:18-20). Baptism signifies our union with Jesus Christ and our participation by faith in the new covenant He established through the shedding of His holy and precious blood on the cross (cf. Col. 2:11-15; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:6ff.; 9:11ff.; Mark 16:16; John 3:14-18). It signifies our union with Christ in His death for our sins, that, as Christ was raised from the dead, we should be raised up in newness of life, alive to God through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-29). It signifies the washing away of our sins and guilt and a new identification in Christ (cf. Acts 22:16).

Third, Peter promised the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would indwell believers and guide them into all truth by giving them a right understanding of the Scriptures. This promise, Peter emphatically stated, “is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” It’s a universal invitation, extending to every generation and every person God draws to Himself.

Finally, the call to “save yourselves from this untoward generation” is a summons to separate ourselves from the prevailing attitudes, values, and errors of the world around us — even from religious distortions — and to turn to Jesus, the Christ, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

The immediate response of three thousand souls on that day was a testament to the power of God’s truth. They “gladly received his word” and were baptized (Acts 2:41). Their conversion was not a superficial experience; they “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Their lives were profoundly reshaped by their encounter with the resurrected Lord and the truth of God’s Word made known to them through the preaching of Peter.

Let us, then, examine our own hearts and the spiritual paths we walk. Are we diligently seeking God’s truth, even if it challenges our comfort zones or familiar traditions? Are we willing to repent when the Holy Spirit convicts us of error, regardless of how deeply ingrained it may be within our religious upbringing? The path Peter laid out is not just for a crowd in Jerusalem two millennia ago; it is God’s enduring invitation to us. It is the way to reconciliation, forgiveness, the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, and true fellowship with Christ. May we respond with the same earnestness as those on Pentecost, and find our salvation in Christ Jesus alone!

Have mercy upon me, O God, and forgive my sins, which caused the innocent sufferings and death of Christ Jesus, Your Son, and my Savior. Join me to Christ Jesus in my baptism and make the forgiveness and life He won for me on the cross my own through faith in His name. And grant me Your Holy Spirit and teach and guide me with Your Word, keeping me in the true faith unto life everlasting. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11 (Read verses 1-11)

Thursday was Ascension Day, a Christian festival that is often overlooked by churches today. It is a day to remember Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the fact that He now rules over and fills all things (Eph. 1:15-23) and will soon return to judge the living and the dead and establish His everlasting kingdom. Today, we consider the words of the angels to Jesus’ disciples when Jesus was taken up into heaven.

This Word of God teaches us that Jesus Christ will return visibly in the clouds of glory on the Last Day. The Bible also says this in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

As Jesus ascended into heaven, so He shall return on the Last Day, the Day of Judgment. He will come again in clouds of glory. Every eye will see Him! His return will be no secret rapture — both the believer and the unbeliever will see Him coming in glory!

In Matthew 24:29-31, we read: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Note that the angels will come with a great sound of a trumpet and gather the elect from the four winds at the same time that Jesus returns, and the unbelieving people of this world mourn His coming.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, verses often used as a proof passage for a secret rapture, God’s Word says that “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” And the next verses (in chapter 5) make clear that Jesus’ coming will be unexpected, like a thief in the night, for the unbelievers, but expected by those of us who believe and are awaiting His return.

Are you ready for His return and judgment? Are you prepared to meet Him?

Those who do not trust in Him for salvation will wail in sorrow at His return because they stand condemned for not trusting in the only begotten Son of God. In John 3:18, we read: “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Mark 16:16 says: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

And, in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, God’s Word says that “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

But those who do believe in Christ Jesus as their Savior — trusting in God’s promise to pardon and forgive their sins for the sake of Christ’s innocent sufferings and death in their stead — will rejoice at His return because He comes to take them to be with Him forever in heaven.

In John 14:1-3, Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Cf. Luke 21:25-28; Heb. 9:27-28; 1 Thess. 4:13-18.)

Do you acknowledge your sins and look to Christ and His cross for mercy and forgiveness? If not, the day of His return will be for you a day of sorrow and mourning as you face His eternal judgment and condemnation!

But, if you agree with God about your sins and trust in Christ and the atonement He made for the sins of the world when He died on the cross, that day will be a day of joy and gladness for you as you receive His mercy, His pardon, and life eternal in His glorious kingdom!

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, as You have ascended up into heaven to the right hand of God the Father, so come again and take us to be with You forever. Graciously keep us in the true faith so that, on that Day, we may greet You with joy and not with sorrow. Grant this to us for the sake of Your holy life and Your bitter sufferings and death on the cross in our stead. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“35 And in the morning, rising a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said to him, All men seek for thee. 38 And he said to them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for this purpose have I come. 39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out demons.
“40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith to him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
“43 And he strictly charged him, and immediately sent him away; 44 And saith to him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it freely, and to blaze abroad the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.” — Mark 1:35-45

In the bustling life of Jesus, we find a striking balance between public ministry and private prayer. Mark 1:35-45 offers us a blueprint for a life of faith that is both deeply connected to the Father and radically compassionate toward the broken.

The Priority of Prayer

Before the miracles and the crowds, there was solitude and private prayer.

“And in the morning, rising a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

Even Jesus, the Son of God, sought the “solitary place.” This wasn’t a luxury; it was his lifeline. If the Author of Life prioritized getting away from the noise to align His heart with the Father, how much more do we need those quiet moments? Prayer is not just asking for things; it is the act of recalibrating our souls to the frequency of Heaven.

The Leper’s Faith

As Jesus moves from prayer to active ministry, he is met by a man with leprosy — an outcast who was legally and socially required to stay at a distance. But this man’s faith overrode his fear.

“And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” (Mark 1:40)

Notice the nuance of his request. He didn’t doubt Jesus’ ability (“thou canst”); he surrendered to Jesus’ authority (“If thou wilt”).

This is the pinnacle of mature prayer:

• Believing that God is big enough to move the mountain.

• Trusting that God is wise enough to decide if the mountain should move or be climbed.

When we pray “Thy will be done,” it isn’t a lack of faith. It is the highest form of faith — trusting that His will is better than our will and desire.

Touched by Compassion

Jesus’ response reveals the very heart of God. He could have healed with a word from ten feet away, but He chose a more intimate path.

“And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith to him, I will; be thou clean.” (Mark 1:41)

By touching the leper, Jesus technically became “unclean” according to the law, but instead, His purity “infected” the leper’s disease. Jesus is not repulsed by our messes, our “leprosies” of sin, or our deepest shames. He is moved with compassion. He hears, He cares, and He is willing to reach into the places others avoid.

A Testimony Unleashed

Though Jesus instructed the man to remain quiet and follow the priestly protocols, the transformation was too great to contain.

“But he went out, and began to proclaim it freely, and to blaze abroad the matter …” (Mark 1:45)

When we experience the touch of Christ through prayer and faith, it changes the atmosphere of our lives. We become “publishers” of His grace. While the crowds made it difficult for Jesus to enter the cities openly, the message was clear: no one is too far gone, no prayer is too bold, and no touch is too small to change a life forever.

Reflection

Are you bringing your “If thou wilt” to God today? Take a moment to step into a solitary place, trust in His ability, and surrender to His perfect will.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we come before You with the same bold humility as the leper, acknowledging that all power in heaven and earth is Yours. We believe without a doubt that You are able to heal, to restore, and to provide. Yet, even as we lay our deepest desires at Your feet, we surrender them to Your perfect wisdom. Like the leper, we say: “If Thou wilt, Thou canst…” Soften our hearts to not only seek Your hand but to love Your will, trusting that Your “yes,” Your “no,” and Your “wait” are all birthed from Your infinite compassion for us. Let Your Spirit reign in us, so that our lives may blaze abroad Your glory, whether through the miracles we receive or the peace we find in Your presence. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised Webster Version of the Bible.]