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Demolish These Walls
Read Mark 2:13-22
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the ‘sinners’ and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 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.” Mark 2:16-17
Jesus constantly went beyond the social boundaries in order to reach out to people in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. By calling Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him and then having dinner with a group of tax collectors, Jesus incurred the disapproval of the religious establishment.
Tax collectors often made their dishonest living by overcharging people (Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8). As such, they were despised and often classified as ‘sinners’ (Matthew 9:10-11).
The religious leaders were not upset that Jesus was having a meal but disapproved of the people with whom Jesus was having dinner. In the custom of the first century, eating with a person was more than simple association. It indicated acceptance and recognition of the person one was eating with. By having dinner with the tax collectors, Jesus identified Himself with ‘sinners’. This act infuriated the Pharisees. Because of their prejudices against the tax collectors, the Pharisees failed to see them as people in need of God’s love and forgiveness.
In Asia, many of us live in multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities. We have erected walls of social discrimination, ethnic prejudices, and religious boundaries that separate us. These walls must be demolished before the Gospel of Christ can be effectively proclaimed.
Lord, forgive us for building walls that separate us from people in our neighbourhood.
What could be some of the walls we have erected that hinder us from reaching out to those in need of God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation? What is keeping these walls from being demolished?
Pray for people in your neighbourhood who have never been reached with God’s love as a result of the walls that separate us.
Read Mark 2:13-22
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the ‘sinners’ and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 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.” Mark 2:16-17
Jesus constantly went beyond the social boundaries in order to reach out to people in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. By calling Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him and then having dinner with a group of tax collectors, Jesus incurred the disapproval of the religious establishment.
Tax collectors often made their dishonest living by overcharging people (Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8). As such, they were despised and often classified as ‘sinners’ (Matthew 9:10-11).
The religious leaders were not upset that Jesus was having a meal but disapproved of the people with whom Jesus was having dinner. In the custom of the first century, eating with a person was more than simple association. It indicated acceptance and recognition of the person one was eating with. By having dinner with the tax collectors, Jesus identified Himself with ‘sinners’. This act infuriated the Pharisees. Because of their prejudices against the tax collectors, the Pharisees failed to see them as people in need of God’s love and forgiveness.
In Asia, many of us live in multi-ethnic and multi-religious communities. We have erected walls of social discrimination, ethnic prejudices, and religious boundaries that separate us. These walls must be demolished before the Gospel of Christ can be effectively proclaimed.
Lord, forgive us for building walls that separate us from people in our neighbourhood.
What could be some of the walls we have erected that hinder us from reaching out to those in need of God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation? What is keeping these walls from being demolished?
Pray for people in your neighbourhood who have never been reached with God’s love as a result of the walls that separate us.
Scripture
About this Plan
Scripture Union Peninsular Malaysia's Bible reflections are devotional readings from the thoughts and insights of Asian writers. Consisting of 8 volumes, they cover the whole Bible in four years. Each volume contains books from the Old and New Testaments, and has a mix of historical, poetic and prophetic books, the gospels and epistles. Using this you can cultivate the discipline of a regular, systematic engagement with Scripture and gain an understanding of its magnificent story.
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We would like to thank Scripture Union for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: http://www.su.org.my
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