Mark 2:13-17
Despite Alice Cooper’s raging success, and school being out forever, he was a broken man. He said, “The drugs become like oxygen.” One of the biggest rock stars of the 70s-80s, known for his rebellious, hard rock sounds and messages had this realization when he hit rock bottom (YouTube). Instead of reaching for the pistol beside him and ending things, Alice breathed in something else – the breath of life. He submitted his life to Christ and has lived faithful, sober, and passionate for Christ for decades now, even changing his messaging in his songs to one of overcoming difficulties and living on faith.
Looking at Alice Cooper, one does not immediately think there is a good Christian guy. Originally known as the poster child for “shock rock”, few people would walk past him on the street and see him as the church type – in fact, many people would instead cross to the other side for safety. But that’s not what Jesus did. Jesus took a guy who was totally and completely unlovable and turned him into one of rock music’s biggest testimonies and success stories. And Alice isn’t the only one Jesus has saved from the depths.
We are exploring the concept of Radically Ordinary Hospitality—letting our life in each moment be used for God’s glory and others’ benefit. This requires us to live our lives with sinners–people who live contrary to our way of life. This is not a safe way to live. Alice Cooper faced many trials and temptations in the world of rock & roll after his salvation in the early 80s. I’m sure he still does. But like him, we are called to live among people who sin in a world full of sin yet not fall into sin ourselves. This is exactly what Christ preached and modeled for us when He called Levi to discipleship. No one is unworthy of an invitation to Jesus, but they can’t come to us, we must go to them.
Jesus Went to Sinners
While walking along the sea, Jesus found Levi. Back in Jesus’ day, tax collectors worked for the Roman government and were allowed to collect as much as they wanted as long as the Emperor got his due. Thus, their reputation and their level in society was at the bottom. Because Levi was a Jew, his terrority included Jews meaning that he was robbing from his own people. Levi wasn’t going to be invited into the temple; the people he spent his time with mirrored Alice Cooper’s old friends. The drunks, the addicts, the prostitutes, the societal degenerates were the people Levi spent his time with, because they were the ones on the same social level as him. Jesus engaged in Levi’s life, met with his friends, and graced his home with presence and love. Love is being there. Where they are. Can you go there?
Ask yourself the famous question of whether you should attend the gay wedding of a friend. I do think that question is worth challenging yourself with – what’s more important: taking a stand against a one time event that risks alienating and potentially ending the friendship, or choose to love and support the people even when you don’t support their actions? I think this is a hard question; but it is one that may come to you as you engage in the world of sinners. By Jesus going to Levi’s home and dining with the lowest of the low, He set a precedent. While He didn’t engage in the sin, He was not afraid to be or be seen in the place where sin was rampant. He wanted to be with people who truly needed Him and that’s where they were.
It’s the Sinners Who Need Jesus
Of course everyone needs Jesus! Or do they? The pharisee who prayed thankfulness that they weren’t like the sinner next to them didn’t (Luke 18:11). Famous humanists, like author Kurt Vonnegut are known for saying they don’t need faith or Christ to be good (American Humanist). This is why I have a passion for hosting organizations like AA. What makes a heart open is a realization that they are truly in need of help and generally, the people who go to AA are ok with being in that emotional space. Jesus is in the business of saving sinners from the traps they fell into on their own! He’s not looking to save a righteous person, but a sinner who recognizes they need help. This isn’t messy Christianity, this is Christianity!
Next Steps
Our world needs to see this from us – instead of Christians pushing perfect behavior, they need to see us come to them, care about them, engage in their lives and simply love them! Maybe then, they’ll open their heart to our message of Christ. They aren’t going to and cannot come to us; we must go to them!
- Imagine what your life would look like without Christ – what sinful roads might you have gone down? Write that out and thank God for what He saved you from! Share with a friend.
- Stop trying to fix behavior in people – simply offer Christ’s love (and a good example) and let Christ handle the rest.
- Ask God to connect you with a non-Christian that wants you as a friend.
We help send many IWs to go to places that look just like Levi’s house. Milan is infested with lust and covetousness; Las Vegas is a literal sinners’ paradise; Lake Wales is full of bars and unloving hearts. Who will go to our very own community? Let’s show Christ’s love with grace and fearlessness to all the addicts, drunks, and rednecks (among others) that we meet.
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