It’s the holiday season.  Here we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving in the USA and soon after Christmas.  But what about the celebration that we should have and most of us never do.  Think about it for a minute.  We should celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ our Savior.  Types and means of celebration aside the birth of Christ is one of the most important reasons to celebrate.  Another being Easter the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.  Also important is Thanksgiving.  We need to be thankful for the blessings and provisions given to us by our Savior always let alone for just the past year.  There is always our birthday and that is a reason to be thankful for sure.

Now you’re probably thinking “alright, but where are you going with all of this?”.  Well let’s look at the text.

Mark 2:15 CSB
[15] While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him.

There’s a celebration going on at Levi’s house.  What are they celebrating?  It’s one of the things that we rarely celebrate the way it should be celebrated. 

Salvation has come to the house of Levi!

Now that is a reason to celebrate!  Do you remember the day, the hour, the minute that you were saved?  I’m convicted because I don’t.  I know it was Autumn.  I know it was a rainy day and I know it was later in the day.  Our salvation is without doubt, the most important day of our life.  It changes everything for us.  Yet we often don’t let it change us enough.

Jesus was reclining at the table of Levi in celebration of salvation.  The conversation was about that I know.  Because of the following verses.

Mark 2:16-17 CSB
[16] When the scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [17] When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Who responds to the question asked of the disciples by the scribes who were Pharisees?  Jesus does.  What do you hear when Jesus says that those who are well don’t need a doctor but those who are sick?  What do you hear when Jesus says that He didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners?

This is what I hear.

“Guys,  I’m the cure to the disease that everyone has.  The disease of sin.  I’ve come to defeat Sin, defeat death, and give salvation.

John 3:16-18 CSB
[16] For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. [18] Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

 Levi?  Yeah this is the day he accepted my gift of salvation.  Come on in, sit, eat, celebrate.  Accept salvation and let it be your day too.”

That’s what I hear!

We celebrate the holidays once a year.  I’m committing to celebrate my salvation day, every day from now on.  I almost wrote until I die, but that’s not the end.

Eternal life?  That’s something to celebrate!

Love in Christ,

Colby