OUTREACH
(Mark 2:13-17)

Recently the news has been filled with the possibility of war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein is rattling his saber and the United States is building up troops in the Gull No one wants war, yet Christians are in it all the time. I'm referring to spiritual warfare. We are in a battle with the principalities, powers and rulers of darkness. There is only one way we can win, His name is Jesus. "Thanks be unto God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 15:57) Jesus reached out to His generation to show them how to win the war. Are you sharing the good news with others? Let' s look at the example of how Jesus reached out:

JESUS REACHED OUT TO THE MULTITUDES (vs 13)
"And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them."
This verse speaks of mass evangelism, "multitudes" were hearing the word of God. Jesus spoke on the seashore because this was the only area large enough for the crowds. He went out of the buildings and the synagogues to reach the people. It says, "He taught them". The word of God is the basis of any relationship to God. Salvation is not a feeling or ritual, it is a personal identi~cation with Jesus Himself. The only way we can know of this relationship is from the Bible. In a crowd like the one gathered, there were no doubt many problems, needs and questions, but the answer to all of them was the One teaching. How are you reaching out to others? We must go beyond the walls of our churches to show others how Jesus Christ can give them victory in spiritual warfare.

JESUS REACHED OUT TO THE INDIVIDUALS (vs 14)
"And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus siting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him."
Here is the calling of Matthew. Mark and Luke refer to him as Levi. Jesus was in all probability tired from His speaking to the multitudes, but He still had time for Levi. Seeing him in the Tax booth, He called Levi to "follow" Him. Levi immediately obeyed. Note it says Jesus "saw" him. Not only did He see him in the tax booth, I believe Jesus saw his heart, his mind, his pain, his heartache, his loneliness. On the outside, Matthew appeared successful, yet by the very fact that he left everything and immediately followed Jesus indicates he felt a real need. The world is filled with people who appear successful, yet have great problems and difficulties. Jesus has the answer. Like our Lord, we need to call them to follow Him.

JESUS REACHED OUT TO THE OUTCAST (vs 15)
"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."
After Levi followed Jesus, he threw a large party for all his friends. Levi wanted others to know the joy of forgiveness and acceptance. It says "many" came. Everybody there was an outcast of the Jewish society. The house was filled with "tax collectors and sinners". Jesus was also there. He didn't shun these people, but He didn't condone their lifestyle either. He was there to turn them from their sin. Jesus went to them, He didn't wait for them to come to Him. Many people today, will never set foot in a church. We have to reach out with the testimony of what Christ has done for us and will do for them.

JESUS REACHED OUT TO THE RELIGIOUS FAKES (vs 16-17)
"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."
It says, they "saw Him", they were looking for anything they could find to condemn Jesus. These scribes and Pharisees were judgmental and censorious. Three times the phrase is used, "tax collectors and sinners". They hated these people, and did everything they could to avoid them. Seeing Jesus eat with them was just too much for these self-righteous religious bigots. Jesus told them, "the whole need no physician, but the sick." What they refused to accept was that they were just as sick. Only Jesus has the answer to man's sin problem. Only He can cure us. He paid the price for our sins and offers the gift of sins forgiven to whosoever will call upon Him. That's why we need to reach out with the good news.

On television they had a documentary on the Titanic sinking. Only 700 to 800 people were able to get into lifeboats. An estimated 1500 were in the sea. Survivors were afraid to go back at first because they thought those in the sea would capsize the boats trying to get in. Finally, they transferred some survivors from one boat to another and used the empty boat to go look for possible survivors in the sea. Only 6 or 7 were found alive, the rest had frozen to death in the icy water. The crewmen said, "We're too late, we waited too long." Let's not wait too long. Now is the day of salvation. May God help us to share that good news. God bless.