View Resource Online
I’ve Been Changed
Lk. 5:27-32 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
True story that during WW II, the military medical staff used a “color tagging” system to identify the extent of soldier’s injuries.
One color (red) =hopeless; nothing they could do to save them; going to die
Another color (blue) = their condition is questionable but hopeful. They’d
make it if they got immediate medical attention
Last color (green) = they are wounded but they’ll make it whether they have
medical attention or not.
During a certain battle and because of the shortage of medical supplies, only injured solders in the 2nd (blue) category were treated (those that would make it if they got immediate help)
One soldier by the 1st name of Lou was badly hurt. He had been “red tagged” because he was hopeless! He was basically left to die in the field while others were being helped.
However, one nurse saw that he was still alive and thought she’d make him as comfortable as she could in his final moments and began talking to him.
-they talked and found out they were both from Ohio
-and in a few minutes, the compassion within this nurse caused her to
go against the rules and she changed his red tag for a blue one so he’d get some help!
After spending months in the hospital, Lou recovered from his injuries,
he went on and married another nurse from the hospital and although he had only one leg, he lived a full and happy life.
*All because one compassionate person was willing the break traditions and change his tag from “helpless to hopeful”.
As I read this story, I thought of the purpose of the church today!
I thought about many of us were hopelessly lost in sin but someone took the time and gave us attention and we’re in church today because someone cared enough to change your sin tag from red to blue!
Bible is full of scripture that encourages the church to reach out and save the lost, to restore the backslidden to go the 2nd mile, to do whatever you have to do to save someone from an eternity in Hell.
James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Thank God for a church that took you in and loved you!
Thank God for a preacher that preached the whole plan of salvation to you.
Thank God for a saint that took time to disciple you and give you fellowship
week after week.
But most of all, Thank you Jesus for saving our souls!!!
************************************************
(text) Lk. 5 We find Jesus making friends with a sinner,
a publican named Levi.
Levi had the usual reputation of cheating people while collecting taxes.
-Just like he did for many of us, Jesus looked past this hopelessly
sinful man and saw what he could become and said to him “Levi I
want you to follow me and be a Christian”
They went to Levi’s house for some fellowship and a bunch of Levi’s unsaved family and friends were there and they started complaining about the local church and finding fault trying to justify their sinful lifestyle.
-they were having “roast preacher” for dinner even with Jesus sitting there
They looked at Jesus and wanted to know why he was there?
-no one from the church had ever had fellowship with them.
-no one ever associated with these sinners before
(Diff. translation) says it this way: Jesus answered them, “It is the sick who
need a doctor, not those in good health. My purpose is to invite
sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend time with those who think
themselves already good enough”
Here Jesus sat in the company of people that the Christian society had labeled as hopeless! -they were the worst of sinners but Jesus broke all
the rules and traditions and changed their tags from hopeless to helpless!
This man Levi was also known as Matthew became one of the greatest Apostles that ever lived and he wrote the 1st Book in the Gospels; the Bk of Matthew.
The purpose of the church is not to sit around and judge people as hopeless sinners but to look at them and say “Jesus can help them if they get immediate help" -Jesus can help them if I go against the norm and go out of my way and win them to God.
Matt.5:41, 44 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain……..But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Lk.14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
Sin had “red tagged” your life but Eph. 2:12 was written for people that were just like you… “having no hope and w/o God in the world. BUT NOW you belong to Christ Jesus , and though you were once far away from God, now you have been brought very near to him because of what Jesus Christ did for you with his blood”
You use to be hopelessly lost in sin but now God made something beautiful
out of your life!!!
God washed away your past in Jesus Name water baptism.
God filled you with his Spirit when you received the HG and you became a new creature.
Let’s realize our tags have been changed!!!
Society wrote some of you off but God changed you, delivered you, healed your spirit and saved your soul.
You went from a red tag (hopeless and going to die w/o God)
to a blue tag (someone that was questionable but would make it if you got
immediate help)
to today; you’ve got a green tag and you’re going to make it no matter
happens in your life. Rooted and grounded in God!
Song says: My God is good for giving us so many blessings, undeserving, that’s what we are.
We ought to thank him, love and praise him, a little bit today and a whole lot more tomorrow.
Eph. 2:12-14 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God uses pastors and many saints down thru the yrs to help get others to glory.
Death, Hell and the grave were robbed of their victim!
I Cor. 15: 55-57 O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
But the real question ….. is what kind of tag are you wearing?
One = rooted and grounded in faith; going to make it no matter what!
One = your condition is questionable and you’ve got hope if you get immediate attention?
One = seem hopelessly lost in sin and don’t know if you’ll ever make it?
There is a God that changes tags
Acts 2:38 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.
This world is a battle field for our soul but let’s leave here today on the victorious side.
Let Jesus change you right now!
