Leaving it Behind : Mark 2:13-14 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

Home > Devotionals > What Jesus Did! > February 4

Leaving it Behind - Mark 2:13-14

Key Thought

Two exciting things happen in these two short verses. First, Jesus shows that the call to follow him should be offered to all kinds of different people: many we may think wouldn't follow him are actually open to his call. Second, the call to follow Jesus means we are willing to leave all of our bases of security behind and follow him. Levi was willing; are we?

Today's Prayer

Get WJD by EMAIL!

Enter your email address above to subscribe to the email edition of What Jesus Did! Follow along FREE every day as we go through Mark in a year.

More Info on Mailing Lists

Father, please increase my courage and open the hidden places in my heart that I have not fully offered to the Lordship of your Son and my Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

NEW: Get Phil's What Jesus Did devotional in a paperback book. Click here to find out more!

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus went to the lake again. Many people followed him there. So Jesus taught them. Jesus was walking beside the lake, and he saw a man named Levi, son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at his place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Then Levi stood up and followed Jesus. Later that day, Jesus ate at Levi's house. There were many tax collectors and other bad people eating there with Jesus and his followers. There were many of these people that followed Jesus. The teachers of the law (they were Pharisees ) saw Jesus eating with these tax collectors and other bad people. They asked Jesus' followers, "Why does he (Jesus) eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this, and he said to them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor. It is the sick people that need a doctor. I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners."

— Mark 2:13-17 (ERV)

Comments on "Leaving it Behind":

But the followers did not answer, because their argument on the road was about which one of them was the greatest. Jesus sat down and called the twelve apostles to him. Jesus said, "If any person wants to be the most important, then he must make all other people more important than himself. That person must serve all other people." Then Jesus took a small child. Jesus stood the child before the followers. Jesus held the child in his arms and said, "If a person accepts children like these in my name, then that person is also accepting me. And if a person accepts me, then that person is also accepting the One (God) that sent me." Then John said, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of a person. He is not one of us. So we told him to stop, because he does not belong to our group."
Mark 9:34-38 (ERV)

Jesus started to leave, but a man ran to him and bowed on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?" Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? No person is good. Only God is good. {But I will answer your question.} You know the commands: 'You must not murder anyone, you must not do the sin of adultery, you must not steal, you must not lie, you must not cheat, you must honor (respect) your father and mother….' " The man said, "Teacher, I have obeyed all these commands since I was a boy." Jesus looked at the man. Jesus felt love for him. Jesus said, "There is still one more thing you need to do. Go and sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor people. You will have a reward in heaven. Then come and follow me." The man was very sorry to hear Jesus say this, and he left. The man was sad because he was very rich {and wanted to keep his money}.
Mark 10:17-22 (ERV)

If a person will not carry the cross (suffering) that is given to him when he follows me, then that person cannot be my follower.
Luke 14:27 (ERV)

Share with Others

Print this Devotional

Send it to a Friend

Discuss