Luke 5:27-38

"Dear Friend, To be My disciple means that you are committed to following in My footsteps. You come to Me, recognizing your need for healing grace..."

"Later, as Jesus left [Capernaum], he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said....."

"Dear Beloved, What's with all those somber faces among those who claim to follow Me? Yes, seriousness is demanded at certain times. Yes, My call for...."

"Then Jesus gave them this illustration: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new..."

"One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your..."

"[When accused of being a friend of sinners,] Jesus answered [his critics], "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the....."

Inspirational illustration of Luke 5:31-32 -- Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

What such a dour and serious face? Rubel Shelly reminds us that being dour doesn't help any of us make disciples or friends.

"After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left..."

Inspirational illustration of Luke 5:27 -- After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

God's people have been in lost places before our time. They made it safely through their wilderness to better times and better places. James Nored in video and Phil Ware with words reminds us that God is the finder and mender of lost and broken things and lost and broken people.

I want hospitals to have a “sick” wing and a “you’re really not sick” wing. Churches are spiritual hospitals full of those who need spiritual healing ... and that includes all of us.

Can you find your Bible in the list? While there are many specialty Bibles, the Bible is really written for only one group of people: sinners.

Caught to be released into life, community, and purpose by the grace of God! Phil Ware begins a series of articles on sharing Jesus in word and deed with others called Catch and Release and focusing on following Jesus.