"The feast which Levi gave to our Lord on the occasion of his conversion is such a cheerful metaphor of the Christian life. It is a festival of joy and gratitude for a conversion. We are sinners forgiven - abundant reason for perpetual praise. A feast represents a forgiven sinner's whole course; he is embraced, welcomed home, and has brought more joy to heaven than there was before. His sorrow for sin is not a mortified, humiliated, angry disgust with himself. It is a humble, hopeful sorrow always 'turning into joy'. So, if his very sorrows become the material for his joy, his life may be represented by the feast Levi gave to the Lord, who had forgiven and called him.
'But I am unworthy of joy," says the forgiven sinner. 'I am willing to work and suffer if need be. I don't deserve joy.'
That is the sentiment true for a pagan, but it contradicts the whole Creed of the Church - 'I believe in...the forgiveness of sins.' So, our life ought to be full of the joy of grateful love; the remembrance of sin means the remembrance of the love that called us out of our sins and forgave us our whole sin-debt.
And notice that Levi did not just make Jesus a feast, he made Jesus a great feast (Luke 5:29). It is not that we are to be cheerful for our own gratification. Our life is to be full of praise and thanksgiving, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord - for the honor of Jesus. Levi made the great feast for Him. Our habitual joy is due God, and honors God, and our joy means not simply a reflection of the joy of God, but is the joy of God... If we are sinners forgiven, we ought to behave as forgiven, welcomed home sinners, crowned with wonderful love in Christ, and so cheer and encourage all about us, who often go about heavily because we have reflected our gloom upon them instead of our grateful love, hope and confidence."
Its worthy of prayerful consideration! Have a great week, Pastor Jeff
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