Called to a New Community – This is the last in a series of scriptures and sermons under the theme, “Who is calling you?.”  Today’s scripture reading is the story in Luke of Jesus calling Levi, the tax collector, to be a disciple.  Tax collectors were Jews charged with collecting taxes from the Jewish people and turning over the taxes to the Roman rulers.  They also routinely collected more than was required by Rome so that they were enriching themselves.  This, of course, made them despised by the people.  That Jesus called a tax collector was demonstrative of the nature of the community of God, consisting of people from all populations, all backgrounds, all economic levels.  That Levi then hosted a banquet whose guests were other tax collectors incensed some, but it was a demonstration of the open invitation by Jesus and thus by God.  We, too, must be aware that God’s community is open and beckoning to all, even to some whom we may otherwise have ignored, avoided, or even despised.  It is an open community called together in love. 

(NOTE:  Reflecting the importance of the Word, the video begins with the scripture, but once it starts you can scroll back to the beginning of the service if you want.  The entire service is videoed.)