Jesus was teaching a crowd by the sea. Everyone makes a wavy motion with their hands.
As he walked along, he spotted a tax collector called Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in his tax-collecting booth. Everyone reaches out their hands and says, in a gruff, greedy way: “Gimme your money!”
In those days, the people in the place where Jesus lived didn’t much like tax collectors. That was because the taxes they collected went to the Romans, who had conquered their country. What’s more, once the tax collectors had what they needed to give the Romans they could keep everything above that for themselves. So they bullied the people and threatened them to make as much money as they could. Everyone reaches out their hands and says, in a gruff, greedy way: “Gimme your money!”
In effect, they were traitors and cheats and thieves! Everyone grimaces and grumbles: “Traitors and cheats and thieves.”
So it was probably quite a surprise to the people gathered at the seaside when Jesus said to Levi: “Come and follow me.” Everyone beckons with one hand in a ‘follow me’ fashion.
And it was maybe even more of a surprise when Levi got up and followed him! Everyone jumps up and walks on the spot.
Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his house for dinner. Everyone rubs their tummies and says: “Mmmm!”
In those days you didn’t sit on chairs at the table. The table was too close to the floor for that. So you reclined on one elbow instead. Everyone makes that reclining motion.
So, reclining around that dinner table were Jesus and his disciples, plus Levi and his friends. Some of Levi’s friends were also tax collectors... Everyone grimaces and grumbles: “Traitors and cheats and thieves.” ...and others were people who had done a lot of bad things. Everyone says in a gruff voice: “Yeah, we done some bad things. Some really bad things!”
Now, the scribes and the Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with tax collectors... Everyone grimaces and grumbles: “Traitors and cheats and thieves.” ...and with people who had done lots of bad things. Everyone says in a gruff voice: “Yeah, we done some bad things. Some really bad things!”
So the scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples: “Why does Jesus eat with tax collectors... Everyone grimaces and grumbles: “Traitors and cheats and thieves.” ...and people who have done lots of bad things?” Everyone says in a gruff voice: “Yeah, we done some bad things. Some really bad things!”
When Jesus heard what the scribes and Pharisees were asking, he said: “People who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Everyone holds up a hand and says: “I’m feeling fine, thank you.” The people who need a doctor are people who are ill.” Everyone coughs and sneezes and wipes their noses.
“So I didn’t come to call people who have done lots of good things,” said Jesus. “No, I came to call people who have done lots of thing that are bad.” Everyone grimaces and grumbles: “Traitors and cheats and thieves.” Then everyone says in a gruff voice: “Yeah, we done some bad things. Some really bad things!”
