Mark 2:13-17
He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
10 POINTS TO PONDER
Spiritual health is not measured by behavior alone, but by our awareness of need.
Self-righteousness is often the refusal to let Jesus diagnose our true condition.
Comparing yourself to others will either lead to depression (because you think you don’t measure up) or delusion (because you think they don’t measure up).
Following rules and “doing good” cannot save us. The law reveals our need for salvation. Only Jesus can save us.
Sin is a condition before it is an action—an inward disorder that manifests outwardly. Jesus positions Himself not as a moral consultant or ethical reformer, but as a physician who comes to heal what is fundamentally broken in humanity.
The church was never intended to be a country club; it is supposed to be a trauma center (there are no “members” in a trauma center, only those needing healing and those aiding in the healing). Which are you?
Nobody is perfect. Anyone who thinks churches are full of “good” people has misunderstood the Gospel. We hope that churches are filled with people who are changing because of what Jesus is doing in their lives.
God loves everyone. He loved us while we were still lost in our sins. And He loves those who are still lost in their sins.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Our job is to point people to Jesus. Our job is never to point our fingers at others in judgment.
No one is so good that they don’t need Jesus to save them, and no one is so bad that Jesus cannot save them. We all need Jesus.
WHY DO WE POINT FINGERS AT OTHER PEOPLE?
When you were a kid, did anyone ever tell you, “Whenever you point one finger at someone else, there are four pointing back at you”? Never mind that the math doesn’t quite work—especially when you factor in the thumb—it always sounded wise in the moment. And it stuck, because there’s something universally true behind it: no one likes being blamed.
We don’t like being blamed for things we didn’t do. And if we’re honest, we don’t like being blamed for things we did do either. Most of us have at least a little experience trying to deflect responsibility, soften the facts, or redirect attention when we know we’re at fault. Blame is uncomfortable because it exposes us.
What makes the gospel so striking is that Jesus was willing not only to be accused, but to accept conviction and punishment for something He did not do. More than that, He accepted judgment for everything we did do. Scripture says He “became sin” for us. He carried blame He didn’t deserve so we could receive grace we didn’t earn. That’s worth remembering the next time you’re falsely accused—you’re in very good company.
So here’s the real question: If we dislike having fingers pointed at us so much, why are we so quick to point them at others? There are many reasons, but a few show up again and again.
Sometimes we point fingers because we feel badly about ourselves. When guilt or shame is heavy, it’s tempting to spread it around. Misery loves company, and so does unaddressed guilt. Pointing at others can feel like relief, even though it never actually heals anything.
Other times, we point fingers because we don’t feel like we measure up. Comparison has a way of magnifying our shortcomings. And when we’re focused on how we fall short, we start looking for someone else to stand below us. Finding fault in others becomes a way to feel taller, if only for a moment.
We also point fingers when we feel threatened. We want to protect what we believe we’ve earned—our reputation, our position, our sense of worth. When someone seems like a threat, highlighting their flaws can feel like a way to secure our own standing.
And at the deepest level, we point fingers when we don’t fully trust God. Blame is often an attempt at control. But the truth is, we can’t control people or circumstances. We can only control our own actions and responses. Trusting God means doing what is right and responsible within our control, and then releasing what isn’t to Him.
Recently, I came across a simple but helpful principle: you are responsible for what is under your control. Pointing fingers is often a subtle way of giving that responsibility away. It shifts the focus outward instead of inward. It keeps us from asking the harder, more helpful questions about our own hearts, choices, and trust in God.
A better path requires humility. It means checking our ego, admitting when we’re wrong, taking ownership where it belongs, and choosing a better response moving forward. That kind of posture doesn’t weaken us—it frees us. It keeps situations and people we can’t control from controlling us.
Instead of pointing fingers, Jesus invites us to come to Him—honest, humble, and open to His healing. And that’s where real change begins.
Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF
The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into the following verses about God’s grace:
- Romans 5:8
- Ephesians 2:8,9
- Hebrews 4:16
- Psalm 103:8
- Titus 2:11
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
- Romans 3:23-24
Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:
- Think about a time when you were convinced you were “fine,” only to later realize something deeper was wrong. How does that experience shape the way you hear Jesus’ words here?
- When you imagine Jesus describing Himself as a physician, what emotions does that stir in you—comfort, resistance, relief, or discomfort? Why?
- According to Jesus’ metaphor, what is the difference between those who are “well” and those who are “sick”?
- Who is Jesus responding to in this verse, and what prompted His statement?
- What does the word “call” imply about Jesus’ authority and initiative in this passage?
- Jesus suggests that the real issue is not sickness, but awareness of sickness. Why is self-perception so central to receiving grace?
- How does this verse challenge the idea that moral behavior automatically equals spiritual health?
- In what ways can comparison with others distort our understanding of our own need for Christ?
- What might it look like, practically, to come to Jesus as a patient rather than a performer?
- How could embracing Jesus as your Great Physician reshape the way you view church, community, and spiritual growth?
Lake Bible Notes 
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