Mark 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his (Matthew Levi’s) house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

Many is an unknown quantity and I am not sure that specific numbers matter here. Jesus had just said to Matthew Levi “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed Jesus, answering the call. The many which sat at Matthew’s table where probably friends and co-workers of Matthew. Tax collectors were notorious for making themselves rich by collecting more taxes than were owed. That is one reason they were hated by the people.

I would like to address the many as the crowd, if you would be so kind to give me leeway here. It is after all an unspecified number. Haven’t we all found ourselves going along with the crowd without reason, without thought, without care except perhaps to be included. There is something about being part of a crowd that happens which does not occur in any other setting. The individual loses, perhaps even surrenders, personal responsibility.

Now we have many following Jesus that Jesus did not call out to them “Follow me.” Each and every one of them has their own particular reason to be part of that crowd which had nothing to do with being called. It might have been the miracles, the healings, the food, or perhaps something more tangible like love. Lazarus, Martha and Mary certainly felt that love in a close personal relationship with Jesus, but they too were not called.

John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Here Jesus puts all the sayings of John 6 into perspective of personal responsibility, taking every man and woman that has been following Him out of that crowd mentality, taking them to task.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Because they were not called. Tomorrow The Called.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

While listening to a sermon in which this verse was used, I remembered an old teaching about the issue of presenting your bodies to the King.

Genesis 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.

The issue of bowing one’s head before the Lord and Kings is as old a custom as there is in any of scriptures and history. Historically it has a significant meaning we do not often associate with worship but has associated meaning with Romans 21:1.

Custom was that when you come before your King a servant would bow his head as if he were about to be executed, beheaded. His life was in the King’s hand, to do with as the King pleased. It also meant that his mind had lost its independence, that no thought would ever be uttered that was not also subject to the King’s will.

When we look to the issue of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice in Romans 12:1 we often lose sight of that worldly custom, we are after all so far removed from living under ancient kings. But we do serve the King of Glory and our lives are His to do with as He wills. We have the mind of Christ, His thoughts should be our thoughts.

We know our loving Lord and Savior full of grace, merciful and forgiving almost to the exclusion of His absolute authority over every aspect of our lives. Perhaps we should remember that.