Faith That Shares Good News Series

Get Going – Week 4:

Faith That Shares Good News

Matthew 9:9–13 (NLT)

Theme: Faith that sees Jesus naturally shares Jesus—our calling is to take the hope we’ve found and bring it to the people in our everyday lives.

INTRODUCTION — “We Share What We Love”

You ever notice how easy it is for us to talk about something we’re excited about?

It’s automatic.

Somebody in town gets a new truck and suddenly every guy in town has an opinion on torque ratios and lift kits. Someone tries a new coffee drink, and they’ll tell you exactly how to steam it to 145°—don’t worry, I’m guilty of that one. One of the kids comes home from school and says, ‘Daddy, you HAVE to see this… 6/7!’ before I even put my things down. And if you don’t know what ‘6/7’ means — don’t worry, neither do I — but apparently it’s the coolest thing you can say in elementary school right now.

We share what grabs our attention.

We share what moves us.

We share what helps us.

We share good news by instinct.

But when it comes to sharing the good news?

When it comes to sharing Jesus?

Suddenly we hesitate.

We freeze.

We get quiet.

And yet — Matthew shows us something completely different.

Today we’re in Matthew 9:9–13, and we’re going to see a man who met Jesus, fell in love with Jesus, and immediately shared Jesus… because that’s what faith does.

Faith that is alive does not stay silent.

Faith that is growing does not stay hidden.

Faith that is genuine—shares the news.

Scripture — Matthew 9:9–13 (NLT)

1) Faith Responds To Jesus’ Call Immediately

“Follow me…” and Matthew got up and followed.

That’s it.

No debate.

No negotiating his salary.

No “Jesus, let me finish out this tax season.”

No “Let me think about it.”

Matthew just goes.

Most scholars believe Matthew already knew about Jesus.

The miracles were being talked about.

People knew this rabbi wasn’t like the others.

But Matthew wasn’t waiting for a perfect moment.

Jesus called — and he moved.

Modern Illustration — When the phone rings at work

As a crisis clinician, I know this feeling: I don’t get to pick the perfect moment. When that phone rings, when that alert hits, I move into action. Immediate obedience matters because lives are on the line.

Shoe Lost

You ever have one of those moments where you don’t even get time to think — you just react?

We were out walking on a trail one day after a stretch of rain. And you know how Alaska trails get — on top it looks perfectly fine, but underneath it’s basically chocolate pudding that wants to eat your footwear.

One of the kids steps onto this innocent-looking spot… and instantly I hear that suction sound.

That sluuuuurp

that tells you the mud just claimed a shoe.

And before they even knew what happened, they walked right out of their shoe.

One foot kept going…

the other stayed behind, completely swallowed by the trail.

Now they’re stuck there in the middle of the woods —

standing like a panicked flamingo,

one shoe on, one sock sinking deeper,

arms flailing…

…and they turn around with this dramatic look on their face —

the exact look that says:

“Daddy… tell Mama I love her…”

Then they yell,

“DADDY! HELP! I’M STUCK!”

And listen — I didn’t pause to analyze anything. I didn’t check the mud depth or try to strategize like I was on an episode of Mud Rescue 101.

I didn’t say, “Give me a minute.”

No — I reacted instantly.

I rushed over, grabbed them under the arms, and tried to pull them free like I was rescuing them from quicksand. We’re sliding, slipping, getting muddy — but we got the kid free, and we even saved the shoe from certain doom.

And here’s the point:

Sometimes you don’t think. You just move.

Because the moment demands it.

That’s Matthew.

Jesus walks up to him and says,

“Follow Me.”

And Matthew doesn’t hesitate, negotiate, evaluate, or delay.

He just gets up and goes.

Immediate.

Instinctive.

Decisive.

Because when Jesus calls —faith doesn’t freeze. Faith moves.

Matthew responds because spiritually, lives were on the line — including his.

Application

Let me ask you:

How quickly do you obey Jesus when He nudges you?

Not the big dramatic stuff.

I’m talking about the small promptings:

• “Send that text.”

• “Pray with them right now.”

• “Invite them to church.”

• “Share your story.”

• “Pick up the phone.”

• “Stop by their house.”

Faith that shares the news… starts with faith that obeys the call.

2) Faith Brings Jesus Into Our Real World

“Matthew invited Jesus and His disciples to his home…” (v. 10)

I love this part.