SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 9:9
SUBJECT: LEAVING A TAXING SITUATION BEHIND
IN LUKE 2:41-52 (MARY AND JOSEPH RETURNING HOME FROM JERUSALEM . . .)
AMAZING HOW THOSE YOU ARE CLOSE TO – GRANTED . . .
PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY THEY HAVE CHECKED OUT A LONG TIME AGO, BUT BECAUSE YOU WERE SO BUSY TAKING THEM FOR GRANTED, THINKING THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE, YOU DID NOT NOTICE – GONE. NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. AS WE ARE WITH PEOPLE, SO OFTEN WE ARE WITH JESUS. JESUS WAS GONE . . .
APB – FIND HIM . . .
. . . I MUST BE ABOUT MY FATHER’S BUSINESS.
THE EMPHASIS OF THE STORY SWITCHES AS JESUS GIVES MARY AND JOSEPH A REMINDER THAT THERE COMES A TIME . . . ABANDON OUR BUSINESS – FATHER’S BUSINESS.
JOHN 9:4 “I MUST WORK . . .” CHRONO-LOGICALLY SPEAKING . . .
. . . BREATHING IS SHORT AND YOUR STEPS ARE LONG NOW . . .
. . . STEPS WILL BE SHORT AND YOUR BREATHING WILL TAKE LONGER.
EYESIGHT – FADE
HEARING – AID
AND THE QUESTION WILL LOOM IN YOUR MIND – HAVE I DONE MY FATHER’S BUSINESS?
HAVE I SAID LIKE JESUS, NOT MY WILL . . .
MATTHEW IS THE PORTRAIT OF A MAN THAT WAS CALLED TO WALK AWAY FROM A TAXING SITUATION AND FOLLOW JESUS. MATTHEW OFFERS US A REMINDER THAT GOD IS CALLING US TO WALK AWAY FROM OUR PAST.
MATTHEW WAS A TAX COLLECTOR – PUBLICAN. HE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST NOTORIOUS OF SINNERS. HE WAS DESPISED. AS A TAX COLLECTOR HE HAD PURCHASED A FRANCHISE FROM THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO EXTORT MONEY FROM HIS OWN PEOPLE, WHERE HE WOULD GIVE CEASAR HIS DUE, AND KEEP A LARGE PORTION FOR HIMSELF. HE WAS A BENEDICT ARNOLD WHO ON ONE HAND HAD FOUGHT GALLANTLY FOR HIS PEOPLE ONLY TO SELL THEM DOWN THE RIVER LATER ON. AS A TAX COLLECTOR, MATTHEW WAS NOT ONLY A SOCIAL PARIAH, BUT A RELIGIOUS OUTCAST . . . HE WAS RIFFRAFF, HOODLUM, HE PIMPED HIS PEOPLE.
YET JESUS DECLARES IN MATTHEW 9:12-13 “THOSE WHO ARE WELL DO NOT NEED A DOCTOR, BUT THOSE WHO ARE SICK. I HAVE COME NOT TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS TO REPENTANCE.”
MATTHEW 21:31-32 “MANY TAX COLLECTORS AND SOCIETAL OUTCASTS THAT WILL ENTER IN BEFORE THE SO-CALLED RIGHTEOUS.”
JESUS CALLS MATTHEW TO WALK AWAY FROM HIS PAST/HIS TAXING SITUATION
. . . AFFORDED HIM A CERTAIN LIFESTYLE
. . . FAMILIAR
. . . COMFORTABLE
. . . PLEASURE
GOD WAS CALLING HIM OUT OF IT . . .
. . . DISDAIN – CERTAIN PLACES,
. . . NEW TASTE BUD – PEOPLE
. . . BREAK – HABITS
FAMILIAR
COMFORTABLE
PLEASURE . . .
NOT ONLY IS GOD CALLING US TO WALK AWAY FROM OUR PAST . . .
GOD IS CALLING US TO WALK ACCORDING TO HIS CALLING FOR OUR LIFE.
TRUE SUCCESS BEGINS WHEN YOU WALK . . .
ABRAHAM . . .
JONAH . . .
PAUL . . .
GOD IS CALLING US TO WALK AFTER HIM
YOU MAY EXPERIENCE LIMITED SUCCESS IN THE WORLD WITHOUT CHRIST,
YOU MAY EXPERIENCE LIMITED SUCCESS IN YOUR BUSINESS WITHOUT CHRIST,
YOU MAY HAVE LIMITED FORTUNES WITHOUT CHRIST, BUT IT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE, WANTS TO GIVE YOU, WHAT YOU CAN OBTAIN, IF YOU WOULD WALK AFTER GOD.
MATTHEW 16:24-26
“IF ANY MAN WOULD COME AFTER ME . . . DENY YOURSELF. . .”
V.26 “WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN . . . “
COMPLETE COMMITMENT
ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE
PERSONAL SACRIFICE . . .
