CALLING ALL MATTHEWS
LUKE 5:27-32
WHILE PREPARING FOR TODAY I READ AN AMUSING STORY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
THREE GUYS WERE HIKING IN THE WOODS WHEN THEY CAME TO A RAGING RIVER. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO THE FIRST GUY LOOKED TO THE HEAVENS AND SAID “GOD, PLEASE MAKE ME STRONG ENOUGH TO GET ACROSS THIS RIVER.” POOF! HE HAD BIG ARMS AND LEGS AND HE JUMPED IN AND BEGAN SWIMMING. TWO HOURS LATER AFTER A FIERCE STRUGGLE, HE MADE IT TO THE OTHER SHORE.
THE SECOND GUY SEEING THAT, LOOKED TO THE HEAVENS AND SAID “DEAR GOD, GIVE ME ENOUGH TOOLS TO CROSS THIS RIVER.” POOF! HE WAS GIVEN A ROWBOAT. AN HOUR LATER, AFTER NEARLY CAPSIZING HE MADE IT TO THE OTHER SHORE.
THE THIRD GUY SEEING ALL THIS LOOKED TO THE HEAVENS AND SAID, “DEAR GOD, PLEASE MAKE ME SMART ENOUGH TO CROSS THIS RIVER.” POOF! GOD MADE HIM A WOMAN…AND THEN HE LOOKED AT THE MAP, WALKED FIVE MINUTES UPSTREAM AND CROSSED THE BRIDGE.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE ARE CALLED BY MANY THINGS. TELEPHONE CALLS BECKON US, DOORBELLS SOLICIT US. THE ALARM CLOCK TELLS US THAT IT IS TIME TO BEGIN A NEW DAY, EVEN IF IT RINGS AT NOON. THERE ARE CALLS BY THE BOSS AT WORK, FROM TEACHERS AT SCHOOL, FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THERE ARE SOME CALLS THAT PEOPLE FEEL THEY CAN’T REFUSE, THE CALL TO GO FISHING, OR TO THE BEACH, OR THE CALL OF AN ICE CREAM ON A HOT DAY. ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, WE ARE CALLED BY MANY THINGS IN MANY WAYS.
MAY I ASK YOU ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT CALL THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE IN THIS WORLD. THAT CALL IS THE CALL OF GOD ON YOUR LIVES. THIS IS A CALL THAT WILL HAVE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES TO YOU AND THOSE AROUND YOU, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ANSWER IT.
OUR CHURCH HAS REGISTERED WITH THE BILLY GRAHAM ASSOCIATION FOR THE “MY HOPE” CAMPAIGN WHICH WILL CULMINATE IN NOVEMBER WITH A TELEVISED ADDRESS BY BILLY GRAHAM. THIS IS THE WAY HE HAS CHOSEN TO CELEBRATE HIS 95TH BIRTHDAY. THIS IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CRUSADE MEETING IN THAT IT WILL BE HELD IN THE LIVING ROOMS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
THEY ARE CHALLENGING US WITH A CALL TODAY, AND THAT CALL IS TO BE LIKE THE APOSTLE MATTHEW. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE APOSTLE MATTHEW’S CALL, AND SEE HOW IT APPLIES TO OUR LIVES, PARTICULARLY AS WE CONSIDER THE “MY HOPE” CAMPAIGN THIS FALL.
BACKGROUND:
FIRST OF ALL, LETS CONSIDER SOME OF THE BACKGROUND TO MATTHEW’S CALL. WE KNOW THAT MATTHEW’S CALL TOOK PLACE DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY, SHORTLY AFTER THE CALLING OF PETER, JAMES AND JOHN.
WE KNOW THAT MATTHEW’S NAME WAS LEVI, AND THAT HE WAS A TAX COLLECTOR, FOR WHICH HE WAS HATED BY MANY IF NOT ALL THE PEOPLE.
THE ROMANS COLLECTED THEIR TAXES THROUGH A SYSTEM CALLED “TAX FARMING.” THEY ASSESSED A DISTRICT A FIXED TAX FIGURE AND THEN SOLD THE RIGHT TO COLLECT THE TAXES TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. THE BUYER WOULD THEN HAVE TO TURN OVER THE ASSESSED AMOUNT AT THE END OF THE YEAR BUT ANYTHING COLLECTED OVER AND ABOVE THAT WAS HIS TO KEEP.
THE TAX COLLECTOR COULD INSPECT THE GOODS OF TRAVELLERS AND LEVY A TAX ON THE MERCHANDISE. A TAX OFFICE OR BOOTH WOULD BE SET UP NEAR THE EDGE OF TOWN USUALLY ON MAIN ROADS. ROME COLLECTED THREE PRINCIPAL KINDS OF TAXES: A LAND TAX, A HEAD TAX, AND A CUSTOMS TAX OF 2-5 PERCENT OF THE GOODS BEING TRANSPORTED.
SINCE NO SPECIFIC AMOUNT WAS SET, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR A CROOKED MAN TO BECOME RICH.
TAX COLLECTORS WERE HELD IN SUCH LOW ESTEEM THAT THEY COULD NOT SERVE AS WITNESSES IN COURT, THEY WERE EXCOMMUNICATED FROM THE SYNAGOGUES, AND EXCLUDED FROM ALL RELIGIOUS CONTACT, FOR THERE WAS NO HOPE FOR A TAX COLLECTOR. THEY WERE RANKED BY THE ORDINARY JEW WITH PROSTITUTES AND OTHERS WHO REJECTED JEWISH LAW AND CUSTOMS.
THE CALLING OF MATTHEW, IS ONE OF THE FEW ACCOUNTS THAT IS INCLUDED IN ALL OF THE GOSPELS. LUKE’S ACCOUNT GIVES US MORE DETAILS CONCERNING MATTHEW’S REACTION TO HIS CALL. HIS WAS A REACTION WE NEED TO USE AS THE MEASURING ROD, AS WE SELF-EVALUATE OUR SPIRITUAL WALK TODAY. EACH OF THE GOSPELS ONLY DEVOTE 4-5 VERSES CONCERNING THE CALLING OF MATTHEW, BUT THERE ARE LESSONS HERE FOR US TODAY.
THE OTHER THING YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND IS THAT GOD’S CALL ON OUR LIVES COMES IN MANY FORMS FOR MANY REASONS. THERE IS THE CONVICTING CALL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON OUR LIVES TO ACCEPT CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR. NO OTHER SPIRITUAL CALLING CAN BE HEARD OR IS GIVEN UNTIL THE CALL TO SALVATION IS ANSWERED.
GOD THEN CALLS US TO ACTION. HE HAS GIVEN US THE TALENTS AND GIFTS NEEDED TO ANSWER HIS CALL TO ACTION IN THE GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. THESE CALLS MAY VARY FROM ENTERING MISSION SERVICE, TO FIXING A PLUMBING NEED OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCH.
LET US NOW LOOK AT THE CALL TO MATTHEW IN LIGHT OF THIS BACKGROUND.
BIBLICAL CONTEXT:
JESUS HAS BEEN SPEAKING AROUND THE GALILEAN AREA, PROBABLY AROUND CAPERNAUM, AND GAINING A GREAT REPUTATION. PEOPLE WERE COMING IN DROVES TO HEAR HIM.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE CALLING OF MATTHEW THOUGH, I’M SURPRISED BY THE BREVITY OF THE CALL. THERE IS NO PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION. EACH OF THE ACCOUNTS POINT TO JESUS COMING TO MATTHEW AS HE SITS IN HIS TAX BOOTH.
JESUS UTTERED TWO SIMPLE WORDS TO MATTHEW “FOLLOW ME,”, WHICH IS WHAT MATTHEW DID. HERE THEN IS POINT ONE OF MY MESSAGE. THE CHALLENGE.
POINT ONE: THE CHALLENGE:
JESUS ISSUED A CHALLENGE TO MATTHEW THAT HE ISSUES TO US TODAY. WHEN HE TALKED TO MATTHEW HE WAS SAYING “COME AFTER ME”, OR “LET ME LEAD YOU”. HE TOLD THE EARLY DISCIPLES, “COME FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN.”
MATTHEW 4:19-20:
“19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.”
HEREIN LIES THE CHALLENGE. IN ORDER FOR JESUS TO LEAD IN OUR LIVES, HE MUST BE IN CHARGE OF OUR LIVES. THE CALL TO “FOLLOW ME” MEANS THAT “WE MUST MOVE FROM THE SPOT OF SELF- CONTROL THAT WE NOW OCCUPY IN OUR LIVES AND LET JESUS BE IN CHARGE. JESUS IS SAYING “YOU MUST IMITATE WHAT YOU SEE ME DO,” OR “YOU MUST PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO ME.”
WE MUST REMEMBER WE ARE BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM AND NOT OUR OWN. WE MUST PAY ATTENTION TO GOD’S LEADING AND NOT SHRINK FROM PAYING THE COST THAT JESUS PAID OR SUFFER THE PAIN THAT JESUS SUFFERED.
WHEN WE SAY YES TO FOLLOWING CHRIST, WE GIVE UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ANGRY. WHEN JESUS WAS ATTACKED BY THE ROMAN SOLDIERS AT HIS ARREST, HE DID NOT HURL INSULTS AT THEM, NOR DID HE GET MAD AT THEM. WE MUST BE PREPARED TO GIVE UP OUR ANGER, EVEN IF SOMEONE IS INSULTING THE GOD WHOM WE SERVE.
POINT TWO MATTHEW’S RESPONSE:
MATTHEW’S RESPONSE WAS IMMEDIATE AND DECISIVE, YET, ONLY LUKE GIVES US THE FULL STORY. MATTHEW AND MARK BOTH RECORD MATTHEW’S RESPONSE
MATTHEW 9:4“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”
LUKE IS THE ONLY WRITER WHO GIVES US THE FULL STORY
LUKE 5:28: “and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”
AS YOU CONSIDER THESE VERSES THE DIFFERENCE MAY SEEM SMALL, BUT IN FACT IT’S GREAT IN STATURE. LUKE TELLS US THAT
MATTHEW LEFT EVERYTHING AND CAME AND FOLLOWED CHRIST.
MATTHEW WALKED AWAY FROM EVERYTHING, HIS PROFESSION, HIS PROFITS, AND HIS IDENTITY. HE GAVE UP IT ALL TO FOLLOW CHRIST.
THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR US. TO TRULY FOLLOW CHRIST WE MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE UP OUR EARTHLY PLEASURES AND DESIRES FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM.
A MAN WAS ONCE ASKED WHAT HIS PROFESSION WAS. HIS RESPONSE WOULD HAVE PLEASED JESUS. HE SAID I AM A SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDANT. I’M A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER TO PAY THE BILLS.
NOTE ALSO THAT MATTHEW “ROSE UP” FROM WHERE HE WAS SITTING TO FOLLOW JESUS.
TO FOLLOW JESUS REQUIRES ACTION ON OUR PART. FOLLOWING IS AN ACTION THAT ONLY OCCURS WHEN WE GET OUR BODIED IN MOTION BEHIND THE ONE WHO IS LEADING.
TO FOLLOW JESUS REQUIRES TOTAL COMMITMENT. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE COST OF COMMITMENT JESUS REPLIED:
MATTHEW 8:19-22:
“19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."”
POINT THREE: MATTHEW BRINGS OTHERS TO CHRIST
AFTER MATTHEW’S ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST MATTHEW PREPARES A GREAT CELEBRATION FEAST, SO THAT JESUS MAY MEET SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES.
JESUS WAS EATING SUPPER WITH A LARGE GROUP OF TAX COLLECTORS AND OTHER “SINNERS”, THE RIFF-RAFF OF HIS WORLD. THE PEOPLE AT THIS DINNER TABLE WERE HATED BY ALL, AND JESUS WAS IN THE MIDST EATING WITH THEM.
THANK GOD JESUS DIDN’T LISTEN TO THE SOCIAL CUSTOMS OF THE DAY. HERE HE EATS WITH TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS. JOHN RECORDS HIM TALKING TO A SAMARITAN WOMAN BY A WELL. HE COMFORTS A WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTRY AND WARNS HER NOT TO SIN AGAIN. HE HEALS A ROMAN CENTURIAN’S DAUGHTER, PEOPLE WHOM THE JEWS HATED. HE PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO NAILED HIM TO THE CROSS.
THIS WAS EXACTLY THE PEOPLE JESUS WANTED TO ASSOCIATE WITH, THOSE WHO NEEDED TO HEAR THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION. WE ARE NOT CALLED TO BE A HOLY HUDDLE ON A HILL. WE ARE NOT CALLED TO BE A SOCIAL GROUP UNTO OURSELVES. WE ARE CALLED TO SHOW COMPASSION TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD. WE ARE CALLED TO EMBRACE THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, NOT TO TURN THEM AWAY FROM THE CHURCH.
NOW THIS IS NOT A WELCOME MESSAGE EITHER. I REMEMBER ONE LADY IN A CHURCH I WAS A MEMBER OF SAYING OF THEIR EVANGELISM PROGRAM. “I WISH THEY WOULD STOP THIS. IF WE KEEP THIS UP WE’RE GOING TO HAVE STRANGERS IN HERE.”
THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO FEEL THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KEEP THE RULES TO THE LETTER, DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND ASSOCIATE ONLY WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. THEY ARE LIKE THE PHARISEES MENTIONED HERE. THEY WERE RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID NOT DO, WHERE THEY DID NOT GO, AND WITH WHOM THEY DID NOT ASSOCIATE.
WHAT THIS ACTUALLY DOES IS MAKE OUR SALVATION ON THE BASIS OF WORKS AND NOT FAITH. EPHESIANS DEFINITELY SPEAKS AGAINST THIS. ISAIAH CALLS ATTENTION TO A RIGHTEOUSNESS BUILT ON OUR OWN WORKS AS BEING FILTHY RAGS.
ISAIAH 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”
THE PHARISEES ASKED JESUS WHY HE WOULD DARE RISK RITUAL UNCLEANNESS AND NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES TO DINE WITH SINNERS AND TAX COLLECTORS, THE LOWEST OF THE LOW AS FAR AS PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED.
JESUS REPLIED TO THEM:
LUKE 4:31: “Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.”
THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION IS FOR THE UNCHURCHED NOT FOR THE CHURCH. IT IS FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT, NOT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE IT.
WHEN MATTHEW CHOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST, IT WAS A CHOICE THAT DIDN’T ONLY EFFECT HIM, BUT IT EFFECTED THOSE WHO WERE AROUND HIM. HE DIDN’T TRY TO WITNESS TO PEOPLE HE DIDN’T KNOW. HE DIDN’T REACH OUT TO THE EVERYDAY JEW BECAUSE THE EVERYDAY JEW WOULDN’T LISTEN TO A TAX COLLECTOR.
WHO WOULD LISTEN TO TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS? THE ONLY ONES WHO WOULD LISTEN WERE OTHER TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS. WHO WOULD TALK TO THEM AND LEAD THEM TO GOD. THE SAME ONE WHO TALKED TO MATTHEW, ALL MATTHEW HAD TO DO WAS SET THE TABLE, LITERALLY.
CONCLUSION:
TODAY WE ARE BEING CALLED TO BE MATTHEWS BY THE LORD. WE ARE BEING CALLED TO INVITE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW INTO OUR HOMES. WE ARE BEING CALLED TO KINDLE FRIENDSHIPS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND WORKING ASSOCIATES. WE ARE BEING CALLED TO “SET THE TABLE” FOR THE GOSPEL MESSAGE THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY MR. GRAHAM. WE ARE BEING CALLED TO BE NURTURERS OF THOSE WHO MAKE DECISIONS.
MOST OF ALL, WE ARE BEING CALLED TO BE THE PARTAKERS OF THE BLESSING OF GOD. WE ARE BEING CALLED TO ANSWER THE CALL OF SHARING THE GREAT LOVE AND WONDROUS GRACE OF JESUS TO ALL THE WORLD. JESUS IS THE CURE FOR THE SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD, AND WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TELLING PEOPLE THAT:
1. JESUS OFFERS REAL FORGIVENESS FOR REAL GUILT. HE TOOK A TAX COLLECTOR NAMED LEVI AND CHANGED HIS LIFE. HE CHANGED MY LIFE AND BROUGHT ME JOY UNSPEAKABLE. THINK OF WHAT HE CAN DO WITH YOUR LIFE, AND HOW HE CAN USE YOU TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF YOUR FRIENDS.
2. JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE ONE OF HIS OWN. CHRIST IS THE ONLY PLACE OF SAFETY FOR US IN A WORLD THAT IS BEING RAVAGED BY SIN.
3. JESUS WANTS YOU TO BRING OTHERS TO HIM. THE GREATEST DESIRE FOR THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE TO NOT WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN ALONE. OUR DESIRE IS THAT OTHERS SHOULD KNOW THE JOY OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES.
A TELEGRAPH MESSENGER BROUGHT A MESSAGE TO A BUSINESSMAN. AFTER THE MAN HAD READ THE TELEGRAM HE SAID TO THE MESSENGER, “YOU HAVE BROUGHT ME A MESSAGE, NOW I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE.” HE OPENED HIS BIBLE TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN AND GAVE THE BOY THE MESSAGE OF JOHN 3:16 AND SOON WON THE BOY TO CHRIST.
4. THE LORD WANTS US TO BE BUILDERS OF HIS CHURCH.
A) THE CHURCH IS THE WORLD’S GREATEST ASSET.
B) THE CHURCH IS A GREAT BLESSING TO THE INDIVIDUAL
C) WE OWE THE CHURCH OUR LOYALTY AND LOVE.
5. THE LORD WANTS US TO BE A LIVING WITNESS OF HIS GRACE. WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL SEES US GOD WANTS THAT INDIVIDUAL TO SEE GOD LIVING THROUGH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
JESUS IS CALLING US TO BE MATTHEWS TODAY. HOW WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL?
