Title: You are His Concern "The Calling of Matthew"
Mark 2:13-17
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. [14] As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
[15] While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house; many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?"
[17] On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
This morning I want to examine the calling of Matthew, Jesus Disciple and Apostle. For we see in his story the kind of Love God has for all those who are sick, burdened with sin, forsaken and ashamed.
Jesus came for the sick
For sinners
For you and me
And this morning We need to apprehend to grasp the fact that your sufferings, your struggles, your burdens, and your needs
That Your Life
Are Jesus Concern
John 6:37-38
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
PRAYER
Mark s Gospel introduces us to Matthew with the words:
"As he (Jesus) walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him"
What does this verse tell us.
1. Matthew’s father was Alpheus, -which is important, because there was a James among the twelve who also had a Father by this name.
Matthew 10:3 lists the names of the apostles and includes --
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
It is very possible then that they were brothers.
Secondly we see
2. That he was originally called Levi. Which means "Adhesion" The name was coined by Leah wife of Jacob in the Genesis 29:34
Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.
I guess if you wanted someone who would stick to a job you called for Levi. "Mr Adhesion"
3. But, there is no question that the important point about this man’s life was that he was a tax collector, or publican,
Publican- means a person in public life and service.
His position was a political office that had been created by the Romans to help collect taxes in the provinces of Rome.
In New Testament times people bid for the job of tax collector and then exacted the tax plus a profit from the citizens.
Romans filled most of the offices, although some locals got the jobs.
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Jews despised tax collectors because
Jews despised taxes.
Now you might be thinking, - I understand How they felt - I don’t like paying tax either.
The Jews hatred went far beyond any of our dislike of giving money to the government.
1. First, their dislike was theological in nature. The Jews had historically always opposed taxes, for they felt that God was the only true king, and only to Him could tribute be rightly paid.
2. Secondly, every time they paid taxes it reminded them that they were under foreign domination.
Remember that Mary and Joseph were required to go to the village of Bethlehem, even though she was nine months pregnant, because the whole world was being enrolled. The reason for this head count was, of course, taxation.
They hated to be reminded of their oppression. In fact to this day Jewish literature denies that Rome or any other country ever dominated them Jews.
3. But there was a third and even more important reason for their hatred of taxes.
In the province of Israel the Romans tended to enlist Jews do their dirty work for them.
Consequently, the ones gathering taxes were fellow countrymen.
Jews saw them as traitors, as being in bed with the enemy.
Thus, they were despised and hated beyond all description.
Such was the situation of LEVI.
In the New Testament tax collectors are grouped with
Murderers,
Robbers,
Harlots,
Sinners,
And of course GENTILES.
They were the scum of the earth.
Interestingly, Jesus himself even used the term Tax Collector as an insult.
Matthew 18:17
Jesus said that when a brother who has sinned refuses to listen to you, or refuses to listen to two or three witnesses, and even the church, then, Jesus said, Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
So even Jesus casts the Tax Collectors in a negative light.
Tax Collectors were not only ostracized socially,
but also religiously.
They were debarred from going into the temple and even receiving forgiveness was considered especially difficult for a tax collector.
in Jesus parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, who were praying in the temple, we are told that the publican "stood afar off. He knew that he was not welcome.
But Jesus received him,
Jesus received Levi
Jesus Said " Follow ME"
How did Matthew respond?
He didn’t wait to put on his coat,
To clear off his desk,
To turn in a resignation,
To clear up some personal matters.
No, he just got up and left.
How do you explain something like that?
How can someone so simply and completely abandon everything to follow Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-26
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. [25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. [26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
I think Matthew realized that this was his opportunity
His chance.
And he took it
Jesus called him With Simple words "FOLLOW ME"
And Levi Mr. Adhesion, became Matthew which means
"The Gift of God"
Perhaps no one was more unlikely
Who would have expected that Levi a publican a sinner could become a follower of God?
If nothing else this demonstrates to us that Jesus accepts people from every level of society without regard for their past.
No matter who they were, Jesus accepted them.
No matter who you are Jesus will accept you to.
No matter what you have done Jesus calls to you "Follow ME"
Matthew followed
How will you respond?
Of course we know that the religious folks of Jesus day responded to this whole business rather negatively.
Mark 2: 15-16 says, "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. [16] When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?"
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
To the religious Jews, to eat with sinners made one a sinner also.
But Jesus was not sinning by reaching out to sinners; he was fulfilling God’s purpose
John 10:9-10
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. [10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
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And truly the changes that took place in Matthews life are a demonstration of the Abundant Life God wants for all who Will Follow Him
First, Jesus gave him a new life.
He not only belonged to a new group;
he belonged to the Son of God.
In Following Jesus He was not just accepting a different way of life
by following Jesus he became an accepted person.
AS Levi Matthew had been a despised tax collector.
He had been afflicted and ashamed
But As Matthew a follower of Jesus
He was a gift of God
Forgiven
Empowered
Gifted
And destined to accomplish great things for God
He was accepted
Secondly, Jesus gave Matthew a new purpose for his skills.
When he followed Jesus, the only tool from his past job that he carried with him was his pen.
From the beginning, God had made him a record-keeper.
Jesus’ call eventually allowed him to put his skills to their finest work.
Matthew was a keen observer, and he undoubtedly recorded what he saw going on around him.
The Gospel that bears his name came as a result.
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What ever happened to Matthew?
Well, he followed Jesus to the end of his days, and he, like so many of the disciples, met a martyr’s death.
There are several stories about how this took place, Foxes book of Martyrs tells us that Matthew was slain in Ethiopia with a halberd.
No matter how he died
the important thing is his life and his genuine, lasting commitment to Christ..
Dwight Moody was once a shoe clerk in a small town before he became a world famous evangelist. Recognizing his lack of training and formal education, once said: I am not much of a man, but Christ has all there is of me."
Matthew might have said something very similar.
"Master, I am a thief and a sinner. I have sold out my nation, and there is no spiritual health in me. Yet, I come to you, dirty rags and all, and give you all that there is of me."
