Today I want you to turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter 9 where we will be spending some time in verses 9-13. After taking a moment to read through those verses, I want to ask you a few questions.... What past misdeeds do you think would disqualify someone from a job, or an elected office or even the ministry? What qualities would you look for in prospective employees if you were the one doing the hiring? How much would the past of an individual keep you from ever choosing them? Would you even believe they were capable of changing enough to give them a chance to hold any kind of position at all? Keep these thoughts in mind as we visit the tax collector's booth with Jesus today, and let's get to know who it is we find sitting there....

"And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him."

Here at the toll booth in the middle of the street where tax collectors sat to receive various payment for taxes, Jesus sees Matthew sitting. Here was just an ordinary guy busy about his daily job of collecting money. Day in and day out Matthew showed up on time for his job much like we all do today. Day in and day out he most likely witnessed the downcast eyes of the unhappy and unwilling people paying their dues while listening to their negative comments as they stood in line for their turn at the table. Matthew probably didn't have many friends with a job such as that, wouldn't you agree? While the tax laws certainly were not Matthew's doing, people probably had a hard time separating that truth from the way they viewed this man. I mean, who really wants to become close friends with a tax collector?? Who really wants to get into a close personal discussion with a guy who, in your mind, takes your money unfairly? I liken that to picking someone who works for the child protective agency to be your best friend in these last days when you believe in disciplining your children God's way! You're just afraid they might turn you in for something, amen?

Let's be honest though ladies, there are certain people we just automatically don't and won't - or should I say - refuse to like, perhaps because of the profession they hold, or the way they look, or the mistakes they've made in the past etc. We all tend to become prejudice toward certain individuals for various personal reasons and inwardly disqualify them from our future approval or affections. In our minds, we have cut them off from ever being able to amount to anything. We no longer set our sights upon them as having any possibilities whatsoever for any good. From that point on, we pass over them and write them off... Yet, what do we find our Savior is doing in this passage of scripture today? The Bible says Jesus passed by and saw a man... What did He see, I wonder? Could it be that Christ saw possibility and potential in this man named Matthew? We can gather that Jesus did not discount Matthew's worth based on the profession he held, or even on the fact that he was just an ordinary guy who probably wasn't too popular with others. Aren't you glad that the Lord picks ordinary, unpopular people to follow Him? I sure am! Here in the streets packed full of people, with collectors of taxes on one side of the table and payers of taxes on the other side, Jesus Christ singles out and approaches Matthew in his little corner of the world and says, "Follow me." I doubt when he set out for work that day Matthew ever expected such a unique calling to come his way! He was probably used to being viewed as insignificant, knowing full well that others often avoided him like the plague. Probably those in the crowd nearest to Matthew who overheard Christ's invitation couldn't believe such an inadequate man was singled out and chosen either! Maybe some even assumed Jesus was headed straight for them... Why choose the ordinary guy, when you could choose someone from the other side of the table who at least held a more respectable position in the community, maybe even a little more money too... Why call plain old Matthew??

While others saw no potential in this man with their human eyes, Jesus Christ did! Praise God that He never disqualifies any one of us from following Him, and that He is never startled by our inadequacies at the time of our calling, amen? I wonder how Matthew felt at that very moment when Christ approached him with this command? Was he surprised, was he confused, was he doubtful, was he embarrassed, was he thrilled?? We don't know Matthew's emotions at this point, for scripture tells us only of his reaction to Christ's calling - probably because that's what the Lord wants us to focus on most, amen? We find that Matthew's response was as ordinary as he was - he simply arose and followed Jesus. There was no great big departure made, nothing formal or spectacular about it at all, no noisemakers blown, no parade held in his honor, no parties, no emotional speech given first, no remorse on his part or even sad goodbyes that had to be carried out, Matthew just got up from his work and went - and that was that! It doesn't sound like this was a tough decision for this tax collector to make does it, ladies? He obviously wasn't a procrastinator....are you?? As busy as he probably was, all he had to do was push back from his tax table and get up and go! You see, Matthew wasn't worried about his inadequacies or even who would take his place at work as he left. Obedience to Christ took precedence when Matthew received a personal invitation from Jesus... As a matter of fact ladies, that's the final impression Matthew would leave those people with who knew of him! What lasting impression have you left others with as they've observed your relationship with the Lord??

I don't know about you, but to me it doesn't sound like Matthew was hindered in any way by the reaction of those around him, at their probable surprise at his being invited to follow after Christ. Sometimes when we know we clearly heard the Lord's invitation to follow Him, we foolishly let the reactions of those who "just can't believe it" hinder us, don't we? We might even stay seated, maybe even pretend we didn't hear the Lord, trying to convince ourselves it couldn't be us He was talking to... We resist answering Christ's call simply because we know that those around us will never believe that God has called such an ordinary person like you and I to do His work. Many people felt that way in regard to my husband when he surrendered to full time Christian service, and I'm sure they still do! At times, the compelled individual dreads looking into the faces of those who are doubtful or unsupportive of their decision to follow Christ, so they hide their eyes from people instead of proudly responding to the Lord and getting up and going.... Today I want to encourage you who are called to a closer walk with the Lord to just stand up, push back from the table and follow after Christ like Matthew did - without a moment's hesitation... It's that simple! God's calling shouldn't cause us so much agony or even shame, nor should others be allowed to detain us from responding immediately.... Surely Jesus Christ deserves an honorable response to His loving invitation, amen? How long do you usually make people wait for an answer when they invite you to a special occasion? Two days, two weeks, too late?? Good manners should cause us to respectfully give an immediate reply. Why then should we give our Lord God any less of a timely reply? That's why I like Matthew's quiet and sincere acceptance to Jesus' penetrating invitation. It shows his respect for God's Word... Can yours be seen too??

Think for a moment now, of the way you might react when you're surprised at the choice the Lord makes in calling someone you never suspected He would, someone besides yourself perhaps?? Would you support that individual, or discourage them because in your mind it should have been you who Christ invited first? Who are we to doubt God's choices?? It's when we think we are more than just ordinary material that this kind of thinking comes about.... The Lord has no fear of the drawbacks arising out of the external connections or past history of true believers, for He is confident in the power of His truth in our lives and what His Word will bring about! Ladies, it's not until you and I learn that each of us is "ordinary", for only then we will be ready to follow Christ as sincerely and quietly as Matthew! It's when you think you're something special that you like to be surrounded with pomp and ceremony... Jesus is what makes our lives extraordinary, not we ourselves, amen? Is there anyone today who needs your encouragement and support as they seek to sincerely minister to those who don't know Christ? Someone maybe you should have supported more than you did initially? Could it be you are uncomfortably surprised that Christ has given an unlikely candidate an opportunity or another chance to grow and serve Him that perhaps you have already personally disqualified from ever being godly enough for the position? What about visitors that attend your church who may not appear to have any potential for godliness, how have you reacted to them? Ladies, we need to remind ourselves of what the Bible says in Mark 10:27, "And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Let's be careful to view others as they CAN be, as Christ sees them, instead of seeing only their faults and inadequacies, amen? That's what Pharisees do as we find in verse 10 and 11 which say:

"And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"

This house spoken of where Jesus sat at meat was none other than Matthew's humble home... And the publicans and sinners that were in attendance that day were no doubt some of his old friends. Those who receive a simple invitation will extend a simple invitation... Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old associates to hear Christ. I doubt this meal was a fancy, formal setting, for Matthew did not have a "fancy, formal" relationship with the Lord - it was personal, one based on sincerity and humility, amen? And it showed up in all that Matthew did now... How does your relationship with the Lord appear ladies - ceremonious or simple? Often times outward exhibitions of grandeur is a cover-up for what's missing deep inside... Must everything you do be over-blown and pompous, full of pageantry and splendor as you flaunt your goodness before the eyes of the general public? Can you, in humility and contentment with Christ, disentangle yourself from showiness long enough to allow the simplicity of Christ to shine forth in your life??

2 Cor. 1:12, "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world...."

Yes, Matthew knew by experience what the grace of God could do, and would not despair concerning his lost friends. Those who are effectually brought to Christ, cannot but desire that others also may be brought to Him, amen? No doubt Jesus very words are the words Matthew himself used... "Follow me." However, those who suppose their souls to be without disease will not welcome the Great Physician... As I said, this was the case with the Pharisees; they despised Christ, because they thought themselves whole, they thought themselves extraordinary rather than ordinary. Do you have that sickness in your soul today dear lady?? If so, then Jesus says in verse 12-13 that you have much to learn....

"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

You see ladies, the poor publicans and sinners, these ordinary people felt that they wanted instruction and amendment. They knew they were sick and needed healing, but the Pharisees didn't. Truly those that have not the grace of God themselves, are not pleased with others obtaining it, amen? Christs conversing with sinners is here called mercy, for to promote the conversion of souls is the greatest act of mercy! Perhaps that is why Jesus invited Matthew to follow Him, because he was a merciful man and could be trusted to view himself and the lost with the right attitude....

Ladies, the gospel call is a call to repentance; a call for us to change our minds, and to change our ways, not a call to self-righteousness! If the children of men had not been sinners, there had been no need for Christ to come among us, amen? We must leave room for repentance in people's lives and never disqualify them, but rather believe that God can change even the leper's spots if He so desires! Matthew had the proper view of his ordinary friends for he knew none of them was an impossibility with God. Let us examine whether we have found out our own sickness first, and then be sure that we have learned to follow the directions of our great Physician in order to get well. Then let us each go and bring spiritual health and restoration to others. You and I need to see the same calling that Matthew saw....

1 Cor. 1:26-29, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: [27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; [28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: [29] That no flesh should glory in his presence."

In closing, we can only believe that Matthew meant his feast to be the humble means of introducing his ordinary friends and neighbors to the acquaintance of Jesus. Seeking with the typical zeal of a young disciple, encouraging others to take the step which he had resolved on himself, Matthew hoped that some sinners present might be drawn from evil ways into the paths of righteousness. Ladies, are you busy bringing others to Christ as we find Matthew doing so soon after taking his first steps to follow Jesus? Since accepting salvation's invitation, how many sinner's lives have you affected for righteousness sake? I'm sure that Matthew shared the same perspective as Christ toward the lost... After all, where should a physician be but among his patients, amen? Christ didn't come to bother with the self-righteous, but with the repentant, and that's exactly where we find Matthew busy at work now, among those who admittedly were spiritually diseased and those who had a desire to be spiritually healed. I hope that is where you are busy too! How far have you really followed Jesus??

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000  Pamela A. Iannello

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