The Calling of Matthew

Message by: Ed Kessler

Matthew 9:9-13
[9] As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. [10] Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. [11] But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” [12] When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” [13] Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

How often do you hear a sermon on Matthew's calling? It's easy to overlook it.

In the Gospels, James and John were fishermen, but you don't here them called James the Fisherman or John the Fisherman. But Matthew (and later Levi) are called Matthew the Tax collector and Levi the Tax collector.

When Matthew turns and follows Jesus, he is then called a disciple…. And later an apostle. He became an ambassador with James and John and others. Eventually, Matthew is known as Matthew the evangelist.

Mark 2:13-17 and Luke 5:27-28 also tell the story of Matthew coming to Jesus. Mark and Luke (but not Matthew) mention that Matthew left everything. Matthew wanted his version to highlight Jesus… not him.

To become a tax collector, Matthew had to be recruited by the Romans. His area (where he was charged to collect) was very rich with agriculture and trade. He was charged with telling on those who weren't paying taxes. Very much like tariffs, Matthew had to oversee and impose these fees. Most tax collectors were rich… and corrupt. The Romans would have hated Matthew because he was Jewish, and the Jews hated him because he was a Tax collector. As a tax collector, though, Matthew had to be smart and a good learner.

The Herod that hired Matthew was the brother of the Herod that wanted the Christ child killed (when Mary and Joseph fled with Jesus from Bethlehem as a baby)... the same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist. THAT was Matthew's boss.

When Matthew left everything, he could not go back. The fishermen eventually go back to fishing, but Matthew couldn't go back to tax collecting.

Matthew's story is a real message of trust. He trusted Jesus to the point of no return.

So, when Jesus calls Matthew, he uses some of his riches to throw a party to share Jesus with his fellow tax collectors. Jesus used this to show that illness is not just one of the body…

In this text in Matthew, Jesus quoted the Old Testament.

Hosea 6:6
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Key takeaways of this story…

~ Matthew had a BC world - Before Christ. He was a sinful tax collector. Jesus used it to help use it for good. He was transformed and redeemed.

We all have a BC time. Before Ed was a Christian, God gave him a drive to learn Greek. He didn't know it would become so important. When he became a Christian, he realized the New Testament was written in Greek….. where God revealed how He was using this knowledge in Ed's life.

~ Matthew had a new life of Learning. Matthew was an avid learner .

Matthew used his drive to learn in order to thoroughly write his Gospel. God wants us to be learners. He wants us to do our work and research and understand Him and His Word more and more each day.

~ Matthew had a new Life of Evangelizing. He was charged with bringing others to Christ.

He was an Apostle, but there are also apostles (little “a”). We will never be one of the original 12 disciples, but we all called to be apostles… following Jesus and bringing others to Him.

Matthew’s life is the story of - the tax collector becomes someone who writes the Bible. This was a crazy notion, but here we are today… still enjoying Matthew’s words!

Ultimately, Matthew died for his faith. Matthew died to make God known.

How does God make himself known? He wants to be known. If He didn't want to be known, no one would know Him.

When Jesus came back (after His crucifixion), Jesus asked the disciples to write down what they had seen… He wants to be known.

That hasn't changed today. God wants to use us to make Him known.

You've been blessed to be a blessing.

We all have unique personalities, backgrounds, training, experiences, etc. God wants to use each one to show Him to others… Just like Matthew did.