(Study of Matthew – Part 36) “The Calling”

 

Image yourself. You wake up for the day, get read for work and head off to work your same old job you have been working in for the last 3 or 4 years. You had no plans to move up or down or on to something else. You just wanted to make the money, get rich, even if it mint your loss your feinds and be rejected by the religion you grew up in. Well, in Jesus’s day, that was the life of the Tax collector. They were betrayers of the nation of Israel. They where Jewish men that would join Rome and tax Israel’s people. In that day, Tax collectors were no more than another group of people that the preist said would be going to hell.

 

One of the first people Jesus calls is a tax collector. Not a ministry adviser or a minister, nope Jesus called a tax collector to follow him. The importain thing to know about this, people like Jesus wouldn’t call just anyone to follow them. See the religionous leaders that would pop there heads out in open and start preaching would go calling a righteous men to follow them, but Jesus does the unexpected, he called the reject sinner to follow him.

 

We understand that Jesus has called forth matthew to follow him and from that example, we can see how we can also follow Jesus. Jesus is calling you by name today to follow him, will you do so? How did Jesus follow Jesus?

 

1) He heard Jesus call him. You wouldn’t just get up and start following a Stranger that you didn’t know and he didn’t know you. Jesus called Matthew by name. Believe it or not Jesus knows your name and everytime a preacher invites you to came to Jesus, that Jesus calling you by name, saying “Follow me”.

 

2) He didn’t question Jesus. He only got up and followed him. He left everything behind and followed Jesus. Matthew left his job, family and freinds and way of life, he got up and followed Jesus. Where ever Jesus went Matthew went. Where ever Jesus sleep Matthew sleep.

 

3) He moved. He did something. When Jesus told him something, Matthew reacted and did something. See God wants his people moving and going and really active in their faith. Talking about faith. Matthew had to take that step of faith away from this world and closer to Jesus world.

 

So, those 4 thing’s working together. As you hear the Lord calling on your life, you shouldn’t question it, but to stand up and talk that step of faith closer to that calling. Conviction on me right now. Men God, why have you given me the gift to preach your word in a way that it speaks straight back at me while i’m typing it? I’m not worthly.

 

Not only has Jesus called Matthew to follow him, but this preacher 2000 years ago, that many of the preist called “teacher” was found to hung out of people who were outcast from the religious people. Jesus a men who many saw as a good prophet and others as a amazing righteous men. This men of God, was found hunging out not with preist in the temple. No, Jesus was around the people who where not around God and didn’t want nothing to do with God. Do you know people like that. Poeple who just fill their lives with sin. There way of life is money, sex and drugs. Jesus came and hung around this types of people when he was on earth. Not only that, he called them to follow him on his advanture to change to world.

 

Jesus didn’t come to judge the world and the sinners, but to save them all from hell. He was on a mission that bring people out of their dark life of sin and bring them into light of righteous living. That living can only be found in Jesus Christ. We can only find new life in him. Jesus called people to follow him and some did and others didn’t. It’s a personal choice that each person must make. Jesus is not forcing anyone to follow him, but he would really love it if you do.

 

As I close off today. We are reminded that we have an God that is marciful and loving. He cares for all people both big and small. No mater who you are, Jesus loves you. He came to heal your sickness. Everyone is sick. Sin is like cancer, it leads to death in the end. There is no cure for cancer that is known and their is no cure for sin, a price must be paid and Jesus paid it on the cross. Anyone who turns to Jesus can be saved from going to hell. But that’s a personal choice. Jesus is calling you today, what’s you choice? Remember, Killers, lyers and thefts are welcome to come to JESUS. Whatever your story, Jesus wants you.

 

Matthew the Tax Collector became Matthew the People Collector. Matthew is a collector, and God is using his collecting Gift for the Good of the Kingdom. What is your gift that you have? God can use that for his glory. Come to him today.