Matthew - Called by Jesus / Committed to Jesus

Matthew chapter 9, verse 9.

Matthew 9:9

Jesus passed on from there.

As Jesus passed on from there,

! He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth,

! And he said to him,

follow me.

And he rose and followed him.

Matthew profiles Matthew.

Now, based on volume,

the longest autobiography written

is a six-volume book called My Struggle,

written by a Norwegian author, Karl Ovek Nashgar.

The word count is approximately one million words,

3,600 pages long.

I have no idea what his struggles were,

but clearly he struggled with brevity.

But by stark contrast,

volume one of Matthew's autobiography

is no more than a brief paragraph,

and we have just read it.

Matthew 9, verse 9.

Matthew 9:9

Around 30 words,

you might say no more than a snippet

of his life story,

but it is significant

because here,

Matthew profiles Matthew.

Here,

Matthew writes just a little about himself.

This is where Matthew tells us

of how Matthew came to follow

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes,

little is written,

but I hope,

as we'll discover

over the next half hour or so,

much is said.

It's also one of the

shortest personal testimonies

you are likely to read,

but it does not lack substance.

I want us this morning to notice

that Matthew is both concise

and comprehensive.

in the details he shares.

We have here the vital statistics,

and they are indeed

a significant to note.

There's also this.

I often hear people say,

I don't have a testimony

that's worth sharing.

Well, take some encouragement

from Matthew, if you will,

because a personal testimony

need not be

a lengthy and detailed account

of how we came to faith

in Jesus Christ.

The gospel writer Matthew

writes a very short account,

but it leaves a lasting impression

on the reader,

does it not?

So where are we going with this today?

Well, we're going to assess

here in verse 9,

just this one verse,

how this significant development

unfolds.

We're also going to explore

what we might glean from it,

from a missional

and theological perspective.

So we're coming to this

under two headings.

Matthew called by Jesus.

Matthew committed

to Jesus.

So let's begin

by looking at how

Matthew

was called

by Jesus.

Now,

the first thing I want us

to notice

is that the Lord Jesus

is always,

always strategic

in his work

and ministry.

The Lord Jesus

is always

missional.

You see that

across the landscape

of the four gospels,

Matthew, Mark,

Luke, and John.

What I mean by this

is that we never see

Jesus wandering aimlessly

from place to place.

Verse 9 begins,

as Jesus passed on,

or you might

put it another way,

or as Jesus went on

from there,

as he passed on

from there.

That implies

a predetermined

divine plan,

all of which

revolves around

fulfilling

God the Father's

redemptive

purposes.

We have here

the unfolding.

It's a work in progress.

We call it

the plan

of salvation,

and it is being

fulfilled here

in a very personal way

at a tax

collector's

booth.

note, too,

in John 4,

4,

John tells us

of how Jesus

had to go

through Samaria

to engage

with a much

despised

Samaritan woman

at Jacob's

well.

So,

in a very similar

vein,

Matthew is telling

us here

that Jesus

had to walk

by the

Sea of

Galilee.

Luke tells us,

Luke gives us

more geography

in his

account

of Matthew's

incident.

So,

he had to

walk by

the Sea of

Galilee

to engage

with Matthew

at this

local

tax booth.

And it is

there

that Jesus

calls

the writer

of this

gospel,

a tax

collector

whose name

is Levi,

surnamed

Matthew,

the name

by which

he is

widely

known,

of course,

in the

early

church.

So,

what is

so significant

about this

tax booth,

this tax

point?

Well,

this is

Matthew's

workstation

that we're

being introduced

to here.

It's his

office.

The shores

of Galilee

and the

surrounding

areas are

his province,

his domain,

his catchment

area.

Now,

I want to

emphasize that

this is

not,

and it's

very apparent

to see this,

of course,

the evidence

is before us,

this is not

an Acts

9,

road to

Damascus,

explosive

conversion

account,

far from it.

There is

very little

drama

about

Matthew's

story.

And again,

perhaps we

can draw

some crumbs

of encouragement

from that

point,

because is it

not reassuring

for anyone

here today,

whoever you

are.

Maybe it

is the

case that

you are

waiting,

waiting for

the drama

to unfold,

waiting for

an earth-shattering

development to

happen to you

before you

become a

follower of

Jesus Christ.

Well,

let me say to

you,

I know in

certain terms,

that's not

how it

works.

There are

exceptions to

the rule,

but we are

exploring the

rule.

Across the

landscape of

Scripture,

you will find

that there

are multiple

conversions

that are

uneventful.

people.

Let me

take you

back to

the pages

of the

Old Testament

to 1

Kings 19

9.

It's that

very significant

moment where

the Lord

spoke to

Elijah.

How did

that happen?

Well, the

Bible tells

us that it

wasn't in

a hurricane

force wind.

No,

God's voice

is absent.

It wasn't

in an

earthquake,

and it

wasn't in

the fire.

It came

in the

sound of

a low

whisper,

a still,

small

voice.

Maybe

that's how

God is

speaking to

you today.

I pray

that you

will hear

His

still,

small,

low

whisper,

because when

you do,

it will

be loud

enough

to

rattle

you.

This is

the dynamic

of Matthew

9.

9.

It's all

very

ordinary.

So you

might say

it's just

another day

at the

tax collector's

booth for

Matthew.

He's engaged

in his

work,

pen to

hand,

applying and

collecting

taxes

accordingly

from those

who are

under his

jurisdiction.

But verse

9 really

is a

turning

point.

So what

is the

turning

point in

this verse?

Well,

it revolves,

of course,

around the

Lord Jesus.

We see

Him walking

along,

He's

passing

by,

and it's

not by

coincidence.

Coincidence

is not a

word you'll

find in the

vocabulary of

divine

providence.

This is by

divine

appointment.

Jesus is

seeking out

disciples,

and He

calls

Matthew.

I want

us to

notice here

how Jesus

singles him

out,

just as He

called Simon

and Andrew

and James

and John

back in

chapter 4,

with the

exact same

formula,

and it's a

recurring formula

on the pages

of the gospel.

You will find

it time and

time again,

just two

words,

follow me.

But much,

much more

than just

two words,

there's

something very

personal,

something very

persuasive,

and indeed

powerful about

this formula,

as we'll see

in a moment.

So,

let's ask the

question,

what do we

know about

Matthew?

Well,

at this stage,

not a lot

other than

his father's

name.

Mark tells

us in Mark

2 that

Matthew,

Levi,

is the

son of

Alphaeus,

but Matthew,

Mark,

and Luke,

the three

gospel writers

who profile

this incident,

tell us that

Matthew is

a tax

collector,

and that's

arguably not

the best

introduction

by way of

public

perception,

at least

back in

the first

century world.

Think of

Matthew as

a New

Testament,

a New

Testament,

Naaman.

Who was

Naaman?

2 Kings

2 Kings 5:1

chapter 5,

verse 1,

we're introduced

to this

high-profile

figure,

a man of

status.

He's introduced

as the commander

of the army

of the king

of Syria,

a great man,

the Bible tells

us,

highly regarded,

a man

of valor,

indeed a

mighty man

of valor,

but,

but,

he was

a leper.

You see,

Matthew has

the leprosy

factor.

Yes,

he has a

respective

pedigree,

but he

was

a tax

collector.

The King

James

version uses

the word

publican.

He was a

publican,

a man

much

despised

who farmed

public

revenue

with greed

and

unfairness.

Names

stick,

just like

Naaman the

leper,

so,

Matthew the

tax

collector

is not

without

stigma.

Indeed,

just like

the leper,

we meet

back in

chapter 8,

in the

previous

chapter,

it's how

the chapter

begins,

Jesus

cleanses

a letter,

well,

just like

the leper,

a Jewish

tax

collector

like

Matthew

was

labelled

ceremonially

unclean,

thought of

generally as

a filthy,

meddling,

middleman,

of ill

repute.

Think of

Matthew as

a traitor

who has

very few

friends.

Here is

someone who

collaborates

with Rome,

collecting

taxes on

behalf of

the empire,

that's his

day job.

He's less

than patriotic,

we see him

working here

under Roman

duress,

offering a

toll booth

for Herod

Antipas,

the tetra

of Galilee.

You see,

Matthew is

also frowned

upon by

the religious

leaders,

the scribes

and the

Pharisees,

who are

always

prowling

around.

They see

him as a

defector

and as

an apostate.

The

taxation

system back

then was

corrupt

and was

considered

fraudulent

at the best

of times.

Many tax

collectors

pocketed

commission,

inflation,

inflated

payments

from the

taxes

themselves.

Cue

Zacchaeus,

the chief

tax collector

of Jericho.

He's profiled

in Luke

Luke 19 · chapter mention

chapter 19,

so you might

say,

Matthew,

Zacchaeus,

birds of a

feather.

So whether

Matthew did

or not,

whether he

was an

embezzler

or not,

he would

have been

tarred with

the same

brush as

his fellow

tax collectors,

a fraudster,

a swindler.

This negative

state of

status went

before him.

He couldn't

shake it off.

He was

guilty by

association.

the Jews

who,

this is a

Jew who

interacts

with Gentiles,

non-Jews,

and is

hated by

his fellow

Jews,

branded

unclean.

His home

is even

labeled

unclean.

We'll say

no more

about that

because tonight

we're going

to be spending

time in

Matthew's

home.

Then,

then,

along

comes

Jesus.

We're going

to pause

at this

point because

it is

significant,

is it

not,

that Jesus

does not

pass him

by.

We don't

see Jesus

tutting,

shaking his

head in

judgment at

Matthew.

Neither does

he give him

a wide

berth or a

disparaging

glance as

many others

would have.

I want us

to notice

something very,

very significant

twofold in

this verse.

Matthew

tells us

that Jesus

saw

Matthew.

In the

original language

of the New

Testament,

in the

Greek

tongue,

this word

saw

means so

much more

than just

a passing

glance.

This word

means that

Jesus

noticed

Matthew.

Jesus

observes

Matthew.

Jesus

pays

attention

to

Matthew.

This word

saw

implies

scrutiny.

This is

the language

of a

fixed

gaze.

Matthew

is the

focal point,

and he

has the

attention

of the

Lord Jesus.

But not

only that,

I want us

to notice

too that

Jesus

said.

this

implies

very,

very

clearly

that

Jesus

spoke

directly,

spoke

audibly,

and with

clarity

to

Matthew.

This

implies

direct

eye

contact.

And

isn't the

Lord Jesus

to the

point?

With

forthright,

upfront

language,

he calls

Matthew,

just as

he called

the

Galilean

fishermen

we read

of back

in chapter

4.

And all

of this

is in

the

imperative

mood.

The

verb

follow

me

is

imperative,

is it

not?

His

calling

is radical,

it's

compelling,

it's

absolute,

but it's

also

effective

and

it's

effectual.

just

two

words,

follow

me.

Here

we see

something

of the

word

of his

power.

This

much

discriminated

against

tax

collector

who is

barred

from the

synagogue,

there is

no place

reserved

for Matthew

in the

temple,

it's an

exclusion

zone as

far as

he is

concerned,

because of

who he

is and

what he

does,

he is

unclean,

he is

vile,

he is

a

despicable

Jew

who is

barred

from all

of the

above.

You are

not

welcome

here,

Matthew,

but how

encouraging,

how

uplifting,

how

reassuring

to read

of what

unfolds

next.

The

living

temple

in the

person

of

Jesus

Christ

comes

to

Matthew.

Yes,

he calls

this

much

reviled

character

and does

so

without

discrimination

and without

prejudice.

Jesus of

Nazareth

is the

definitive

good

Samaritan.

We see him

here while

others pass

by and look

the other

way.

Jesus looks

directly at

Matthew and

engages with

Matthew and

with compassion

and with

tender mercy

he speaks

directly to

him and

draws his

attention to

himself.

Isn't that

beautiful?

Matthew

highlights,

doesn't he,

that Jesus

is particularly

interested in

individuals.

His

ministry is

full of

personal

encounters.

Maybe some

of us need

to take

note of

that today.

He

pursues

Matthew

as he

pursued

you and

I as

followers

of Jesus

Christ.

He

finds

Matthew

and others

like him

and he

touches

and transforms

their lives

one after

another.

I mean,

if we just

go back

to the

previous

chapter,

chapter 8,

verse 1,

navigate your

way through

it.

It's

incredible.

First of

all, he

brings

cleansing to

a leper.

Then we

have the

encounter

with the

centurion's

servant.

Then Peter's

mother-in-law.

Then two

demon-possessed

men.

And then as

we transition

into chapter

9, the

paralytic.

there's a

personal

perspective to

the gospel.

Jesus

continues to

touch and

to transform

one life

after another

until he

gathers all

the lost

sheep of

the house

of Israel

one by

one as

one flock

in one

fold

under one

shepherd.

So I want

you today to

take encouragement

from Matthew.

Jesus

continues to

call individuals

like you

and I

with the

same

vocabulary,

the same

formula,

follow me.

And this

discipleship

formula has

lost nothing,

nothing of

its thrust

2,000 years

later.

This

same

Jesus may

well be

calling you

today

from a

very personal

perspective.

And if he

is, you

too will

sense that

it's

personal,

it's

persuasive,

and it's

powerful.

I want to

remind you

today that

Jesus sees

you.

He knows

you.

And he

is speaking

to you

now through

his word,

through the

message of

the gospel

as he

passes by.

And you

would do

well to

listen.

Take

encouragement

too.

if you

struggle

today with

negativity.

The

gospels

tackle

negative

perception

head-on.

You may

well be

afraid of

how you

are

perceived

by

others.

Maybe

your past

haunts

you.

Maybe

there's

some

dark

matter

there

that

you

have

trouble

erasing.

your life

is full

of trigger

points.

Matthew

may well

have been

an

embezzler

or

label

such.

How does

he shake

it off?

Well,

perhaps he

had tried

but has

probably

resigned

to being

branded

a

publican.

But

Jesus

intervenes

where

others

might

ignore

and

snub

Matthew,

write him

off

and he

calls

them

to

himself.

He

does

so

mercifully.

He

has

mercy

on

him

and

he

will

have

mercy

on

you

too.

Stand

next

to

Matthew

if

you

will.

This

is

life

changing.

He

may

be

calling

out

to

you

today

come

to

Jesus

because

he

says

whoever

comes

to

me

I

will

never

drive

that

individual

away.

And

then

there

may

be

some

of

us

who

are

inclined

to

shelve

to

procrastinate

and

to

say

tomorrow

will

do

or

I'll

revisit

this

next

Sunday.

Today

if

you

hear

his

voice

the

Bible

says

do

not

harden

your

hearts

do

not

harden

your

hearts

yes

it's

a matter

of the

heart

which

takes

us

to

the

heart

of

the

matter

secondly

!

briefly

Matthew

committed

to

Jesus

how does

Matthew

respond?

well in

just a few

words

it's

what you

might

call a

one-liner

Matthew

himself

tells us

Matthew

rose

Matthew

got up

and

followed

him

followed

Jesus

he does

so with

submission

he does

so with

obedience

he does

so with

self-denial

he commits

and he

does so

by

faith

and he

does so

immediately

the

radical

effectual

call

of

Jesus

is

met

here

by

unconditional

obedience

it's

so

important

for us

to

note

that

he

rose

there

and

then

he

stood

and

relinquishes

his

position

severs

his

ties

with

the

taxation

system

that's

his

main

source

of

income

and

he

follows

Jesus

what

does

this

tell

us

it's

the

core

of

discipleship

Christian

discipleship

to

follow

one

must

forsake

that

is the

essence

of

faith

forsaking

all

I

trust

him

Matthew

does

that

in

fact

Luke

tells

us

in

his

account

in

Luke

5

28

that

Matthew

left

everything

behind

and

got up

and

followed

Jesus

what

does

all of

this

convey

to

us

from

a

theological

perspective

well the

key word

must be

grace

sovereign

grace

irresistible

grace

faith

and

repentance

all of

the above

yes

we see

here some

key aspects

of the

doctrines

of salvation

Matthew

is not

explicit

but he

is

implicit

so here

in verse

9

it's

not

insignificant

that

moments

ago

Matthew

was

seen

sitting

welded

to the

tax

collectors

booth

and now

he's

on his

feet

in

response

to the

words

of

Jesus

just

two

words

follow

me

he

rose

and

followed

Jesus

sitting

speaks

of

someone

who

is

inactive

standing

pursuing

Jesus

speaks

of

someone

who

is

suddenly

proactive

so there's

more than a

change of

circumstances

being alluded

to here

there's a

radical

shift

of

emphasis

from

negative

to

positive

it's

quite

compelling

indeed

it captures

something

of the

dynamic

of the

40th

psalm

and on

a

rock

he

set

my

feet

moments

ago

languishing

in the

pit

now

he

has

found

his

feet

in

and

through

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

his

getting

up

implies

conviction

conviction

of

what

well

surely

of a

sin

of a

felt

sense

of

compulsion

to

follow

the

sinless

one

he

recognizes

this

Matthew

that

he

is

a

sinful

man

in

need

of

a

savior

indeed

he

has

a

heightened

awareness

of

this

and

he's

on

his

feet

what's

going

on

in

his

head

at

this

point

I

think

we

can

answer

that

question

his

mind

is

enlightened

in

the

knowledge

of

the

one

who

is

calling

him

his

will

is

renewed

in

this

moment

and

you're

saying

it

can't

happen

that

quickly

it

can

and

it

does

and

it's

what's

unfolding

here

because

in

these

decisive

moments

Matthew

is

fully

persuaded

and

made

able

to

follow

Jesus

Christ

never

underestimate

what

God

can do

for you

from

the

moment

you

walk

in

this

door

and

you

leave

after

the

benediction

has

been

pronounced

!

look

at

Matthew

to

use

the

vocabulary

of

Puritan

theology

we see

him

closing

in

with

Jesus

by

grace

alone

through

faith

alone

in

Christ

alone

he's

not

unlike

Lydia

is he

whom

we meet

in

Acts

Acts 16 · chapter mention

chapter

16

the

Lord

opens

Matthew's

heart

here

just

as

he

opened

the

heart

of

Lydia

to

pay

attention

to

what

is

being

said

and

just

like

Lydia

Matthew's

heart

is no

longer

his

own

when

the

Bible

speaks

of

the

heart

more

often

than

not

it

alludes

to

every

fiber

of

our

being

the

entire

person

he

gave

everything

Luke

tells

us

everything

every

fiber

of

his

being

is

now

under

the

jurisdiction

of the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and

Levi

got

up

Luke

tells

us

yes

he

got

up

he

left

everything

behind

and

followed

Jesus

isn't

it

interesting

when we

compare

Matthew

with

the

fishermen

from

Galilee

the

fishermen

brought

their

boats

to

land

Luke

tells

us

left

everything

and

followed

him

but

they

would

return

to

the

sea

of

Galilee

to

their

boats

from

time

to

time

Matthew

would

never

ever