Becoming Matthew

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:9-13

Like Peter and Andrew, and James and John and the other disciples, Jesus called on to Matthew saying, follow me, and he did.

As Jesus was walking with His disciples, He found Matthew at his worksite, probably doing what He does best, collecting taxes from his own people and remitting them to the Romans who were lording over them. And as usual thinking of ways to overcharge and pocket the difference.

Matthew the Evangelist

But after leaving this old life behind and following Jesus and the new way, he along with Mark, Luke and John, who wrote the gospels, were called the Evangelists.

Calling You Were You Are

Matthew being a tax collector by trade, and a Jew working for the Romans, he would certainly be good in math and money matters, and should know how to read and write and record keeping and write both in his own language and in the Greek language.

After being with Jesus in His short ministry work, like Luke, he possibly had this great need to write down the good news account so people outside their circle would have an orderly narrative so if they wish to read one, one would be available.

His writings reflected who he was and contains many references to money. And not only that, Matthew gives us more detail as far as when money, treasure and currencies are involved.

Matthew the Sinner

In the narrative above, when Jesus first called him and said, "follow me", he didn't hold back.

He memoralized it. He emphasized he was a sinner and he needed a Savior. And Jesus came for him and for all other sinners.

Becoming Matthew

Matthew left his old life behind. Like the rest of the disciples, he followed Jesus. And it changed his life from then on. God then used his life experiences, his home, his skills, his talents, even his failures, miscues and mistakes to spread the good news of salvation, first to his fellow tax collectors, his fellow Jews, then to the Greek speaking people, up until today and to the ends of the earth and the end of the age.

He was hated. He was a called out of his sinful life. He was forgiven. He was loved. He was reborn. He was used by God. In our lives, nothing is ever lost. Everything is repurposed, when we answer the call, follow me.

You Love Me as You Find Me

Becoming (Like) Series

Don't Be Like Them Series