Being Matthew

Matthew, a follower...

 

"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." - Matthew 9:9

 

 

You could easily read right over this short verse as just some facts behind Jesus meeting Matthew for the first time, but it's important to dig a little deeper with this one.  Matthew was a tax collector.   These were horrible people of this time.  They lied and cheated their own people out of money.   They were corrupt and despised.  They had ill-gotten wealth and had no regard for others.  They had a lot of material gains and lived comfortably.

 

 

Jesus sees Matthew, knows his heart and says two simple words to him while he was completely engaged in his tax collecting life at that moment.  “Follow me"....That’s it.  Jesus said “Follow me” and Matthew stood up, walked away from that life and followed Jesus.  I’m not sure we give enough credit to Matthew for what he did.  His heart had to be aware of who Jesus was and he also had to believe Jesus was actually the Son of God.  But even so, Matthew still had to decide to follow or not.  To follow Jesus to a life of worldly poverty and persecution or to continue to reap the monetary benefits of being a tax collector.

 

 

This verse doesn't suggest that there were any doubts from either Jesus or Matthew.  Jesus did not ask Matthew, Follow me?  And Matthew didn’t ask Jesus a bunch of clarifying questions such as, “ok, but for how long? Where are we going? What do I need to do? Who are you?”  He got up and followed him.  Matthew had no doubts who Jesus was.

 

 

 

This verse also doesn't indicate Jesus was forceful with the way he spoke to Matthew.  Jesus did not make a demand on Matthew, like Follow me!  Maybe Matthew had been seeking guidance from God.  Perhaps Matthew was feeling that his life was headed the wrong way, that he knew what he was doing to others was not right.  Maybe he had been spending some of his time praying, “God what should I do? I know I'm a sinner, I’m taking advantage of people, God please help.”  Perhaps when Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow me.”  He was answering Matthew’s prayers.

 

 

Matthew gave it all up.  The money, the comfort, the power.  He gave it all up for Jesus.  This is what Jesus asks each of us to do too.  Give it all up.  Die to yourself as Matthew did.  He wants us to walk away from the sin that entraps our lives and “Follow him.”  Matthew went all in.  He didn’t follow Jesus part time, on holidays or when things were going good in his life.  He didn’t continue his sinful life, he didn’t define himself as a Tax Collector who loves Jesus.  He became a follower who loves Jesus.  His heart was open, his mind believed and when Jesus said “Follow me” he did just that.