SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 9:9-13
“9 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.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
INTRODUCTION
Up to this point there were 6 Disciples with Jesus who had just come from the wedding in Galilee with Him.
Andrew, Simon Peter, John & James, Philip & Nathanael (or Bartholomew)
Today we see Jesus calling Matthew.
We know from clues in the Bible when and in what order Jesus called the first six Disciples, but were not exactly clear of the order of the last six.
I believe it was within just a few days of calling the first six.
Jesus was beginning His ministry and need those close to Him He could trust, and work with Him for His Father’s Kingdom, not against Him, as we will se as He goes through His ministry.
Matthew was sometimes called Levi, or Levi son of Alphaeus.
He was from Capernaum.
He wrote the Gospel of Matthew, and his name means “gift of God”.
Matthew was both patient, and hospitable.
What we learn from Matthew in the scriptures is that Jesus Christ is for everyone, even sinners and outcasts.
I. Matthew left all to follow Christ.
a. Matthew was gainfully employed, yet left all to follow Jesus.
b. The other disciples left their careers as well to follow Jesus, because they listened to the Holy Spirits direction.
c. We see that all the disciples to this point have put Jesus before money.
d. The love of money is the root of all evil.
1 Timothy 6:10-11
“10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”
The love of money leads to all sorts of sin and falling away from the Lord.
Those who love money, the scripture says, wander away from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs.
Do you have many griefs in your life?
Have you wandered from the faith and are you piercing yourself because of your love for money?
e. The love of money also ushers in pride, these are footholds for the devil to come in.
f. The devil preys on idle hands and minds.
g. Jesus must come before your money and you must extinguish your pride, or you can not have a relationship with Jesus.
h. The disciples didn’t think twice, but forsook everything to follow the Lord.
i. Are you willing to do so?
j. Matthew did.
Follow me – Jesus says
a. We don’t know what else was said, but the call of Jesus and the answer of the one called by the Holy Spirit.
b. The scripture says “and he arose” which means he immediately answered the call. Not tomorrow, not later when it’s more convenient, not in 20 years when I retire from work. Immediately!
II. Matthew invited Jesus and His disciples to dinner at his house.
a. Although Jesus says follow me, we must accept His invitation and invite Him into our homes, and hearts.
b. Many came with Matthew to eat with Jesus and the Disciples.
c. Tax Collectors and sinners.
d. When the Pharisees saw this they asked the disciples, “Why does (your) teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
III. Jesus explains His ministry.
a. Jesus heard them questioning the disciples and answers them.
b. It’s not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick (sinners).
Jesus was saying, “It’s the sinners who need salvation”
“It’s those who are enslaved who need to be freed”
Jesus came for the sinners; He said “I came not to judge the lost, but to save them.”
This includes all sinners, not just the ones we feel are forgivable.
For it is God’s will that ALL are called to a knowledge of the truth, which is Jesus Christ.
c. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
There are those here today in this building, who think they belong to Jesus because they have sacrificed.
They are wrong.
There are those who believe they belong to Jesus because they have said a few “magic” words and now they are saved.
They are wrong.
Jesus says “I will have mercy, not sacrifice”
We must turn to the Lord, repent of our sin and forsake everything this world has to offer, or we are not worthy to follow the Lord.
Jesus Himself said;
Luke 9:62
“…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Do not begin to serve the Lord, and then turn from that service.
If you have been drawn away from your service to the Lord, either you have been redeemed and turned from the plow and need to return to the Lord,
Or you have not forsaken the things of this world to serve your Lord to begin with, and what you have done up to this point has been nothing but self-righteous sacrifice, and you are piercing yourself with sorrow and grief.
Deeds can not save you.
Works can not save you.
Your money and things of this world can not save you.
Sacrificing can not save you.
“magic words” can not save you.
Unless you repent of your sin, ask Jesus for forgiveness, and invite Him into your heart, make Jesus number one in your life,
Before money, and things, and your spouse, and your children and even yourself, you will not be saved.
There are those here today who think they are right with the Lord, and are not.
Their fruit shows this.
Jesus said, “Good fruit can not come from a bad tree, and Bad fruit can not come from a good tree.”
Are you producing Good fruit in your life?
Or is your life filled with strife, grief, sorrows, etc..
The scriptures say that from the overflow of our hearts, our mouths speak.
This is how we know what is in our hearts.
What is your mouth speaking?
That is what is in your heart.
Is it good fruit? Or is it bad?
You want to know if your heart is right with the Lord, look at what is coming out of your heart and you will know.
Don’t waste another minute.
REPENT TODAY because the Kingdom of Heaven is here, now and the Judgment is about to follow.
When you stand before Jesus, you will not have your spouse with you, or your children, or your money, or the things of this world.
Judgment is your sentence, not a trial. The trial is here and now on earth.
When you stand before the Lord, it will be too late to repent.
It will be too late to seek the Lord. It will simply be too late.
Repent now, seek the Lord now, submit to Jesus today.
The Lord is quick to forgive those who seek Him, and restore those who come to Him.
ALTAR CALL
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