The first verse of Chapter 9 of Matthew places Jesus in his “own city.” It is not referring to Nazareth but Capernaum, his home away from home. It was on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. You could see the place where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. It was fishing home to Peter and Andrew, James and John.
The first eight verses give us a tremendous miracle. A man sick of palsy was delivered in his soul from sin and in his body from paralysis. Verse 9 is a miracle all by itself. It is as much a miracle as the previous verses. Here was a paralyzed man too. Confined and trapped to a seat of customs, in a job he had chosen to do, sat a man. To the betrayal of his own countrymen he took the job of a tax collector for the Roman government. He had nowhere to go. The Romans saw him as a traitor too. They just used him as a strong arm to get the taxes paid. The devil uses us that way too. He pretends to like us and will set us up in something that seems to be for our benefit. The only thing he wants however is for us to follow him. He’s not really doing it against us; he does it against God to steal souls of men to get back at God. If you asked his fellowman, there was nothing loveable about this man. His friends were of the lowest base in the town. You couldn’t trust any of them. In Jesus’ city lived a man named Matthew the publican, also known as Levi.
Jesus was on his way out of town. He could have exited in several different places, but he chose this particular street. He was leaving behind many healed and forgiven people. However, there were many more left behind who were not healed or forgiven. They chose not to believe. They chose not to ask anything of Jesus. Matthew was right in his place. He would have heard about Jesus, but he didn’t approach him. I’m sure he thought he wasn’t good enough. He shows his modesty about the situation in using only one verse to describe what happened to him. Verse 9 says “and as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, follow me.”
Matthew had a decision to make. It’s one we all have to make. Would he remain at the receipt of customs or would he receive the Lord? From a carnal standpoint, Matthew was doing well. He was making money and living the good life. He may have argued many times in the past with Jesus’ new disciples about taxes. As fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John would have owed a lot in taxes. They would have considered Matthew the last person on earth to follow Jesus with them. Verse 9 ends with a simple sentence: “and he arose, and followed him.” That’s it. That’s all Matthew wrote about the matter.
The other gospel writers speak a lot about Matthew yet he speaks little of himself. He was to the point. The true miracle was for the Lord to ask Matthew to follow him. The Lord was in charge. He calls whoever he wills. He sees our unworthiness. Others may measure worth by the dollar sign, but the Lord doesn’t use dollars and cents. Man’s worth is in his soul. Matthew knew all this. He knew Jesus saw the man Matthew, not the tax collector who was traitor to his own people. It doesn’t matter what we put around us. When Jesus looks at us, he sees us for who we are. We can do nothing to impress Jesus. Our assets don’t do a thing for him. The fishermen turned disciples saw a tax collector. Jesus saw a man. Neither would have thought Jesus would have given him the time of day.
Jesus is walking down your street today. He’s looking at you for who you really are. Matthew made no prayer or wish to the Lord for better things. He faced Jesus just as he was. Jesus said “follow me” and kept on going. The others may have thought Jesus was wasting his breath. As far as they were concerned Matthew was a lost cause, BUT there is one who can make people different. He makes things new. He takes messes and cleans them up. All of a sudden they heard a chair hit the ground and Roman soldiers cursing because Matthew left the table and followed Jesus.
Jesus had plans for Matthew. He became one of the 12 disciples. Although good with money, he didn’t become treasurer of the group. To be a tax collector he would have needed skill in being a recorder. He would have to accurately keep records and details. He used this talent in writing the first gospel because the book of Matthew was the first New Testament book circulated to the early church. No doubt the writers of the other books learned a lot from him on how to write things down.
The Lord sees you as you really are but also as what he can make of you. Do you see what he could make of you? He’s passing by. If you’ll rise up and follow him, anything is possible. Allow him to make out of you what he wants. He says “follow me.” What will you do?
He can make a lot more out of me. What about you?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 