Marching to the Drumbeat of a Different Drummer
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And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Illustration:
I remember when I was a kid, seeing a television program that involved an experiment with a group of people.
The experiment involved the effects of music on people.
They took a hidden camera and positioned it on a line of people getting their lunch in a cafeteria.
First they played soft, soothing music and the line floated along in an easy-go fashion.
Then they changed the music to marching music and it was amazing.
The line drastically sped up and the people moved much more quickly in getting their food.
The drum beat of a different drummer affected their behavior.
This same principle is in this story today.
We find people who marched to the drumbeat of a different drummer.
We use this phrase today to describe someone who stands out from the crowd and deviates from the norm.
They don’t live or think the same way as everyone else and are willing to stand alone, if need be, in order to do what is right.
We find this type of behavior in Luke 5 in the person of Matthew and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some men are thermometers, influenced by their circumstances.
Other men, however, are thermostats, influencing their surroundings.
Some folks happen to influence while others determine to influence those around them.
These individuals do not settle for mediocrity, they want to do their best, especially for the Lord.
In the case of Jesus, He was following the drumbeat of God the Father, doing His will.
In the case of Matthew, he made the choice to follow the drumbeat of Jesus Christ.
Lets examine some of the principles involved in marching to the drumbeat of a different drummer.
The questions we want to answer by the end of the message are, “Who is beating the drum that I am marching to in my own life?
Is it the Lord or is it someone else?”
The Appeal or Call of Jesus
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
Jesus went forth and encountered a publican, a tax collector named Levi or Matthew at the tax booth or receipt of custom.
Most people in this day had two or three names: a Jewish name, a Roman name, and possibly a Greek name.
Levi was his Jewish name, and Matthew was his Roman name.
These tax booths were usually located on the edge of the city or town to collect taxes for trade.
There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean.
The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices.
It was at this booth, that Jesus met Levi, who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas.
It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus, despised by Jews.
Such men were hated by their fellow-Jews, not only because of this collaboration with Rome, but because of their dishonest practices.
Tax collectors took a commission on the taxes they collected, so most of them overcharged the people and kept the profits.
The Jews also did not like the fact that they were in constant contact with “unclean” Gentiles.
Jesus approaches Levi at the tax booth and says to him, “Follow me.”
This was a command for Matthew, a man who normally gave commands and had the authority of Rome behind him.
The Lord basically said, “I want you to follow me.” By the way, He is saying the same thing to all of us today.
We are to be in the shadow position when it comes to the Lord. He is the Shepherd, we are the sheep.
He leads US in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. He is to be before us.
I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Matthew is presented with an opportunity here.
What will he do?
Will he laugh at the Lord?
Will he mock the Savior?
Will he follow His command?
Jesus made it clear that following Him was not easy.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
That’s harsh, uncomfortable and inconvenient, isn’t it?
Jesus wanted the people to understand that being a disciple demanded their whole life, not just the times when it was convenient.
It was like the old ad they used to run for Pony Express riders: “DUTY IS HAZARDOUS, ORPHANS PREFERRED.”
Like this old time ad, Jesus wanted people to understand what they were getting into if they followed Him.
Many people don’t follow the Lord today because they want to lead. Following is difficult for them.
The Acceptance or Compliance to the Command
And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
Matthew left all and followed the Lord.
This phrase “left all” is from the Greek word kataleipo {kat-al-i’-po}.
This word is a little stronger in the Greek text. It means “to abandon or to forsake.”
This is the same word used to describe a person that leaves everything behind when he dies.
It is also used by sailors who sail past a place without stopping.
Matthew was now marching to the drum beat of a different drummer.
He no longer listens to the drum beat of Rome or to the crescendo of coins in a bag.
No, Matthew abandoned his lucrative job, his power, his authority, his prestige among other tax collectors and Roman officials, to march to the drum beat of Jesus Christ.
The Lord saw something in Matthew.
He saw Matthew’s potential for greatness and gave him the opportunity to follow Him.
We find two principles in this verse involved in marching to the drum beat of a different drummer.
Principle One:
The Principle of Identification
Marching to the drum beat of a different drummer involves the identification of the proper value of material possessions compared to spiritual matters.
Matthew saw the greater value in following Christ than making more money.
Can a person make lots of money today and still follow Christ?
The answer is “Yes,” but it is very difficult in juggling the time and the pull of possessions.
If a person sees finances as a tool to serve Christ and help others, then he will be able to keep his focus on the Lord and his funds in proper perspective.
If he sees money as a tool for grasping power or living in wickedness, his funds will eventually ruin him and his family.
Solomon was one of the wisest and wealthiest men to ever live.
He made it clear that money cannot satisfy you or bring you happiness. In fact, this king stated that greed for gain can mess up or disturb your home with calamity.
He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
Most people in America today do not realize just how rich they are and what God has given to them, even though they don’t have a mansion or have millions of dollars in the bank. This happens when we fail to count our blessings.
Principle Two:
Immediate Responses
The second principle involved in marching to the drum beat of a different drummer involves the immediate response or taking advantages of present opportunities.
It involves not making excuses for inactivity, but seeing the possibilities in your situation.
It like the story in the March, 1988, issue of the Rotarian.
It tells about a bounty of $5,000 offered for each wolf captured alive. This bounty turned two country boys, Sam and Jed, into fortune hunters. Day and night they scoured the mountains and forests looking for their valuable prey. Exhausted one night, they fell asleep dreaming of their potential fortune. Suddenly, Sam awoke to see that they were surrounded by about fifty wolves with flaming eyes and bared ivory teeth, dripping with saliva. He nudged his buddy and said, “Jed, wake up! Wake up!… We’re rich! We’re rich!” Sam saw an opportunity!
Matthew saw the opportunity presented to him.
He immediately followed the Lord.
The opportunity presented itself and he took advantage of it.
People who stand out, people who tend to accomplish great things, are people who work hard and discern the importance of today’s opportunities.
They know that present opportunities can be gone tomorrow.
There are folks who claim that you can serve the Lord anytime.
If you decide to not live for Him today or take advantage of present opportunities, you can always serve the Lord some other time when you are older.
Hold the phone!
This is not true.
It may sound good, but it is not true.
Your opportunities to follow Christ may be gone tomorrow. Why?
1. Disability: You may become disabled or sick where you are hindered from or limited in your service to Christ.
2. Desire: You may become spiritually cold and hard and have no desire to live for Christ.
3. Death: You could die.
4. Difficulty: Others that need to be reached for Christ may become harder toward the gospel, they may move out of reach, or they may die without the Lord.
5. Deceptive Conclusions
The drum beat of Jesus Christ beats the cadence of TODAY and living for the Lord NOW! Today! Today! Today! Now! Now! Now!
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
