Calling All Sinners

The Call is to Follow

Jesus Sees Matthew

It is sometimes a challenge for us to see those who need Jesus as valuable to God.

How many Religious Leaders walked right by Matthew every day and looked at him with little more than contempt?

Jesus saw more than Matthew’s current reality, He saw what God had created Matthew to be.

Everyone of us are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God.

Everyone of us were important enough that Jesus left the glory of Heaven to come for us.

None of us are worthy.

Jesus Calls Matthew

If it is difficult for us to see the sinner, it may be even harder to call them!

You may feel ill-equipped. You may feel intimidated.

You may not trust yourself.

Jesus called Matthew, knowing the truth of his life, knowing the depth of his depravity, knowing the price of his redemption.

Our inadequacies must not limit our obedience to call others to Follow!

The reason many are afraid to see sinners and to call sinners is that they may actually be interested!

Matthew Follows Jesus

When Matthew followed Jesus, he still had the same past.

Who was Matthew?

Even to this day, Matthew is known to most people as a tax collector.

Following Jesus does not erase your past, it brings forgiveness for it.

Our inadequacies must not limit our obedience to call others to Follow!

The Call is to Draw

Following leads to Leading

An amazing thing happened when Matthew followed Jesus.

Matthew’s friends followed him!

The growth of the church happens when ONE PERSON chooses to follow Christ.

That ONE PERSON influences others.

Your life brings others to a crisis of belief

The Call is to Change

None of the people who knew Matthew before could deny the difference in Him now.

They were drawn to Jesus because Matthew followed Jesus.

When people see life change in others, it proves to them that they can experience it themselves.

The Call is to Change

Present but not obvious is the call to Repentance

Jesus wasn’t content to leave the sinners where He found them.

The purpose of a physician wasn’t to associate with the sick but to bring healing!

Come to Jesus just as you are but know that He isn’t going to leave you where you are.

The “Sinners” weren’t the only ones in need of Repentance

All of the religious people that were upset at what Jesus was doing lost sight of the value of one life.

People who come to faith in Christ need someone to lead them into a lifestyle of obedience.

Paul said:

1 Corinthians 11:1 NASB95

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

The religious people became more interested in fulfilling their religious duties than rescuing the perishing.

Our church life can keep us from our Christian life.