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Since we have been doing this series on the Apostles have you seen how ordinary these men really were?
They were ordinary and unrefined when Jesus met them, and over time we see what a difference Jesus made in their lives and in their leadership.
All twelve except Judas Ischariot were from Galilee.
The whole region was rural, made up of small towns and villages.
Kind of like what we are used to here in NL.
They were not known for their education, they were fisherman and farmers.
What I love most about learing about the Apostles is how we see that Christ purposefully passed over those who were Aristocratic and influential and chose men from those considered lowly in the ladder of society.
God exalts the humbe and lays low those who are proud.
The religious leaders of Jesus day were blind leading the blind.
These leaders were so spiritually blind that when the Messiah came and did miracles before their eyes they still did not see Him for who He was.
They regarded Jesus as the enemy.
They could not tolerate being called sinners, or being called poor, prisioners, blind, oppressed, lost, in bondage, or needing forgiveness.
They felt that they were above this.
Therefore it was due to His message and how He made them feel that they hated Him and executed Him.
That is why when it came to appointing disciples He chose lowly, ordinary men, those who were not reluctant to acknowledge their own sinfulness.
This morning we will take a look at Matthew & tonight we will look at Thomas.
First of all Matthew was a notorious sinner.
He was called by the Jewish name “Levi the son of Alpheus”.
Luke refers to him as Levi and as Matthew when he is listed in the twelve in and .
Matthew wrote the gospel that bears his name and you might think it would have a lot to do with him and his character but we know very little about Matthew.
What we know is that he was a humble, under the radar personality who kept himself almost completely in the background throughout his lengthy account of Jesus’ life and ministry.
In his gospel account his name is only mentioned twice.
Once where his call is recorded and the other in the list os the apostles.
Matthew - the Publican
Matthew was a tax collector when Jesus called him.
This was certainly not one whom we would expect Jesus to call.
Especially not t become an apostle, a top leader of the church and preacher of the Gospel.
Tax collectors were despised by most people in Israel.
They were hated by all of Jewish society.
They often strong-armed money out of people with the use of thugs.
Most of them were unprincipled, vile, despicable scoundrels.
His call comes out of nowhere, catching us by surprise.
Matt 9:9-
These scriptures show how Matthew is called.
Matthew is sitting at the tax office and Jesus says “Follow Me” so he obediently did it!
That is the only glimpse that we have of him from his own gospel.
Luke goes into more detail and reveals that there was actually a huge banquet that Matthew himself held at his house in Jesus’ honor.Matthew invited a large number of his fellow coworkers.
I’m sure he did that because that’s who he knew.
These people were outcasts and scoundrels.
Matthew, like Philip, brought his closest friends to meet Jesus as his first response.
Matthew was thrilled to have found the Messiah, and I would say as well someone who would give him a fresh start and love him.
I am sure he knew he was hated and judged.
What a difference Jesus makes.
We may ask why did Matthew invite the lowliest people?
Because they were the people he knew.
He did not know the socailly elite.
Tax collectors were on the same level as harlots.
Not your high class society.
For a Jewish man to be a tax collector that was even worse.
That occupation made him a religious outcast and forbidden to enter the synagague.
Therefore, his friends were seen as fringe of society and riffraff.
These were his friends and he now knew what a difference Jesus made in His life and why not introduce his friends to Jesus
Jesus and the disciples did not mind meeting these people and Matthew knew that because they befriended him.
Why does your teacher eat with such scum?
I love that Jesus does not react with offense or anger.
He states things in a loving yet matter of fact manner.
This certainly causes one to check theirselves for this attitude and I believe we can certainly learn from this response and put it into action in our lives.
I am so glad for his response.
His response is why I am here!
Jesus replied by saying sick people are the very ones who need a physician.
Jesus said that He did not come to call the self-righteous but sinners to repentence!
He knew the self righteous did not want or would not receive repentance.
Church this morning may we not be counted in that number!
May we not be counted in those who think they are ok as they are, that they do not need Him.
May we never think that we are above others as well.
There will be a great awakening to that fact one day if you do fall into that trap.
Do not loose out!
Jesus was stating there was nothing he could do for the religious elite as long as they insisted on keeping up their piety and hypocritical front.
May we be like Matthew in that we are prepared to confess our sin so that we can be FORGIVEN and REDEEMED!!!!!
Don’t you find it interesting that tax collectors are specifically mentioned in the Gospels and each one of them found forgiveness!!!
Zachcheus in
The Publican mentioned in
Matthew
says that all tax collectors and the sinners drew near to hear him
Tax collectors
They stood a far off because they were not allowed past the court of the Gentiles in the temple.
They were so hated they had to keep their distance from any group.
Church when I read this it sends shivers up my spine.
To see the church leading in hatred in such a manner should never be so.
The church should be leading the way in pouring out love for each other as brothers and sisters - there should not be anger, hatred, grudges or anamosity in the church.
No matter the situation past or present.
This church has a past and there have been times in the past while that i have seen evidence of that past creep back in but this morning I remind you, I plead with you!
Get rid of it!
It is not helping you or your brother or sister and it is not the recipe for revival!
Do you want to see things happen?
Then go make a mends.
Even if you feel you are not at fault.
HUMBLE Yourself before God!
He was willing to do this, follow His example.
Then once it is dealt with, LET IT GO!!!
We need to release it, stop talking about it, stop letting it creep back in.
Root it out!
Get it gone!
There were two types of tax collectors the Gabbai and the Mokes.
Gabbai - general tax collectors - collected property tax, income tax, and poll tax.
These were set by official assessments for domestic trade and anything moved by road.
Mokhes - there are two of these: Great and Little.
Great Mokhes - stayed behind the scenes and hired others to collect taxes for him.
Zaccheus was apparently a Great Mokhes - chief tax collector -
Matthew was a Little Mokhes because he manned the tax office where he dealt with people face to face.
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