Forgetting the Something Else

// RECAP

Week 1: Unfollow Performance

Mary & Martha’s House

Serving is not a problem and performance isn’t a problem, but forgetting the most important thing is a problem

To Chase after Jesus, we have to make Him the most important thing in our day, our week, our month, our life!

Profile: Matthew

Occupation: Tax Collector (later became Apostle of Jesus, Wrote the Gospel according to Matthew)

Tax Collector:

tax collectors worked for the government, usually corrupt or perceived as corrupt

many times they would collect more than they were supposed to and pocket the extra - many tax collectors were rich because of this

tax collectors would even bid for “jobs” so they could tax the wealthy therefore make more money - it took a while to gain in the ranks of a tax collector

the view of a tax collector disqualified them for any high position in the Jewish community. Many times their disgrace would travel all the way to their family.

chances are high that Matthew would’ve taxed the others (Simon Peter, James, John) that had been fisherman - and here Jesus has called them all together to “follow me”

Location: Capernaum

Jesus Points of Ministry Video

Name Meaning: gift of God

Matthew is Called

Amplified Version

Luke 5:27–32 AMP

27 And after this, Jesus went out and looked [attentively] at a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, Join Me as a disciple and side with My party and accompany Me. 28 And he forsook everything and got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple and siding with His party]. 29 And Levi (Matthew) made a great banquet for Him in his own house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others who were reclining [at the table] with them. 30 Now the Pharisees and their scribes were grumbling against Jesus’ disciples, saying, Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and [preeminently] sinful people? 31 And Jesus replied to them, It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to arouse and invite and call the righteous, but the erring ones (those not free from sin) to repentance [to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins].

The Message

Luke 5:27–32 MSG

27 After this he went out and saw a man named Levi at his work collecting taxes. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” 28 And he did—walked away from everything and went with him. 29 Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. 30 The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. “What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and ‘sinners’?” 31 Jesus heard about it and spoke up, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? 32 I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”

The Call

Matthew at the Tax Booth

Matthew is working his in his normal element (God loves to call us while we are doing what we are already doing)

many times we might think that we have to be in this deep prayer situation for God to call us, but if you look at the Bible, many times God calls people while they are doing their normal day-to-day:

Elisha

Noah

Moses

Samuel

All the Disciples

At this point in His ministry, Jesus has healed and interacted with: a paralytic, a leper, and a demoniac - all outcasts of society

Follow Me

Jesus calling Matthew

Jesus walks up to Matthew and says, “Follow me”

Follow Me = to head in the same direction as me

As we go on this chase after Jesus are our lives headed in the same direction as Him?

By Matthew getting up and leaving his tax collecting business, this was a burn the boats moment!

Cortez, Spanish Commander - ordered that their boat be burned so that they were forced to succeed or die trying

Matthew knew that by leaving his tax collecting business, he was effectively unemployed

even the other disciples that were fishermen could’ve (and did in ) go back to fishing if something didn’t work out.

Matthew’s Response

Matthew was most-likely one of the riches disciples and yet he wasn’t sad to leave that societal status

Matthew throws a huge party for Jesus and invites all his tax-collector friends to it!

Matthew wanted all his friends to meet Jesus because

“a saved man doesn’t want to go to Heaven alone!”

The Dilema

Luke 5:30–32 ESV

30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

The religious people of that day couldn’t understand why Jesus would continue to spend time with these social outcasts.

Jesus explains that He came to help those that had a need

Our Dilema

We can end up like the religious people, thinking that we are right and not in need of Jesus - therefore we stop chasing Him

we are all sick in some area of our life and in constant need of Jesus in our life

What are you willing to “forget” in order to chase Jesus?

Our Something Else’s

Relationships

we value time with others more than time with Jesus

Status/Position/Popularity

we care more about what others think, say, like about us than what Jesus says about us

Matthew was not viewed highly by those around him. Yet, Jesus saw his potential for the Kingdom and called him to use his talents for the Kingdom of God

Finances & “Stuff”

we care more about the latest gadget or clothing

Control (or things out of your control)

we spend our time, effort, talents to be in control of the situation and forget to surrender to God’s plan for our life

Your Future or Past

we are so concerned with the unknown future or our known past that we forget to look around and make moves in the present

** Challenge **

Forget the Something Else’s

what are your “something else’s” that you need to “forget” in order that you can chase Jesus as the most important thing in your life?

Fasting & Prayer

choose a fast to go on & a prayer focus during the church fast

the purpose of a fast is to “kill” the flesh