Lesson 07 - Matthew - Matthew 9 09
INTRODUCTION
1. OK, so you are NOT a Peter,
a. You are NOT an Andrew
b. You are NOT a John
c. You are NOT a James
2. We still have a lot of Apostles left
a. Don’t lose faith!
b. The guy we are looking at tonight didn’t have any either
i. Well at first anyway
c. SPIRITUAL things – farthest from his mind
3. Matthew – man of the WORLD
a. Just like so many today
b. GOAL - living for today
c. GOAL - to make as much money as possible
4. Matthew, a/k/a
Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
a. Levi
b. Came to be the author of the FIRST book in our NT
c. But yet his life is NOT that well known
d. The ONLY account of Matthew’s life is his CALL to be a DISCIPLE
e. The ONLY mention of his name is when the TWELVE are listed
f. BUT we can learn something about him from HIS book
g. We can LEARN some things that we too must do
FIRST – MATTHEW KNEW HE WAS FORGIVEN
1. Our account of Matthew begins with Jesus in the midst of performing several miracles
a. In Matthew 8
i. We find Jesus curing a man of LEPROSY
ii. We find Jesus healing a centurion’s PARALYZED servant
iii. We find Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law
iv. He calms a STORM
v. He casts out DEMONS
b. THEN, chapter 9 begins with
i. Jesus healing another PARALYZED man
2. In the midst of ALL this activity Jesus SEES Matthew
a. Matthew sitting at as TAX collecting table
Matthew 9:9 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. And he arose, and followed him.
b. His life would NEVER be the same
3. When Matthew lists the disciples he only mentions HIS occupation
Matthew 10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
a. The other Gospels are much KINDER to Matthew
i. NOT making mention of his DARK past
ii. Tax Collectors were NOT honest people
b. The Jew’s HATED tax collectors - PUBLICANS
i. Putting THEM in the same category as HEATHEN
Matthew 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
ii. EVEN Jesus used PUBLICANS as a contrast to those who were RESPECTABLE
Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
iii. AGAIN Jesus compared the PUBLICAN to the self-righteous chief priests
Matthew 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
iv. Matthew was a PUBLICAN
v. Matthew was NOT a honest man
4. Matthew was a JEW who collected taxes for the ROMANS
a. TAXES used to pay for the Roman OCCUPATION of Israel
b. Matthew was a TRAITOR in the eyes of the Jews
c. Matthew is getting RICH by helping the ENEMY of the Jews
5. The Romans would tell Matthew HOW MUCH they wanted
a. Matthew could and would keep anything he collected ABOVE that amount
b. Just image the BRIBES, the EXTORTION, the GREED on the part of tax collectors
6. WHEN Matthew makes reference to his PAST it is not from HONOR
a. It is from SHAME
b. It reflects his very HUMBLE position before the Lord
c. It reflects his UNWORTHINESS to be a disciple
7. Interesting too
a. You will NEVER find Matthew asking a QUESTION
b. You will NEVER find Matthew making a COMMENT
c. You will NEVER find Matthew SPEAKING
d. There is absolutely NO arrogance in Matthew
e. Certainly NOT like Peter or James
8. Matthew tells us of his TERRIBLE past to show us
a. HOW God can TRANSFORM a life
b. HOW God can use the WORSE of sinners
c. POINT being, we can NEVER sin so bad
i. That God can NOT forgive us
ii. That God can NOT use us
d. Matthew KNEW he was FORGIVEN
SECOND – MATTHEW HAD TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
Luke 5:27-28 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.
1. When Jesus calls Matthew look what Matthew DID
a. He put down his PEN
b. He closed his BOOK
c. Gets up and
d. FOLLOWS Jesus
2. Matthew LEFT his MONEY
a. Matthew LEFT his very PROFITABLE occupation
b. Certainly Matthew was a very WEALTHY man
c. Certainly Matthew had learned that WEALTH did not bring HAPPINESS
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
d. Matthew is the ONLY gospel writer to RECORD these words
e. Matthew found HAPPINESS
f. Matthew found a REASON for BEING
3. The next day Matthew records an interesting EVENT
Matthew 9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
a. Luke also describes this EVENT
Luke 5:29 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.
b. Matthew FIRST act was to INVITE his friends to meet Jesus
c. The ONLY friends Matthew had were fellow tax collectors, publicans
i. We fellow sinners
d. These are the ONES Matthew invited to dinner to meet Jesus
e. Matthew wants he friends to be SAVED too
f. Matthew is concerned about their SOUL status
4. Matthew is a soul winner
a. Matthew and Paul have one thing in COMMON
1 Corinthians 9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
b. Matthew loved the LOST
c. Matthew wanted to see them SAVED
FINALLY, MATTHEW ALLOWED GOD TO USE HIM
1. Matthew was a very DETAILED person
a. A BOOKKEEPER type
b. Imagine the RECORDING necessary to keep up with TAXES
c. Who OWED, who PAID, how MUCH, where to DEPOSIT it, how much was LEFT over
i. On and on we could go
d. Matthew was a very DETAILED man
2. Interesting to that the very FIRST verses of Matthew’s book record the GENEALOGY of Jesus
a. Traced through the royal lineage of DAVID
b. All the way back to ABRAHAM
c. A lot of DETAIL
3. God used Matthew’s SECULAR talents
a. God used Matthew’s TALENTS
b. Whatever talents we have came from GOD
Job 10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.
c. That PEN Matthew used to collect taxes with, God USED
d. Used to record the most DETAILED account of the life of Jesus
e. Matthew KNEW how to keep good records
f. Matthew used his TALENTS for the Lord
g. Matthew KNEW he was FORGIVEN
h. Matthew HAD to share the Good News
i. Matthew USED his talents for the Lord
CONCLUSION
1. Good ole TRADITION again
a. Tradition tells us that Matthew DIED at the STAKE
b. REGARDLESS, Matthew was FAITHFUL to the END
2. Matthew, a guy who wanted to make a lot of MONEY
a. A guy who did make a lot of MONEY
b. A guy with a very PROFITABLE business
c. Matthew LEFT it all
d. Matthew FOLLOWED Jesus
Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
e. WHY would Matthew give us that GOOD LIFE?
i. Matthew GIVES us the ANSWER
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?