Unexpected - (W. 3 - Matthew 9:9)

“Unexpected Invitation”

Everyone enjoys being invited somewhere.

Everyone enjoys receiving a text to go to a party, or opening the mailbox and receiving a letter to be invited somewhere.

But it seems like recently, more and more invitations to birthday parties or showers seem to be more and more of a play on words.

- Let’s have a Partea

- Oh Twoodles

- One-Deer-Full

- 3-Rex

Now all of those are really cool and fun ideas… but it can leave you in confusion at times.

We are used to receiving fun invitations like this. They give us an idea of what is going to happen, even when they have play on words.

While the invitation may come as something that’s unexpected.

While the invitation may create some joy.

Tonight I want to preach to you on the importance of the invitation that Jesus gives.

His invitation is clear. His invitation brings change. and His invitation breaks comfort.

Matthew 9:9–10 KJV 1900

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. 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.

Context of the ministry of Jesus

At this point in the Gospel of Matthew, let’s review all the things that Jesus has done:

Chapter 1 & 2 - Jesus’ birth

Chapter 3 - Jesus’ baptism

Chapter 4 - Jesus’ temptation and triumph. His start to ministry

Matthew 4:17 KJV 1900

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Chapter 5-7 - Sermon on the Mount

Chapter 8 - Cleanses the leper

Centurion’s servant

Healed Peter’s mother in law

Tested those that said they wanted to follow HIm.

Calms the wind and waves

Cast out demons

healed a paralyzed man (Chapter 9)

Jesus is sufficient.

He invites us, not because He needs help.

Jesus is the Savior.

Luke 19:10 KJV 1900

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Romans 5:6–10 KJV 1900

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Jesus is amazing!!

Understanding Jesus’ ministry, power, and purpose should help us see how incredible this invitation is:

1. The Motive of the Invitation

Why would Jesus, the amazing Son of God, ever want a low life like Matthew to be His disciple?

Matthew, the author portrays Jesus as a King all throughout his message, and here we see when the low life tax collector gets a visit from the King himself.

Look back down at verse 9 -

a) Matthew’s Status

Matthew was probably a very wealthy man! Pretty cool right?

As a wealthy man, someone could beg the question: Why would Jesus want to call him?

Maybe it was for Jesus to gain something from him?

Can I speak to something really quick?

Jesus doesn’t gain anything by saving us… in fact He gave everything so we could gain everything.

Jesus gave everything up so that we, who have nothing, could gain everything.

It’s not that Matthew had everything to offer Jesus, it was actually the opposite… Jesus had everything to offer him:

b) Matthew’s Salvation

He was hated by the people there because he was a tax collector

Tax collectors were essentially traitors because Rome would take over a land and use the native people to collect their taxes.

Matthew was:

Hated

Greedy

Thought of a the lowest form of humanity

an Outcast

Dead in his sin.

But Jesus stepped in.

How great is it that Jesus still does that!

His motive when Jesus got to matthew was not to remodel him… it was to regenerate Him.

Jesus’ motive is always to make us new and then let us follow Him.

2. The Meaning of the Invitation

Again… we have to get the meaning and motive of Jesus’ invitations right. What does it mean to “follow Jesus”?

“Follow me.”Those words are so good.

The Greek language speaks of “going after someone to obey them. To behave in agreement with.”

This word is used 41 times in the New Testament!!

Jesus looked at Matthew and said “Follow Me”

You guys are at a point in your life where a lot of people ask you this question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

In fact, that question is so big, that school systems have you take placement tests.

I remember that I took at test in 10th grade that said what I should be based on my test scores was:

An architect or go into agriculture.

It’s funny that I may not be building sky scrapers, but I am a part of God’s Kingdom building

And I get to plant seeds for a living :D

But anyways… you take tests, and your school tries to help you pursue what it is that those tests suggests you should pursue. They are trying to set you up to have the most success in life.

In these days, it was different though.

Every Hebrew boy would go to school where they would study the Torah or the first 5 books of the Old Testament. They would go to school until they were 12.

After they got to this age of adulthood… if they wanted to keep studying the Word, they would approach a Rabbi (a teacher) and say, “Can I follow you?” - “Can I learn from you and be your disciple?”

If they Rabbi saw something in them, he would say “Yes… you can follow me.”

If the Rabbi didn’t, or didn’t have any room, he would say “no.”

and those boys would have to go away defeated and rejected.

Now think about Matthew, he probably asked someone those words before. Got rejected, and went down another path.

Now he’s hearing these words again:

“Follow me.” - I accept you. I have a purpose for you. I want you.

For Jesus to say “Follow me.” We can learn a few things from those beautiful words:The King gives Unconditional ForgivenessThe King gives Unconditional AcceptanceThe King gives it through His Word

When a King speaks, you listen. He has the power and authority to do whatever it is He wants.

Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be Matthew? He knows he’s hated, he knows he’s an outcast, he feels the pain of his greed. His heart was broken, but life was spoken to him that very day from “the Life”

What grace!! How awesome!!

When Jesus invites us to “Follow Him,” it is an invitation to do it His way and not our own.

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

To follow Jesus was to “Behave in accordance or agreement with.”

That word shows up here, and 41 other times in the New Testmament.

“Follow me.”Those words are so good.

The Greek language speaks of “going after someone to obey them. To behave in agreement with.”

This word is used 41 times in the New Testament!!

Jesus looked at Matthew and said “Follow Me”

I want to show you another time it shows up in Matthew’s account, and here is where Jesus really makes it clear what it means to FOLLOW HIM:

Matthew 16:24–26 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 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?

Look at that first verse… if any man will “Come after me” that’s the same word as “follow me” look at what Jesus says to do:

The only way this is possible is by

1) Denying yourself.

2) Picking up your cross, and then

3) Following Him.

Matthew 16:24 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

What does following Jesus look like?

a) Denying Yourself

This is agreeing with Jesus that it’s not about me. How?

Changes our direction

Conflicts with our desires.

Simon the man in Mark 15:21

b) Carrying your cross

What is so important with picking up our cross?

We are carrying our instrument to die to self.

Uncomfortable

Unnatural

Unmistakeable

People notice

c) Then Follow Me

Here is when the behavior begins to change.

Have you ever struggled with that?

I want to serve Jesus, and live for Jesus, but it’s so hard to do it.

That’s because you’re trying to do it on your own strength.

“Hallelujah, Thank You, Jesus. I was a prisoner now I’m not. Cause with Your blood You bought my freedom. Hallelujah for the cross. By Your strips I’m healed. By Your death I live, the power of sin is overcome, it is finished it is done.

There are a lot of Christians that will say, “Thank you Jesus for the cross, for setting me free!” But not many will say, “Jesus I want to be used, where can I pick up my cross?”