“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.”
Matthew was a senior tax collector, who got rich at the expense of his own nation. He would have had his own bodyguards and, like others in the job, could charge whatever he liked, so long as he gave a basic amount to Rome. As such he was despised by everybody, including the rulers of the Sanhedrin. All Jews saw such men as the ‘lowest of the low’. And the scribes who followed Jesus every day must have been doubly astonished that Jesus even bothered to speak to him.
Yet, Jesus walked by and simply told him to “Follow me”. And that is what Matthew did, immediately… no questions or comments, just obedience. Literally, Jesus gave Matthew a direct command. It wasn’t an invitation. The word for ‘follow’ in the Greek, means to become a full-time attendant and to be a disciple – yet there is no record of him knowing about Jesus, let alone believing in Him or what He preached!
So, what we have is the lowest sinner immediately obeying Jesus, whose command had the power of God behind it. Matthew had no option… and note that he did not even bother with the money, but left it to his bodyguards to deal with! This was obedience on steroids! Would you follow Christ immediately?
Would you give up your cherished desires for money, or jobs, or anything else in your mind and heart? I had several heart-desires before I was convinced by the Holy Spirit to do what GOD wanted me to do. I dropped my own wishes and followed, often at personal risk to my life. I gained little personally, but I know I did the right thing, despite the sorrows. Now and again, I struggle – but always come back to God’s path. Will you? NOW?
© 03 August 2024
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Published on www.christiandoctrine.com
Bible Theology Ministries
Swansea
Wales
United Kingdom