The Disciple Matthew

THE DISCIPLE MATTHEW

Luke 5:27-39 (King James Version)
27 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.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
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.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Luke 5:28 (King James Version)
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Matthew obeyed instantaneously
when called, expressed deep gratitude at the honor of being a disciple.
INTRODUCTION:
Matthew was a tax collector.
A tax collector was a hated individual.
He worked for the Roman government, which occupied Israel.
This made him a traitor to the Jews.
The Roman government would dictate how much money he was to extract from the people and he could add whatever percentage he wanted for his profit.
Usually a tax collector was rich, but hated by his neighbors.
Because a tax collector had to keep books and deal with businessmen, property owners, and traveling merchants, he had to speak several languages; thus he was educated.

The name Matthew is found in Matthew 9:9-17.
His Jewish name, Levi, is used in Mark 2:14—20 and Luke 5:27-35.
Even though two names are attributed to him, only the name Matthew is found in the list of the twelve. Matthew 10:3.

What if everyone rejected you? How would you feel?

What if you were called to be one of Jesus’ disciples?

I) MATTHEW - A DISCIPLE WHO OBEYED TOTALLY.

a) The call to Matthew was shorter than the call to others, simply “Follow Me”, Matthew 9:9.

b) There was no chance to think about it and consider the alternatives.

c) Matthew acted immediately. Perhaps he knew the story of the scribes who came to Jesus and said, “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goes”.

d) Luke 9:62. The example of Matthew’s immediate obedience is a challenge to the CHURCH to obey immediately when the Holy Spirit prompts to witness, to attend church, or to volunteer for Christian duty.

II) MATTHEW - A DISCIPLE WHO EXPRESSED GRATITUDE.

a) The only people to whom a tax collector could witness would be publicans and sinners, those of his own calling.

b) He had perhaps given official banquets to dignitaries in the town on other occasions.

c) Since Jesus had accepted him when all others rejected him, Matthew wanted them to know of his new Savior.

i) “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. Matthew 9:13.

ii) Jesus attended the banquet and not only answered the Pharisees but taught the truth of regeneration or changed life.

d) Reformation is not sufficient but an entire new creation is necessary.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (King James Version)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

i) immediately upon salvation,WE should begin witnessing to friends

Matthew had the following characteristics, yet the Lord called him to be an apostle.
He was educated.
He was rich.
He had community status.
He was hated by his neighbors.
He gained his money by unfair means.

e) Jesus does not expect a man to be perfect when called.

i) He only expects them to be willing. All men are sinners. All that men must do is respond to the call of Jesus and follow Him as did Matthew.

III) CONCLUSION: Remember Jesus said

Matthew 19:23 (King James Version)
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Also note that He said it is hard for a rich man to get saved, not impossible, just hard.
God does not call great things, He calls people,
so the disciples might be humble and give God the glory

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (King James Version)
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

IV) SOME ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT MATTHEW.

He was the son of Alphaeus and lived in Capernaum.
He wrote the Book of Matthew.,
Matthew unlike most of the other disciples, was not a fisherman.
He used his writing ability to give to the world the first account of Jesus’ teachings in the Hebrew language.
he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a. halberd in the city of Nadabah, AD 60. — Fox's Book of Martyrs We do not know how he died.
His apostolic symbol is three money bags which remind us that he was a tax collector before Jesus called him to be an apostle.