Matthew (1)

Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 5:27-32

Matthew was a Jew who was appointed by the Romans to be the area's tax collector. He collected taxes from the citizens as well as from merchants passing through town. Tax collectors were expected to take a commission on the taxes they collected, but most of them overcharged and kept the profits. Thus, tax collectors were hated by the Jews because of their reputation for cheating and because of their support of Rome.

When Jesus called Matthew to be one of his disciples, Matthew got up and followed, leaving a lucrative career. When God calls us to follow or obey him, do we do it with as much abandon as Matthew? Sometimes the decision to follow Christ requires difficult or painful choices. Like Matthew, we must decide to leave behind those things that would keep us from following Christ.

Matthew responded as Jesus would want all his followers to do -- he followed his Lord immediately, and he called his friends together to meet him too. Matthew left a lucrative, though probably dishonest, tax-collecting business to follow Jesus. Then he held a reception for his fellow tax collectors and other notorious "sinners" so they could meet Jesus too. Matthew who left behind a material fortune in order to gain a spiritual fortune, was proud to be associated with Jesus.