As Jesus walked by Matthew’s tax collector’s booth, He called him to be one of His disciples. Matthew 9:9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. [1] When we begin to follow Jesus there is an action related to it. Matthew got up and physically began to follow Jesus. Following Jesus meant giving up a good paying job as a tax collector to become a builder of the Kingdom of God.
As a tax collector Matthew was focused on the riches of this world, but God was calling him out of that. Matthew would now begin to focus on things of eternal value. To be a disciple of Jesus was to be taught by Jesus. For the next three years Matthew would be instructed by the Lord Himself. What a privilege.
Today it also takes action to follow Jesus. We may not be able to follow Jesus in a physical sense, but we begin to follow Him in a spiritual sense. As a disciple, or follower, we trust Jesus alone for our salvation. We worship Him and love Him with our whole heart. In addition, we imitate His life and seek to obey His teaching. As we walk out our faith with the Lord, He transforms our hearts and minds and gives us a new purpose in life. In our story, Matthew has a new and greater purpose in life as he follows Jesus.
As we spend time in God’s word and are guided by the Holy Spirit, the Lord begins to mold and shape us. This can be exciting and challenging at the same time. Leaving our old life behind is not easy and to do so we need the Lord’s help. We may come to faith in an instant but the molding and shaping part continues through our entire life. Isaiah 64:8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. [2]
How has being a follower of Jesus changed you over time? Where is Jesus calling you to take another step as you follow Him?
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To hear more about the call of Matthew, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-call-matthew
[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 9:9). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.