Invited and Taught

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9 NIV)

I know that I shared that Scripture on Monday, but today I wanted to approach it from a different angle.  You see, Jesus hung out with tax collectors and other sinners because they were important to God.  The ones who benefitted from this attention were the ones who responded to Him…like Matthew.

"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: "'We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds." (Matthew 11:16-19 NIV)

Because Matthew got up and followed Jesus, he learned from Jesus.  He learned that “wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”  In other words, he learned that he showed his lack of wisdom when he lived out his old tax-collector ways.  He also learned that he would show his Godly wisdom by living a life walking together with God.

After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own children or from others?" "From others," Peter answered. "Then the children are exempt," Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours." (Matthew 17:24-27 NIV)

I think the Book of Matthew is the inspired, inerrant Word of God.  I also think that it helps us gain insight into Matthew as well.  Matthew spent three years with Jesus.  Why did he share the stories that he shared?  The Holy Spirit directed him, of course.  But I think some of the stories help us see Matthew’s perspective and the impact that Jesus had on his life.

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?" But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:15-21 NIV)

Matthew learned, for example, that he wasn’t being evil simply by collecting taxes for the Roman government.  He also learned that he needs to not gouge or mistreat his fellow Israelites in gathering those taxes.  In addition, Matthew was reminded that God is the source of everything we have.  He will provide whatever we need – even giving us coins through fish if necessary.  Matthew wrote about money a lot in his Gospel.  Perhaps this is because Matthew had much to learn about money.  This is where he needed to grow the most.  In any case, Matthew was invited by Jesus to follow and, when he responded, then he was taught.

How about you?  Have you been invited by Jesus to follow Him?  Does Jesus offer to teach you?  How?  How have you responded?