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‘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.’
Mat_9:9
I. The commanding personality of Our Lord.—Matthew felt the touch of His authority; Christ’s looks of love searched the deeps of his soul. The whole scene is an admirable example of the way in which our Lord worked for men’s salvation. Human reformers have commonly begun by remodelling institutions and getting laws altered, on the principle that good institutions will make men good. He began at the other end, and went straight to men’s souls. He was a personal ministry. And this method He bequeathed to His Church, that it should exercise a personal ministry.
II. The testimony of experience.—God has led us to Himself by means of personal influence and example, as Christ called Matthew by a personal, individual call. As we look back over our spiritual history we recall the tender influence of our parents; the well-remembered face of some kind and loving teacher; the controlling examples of dear and trusted friends, and we recognise that God was working for and upon us through all these, that they were vessels of His choice for bringing home His truth to our hearts.
III. ‘Follow Me.’—We in our time and way are saying the words to those among whom we live day by day. If we do not say them openly, we say them by silent example and unconscious influence; we are drawing others after us one way or another, into closer likeness to the life of Christ or further from it.
Archdeacon Mackarness.
Illustration‘We read in classic story how the lyre of Orpheus enchanted with its music not only the wild beasts but the very trees and rocks, so that they moved from their places to follow him: so Christ, our heavenly Orpheus, with the music of His gracious speech, draws after Him those less susceptible to benign influences than beasts and trees and stones, even poor hardened, senseless, sinful souls. Let Him but strike His golden harp, and whisper in thy heart, “Come, follow Me,” and thou, like another Matthew, shalt be won.’
CONVERSION AND CONFESSION
I. The call.—The call came at Capernaum, that busy seaport on the shore of the sea of Galilee. Here was a man who loved money. Make it he must, for it was only the pressure of supreme determination which could make a son of Abraham take up the ostracised position of one who farmed the taxes of the Roman people. Jesus knew him well, and the all-seeing eye of Christ had read something of the man’s character; had seen that there was an uneasy conscience behind the stern words he spoke to the widow and the orphan.
II. His conversion.—He rose up, left all to follow Christ. The obedience was immediate. The man passed through no period of probation ere he was received as one of Christ’s disciples. Jesus Christ took him as he was. Men have yet to learn Jesus Christ does not ask for any period of probation ere He receives them. There had been a preparation for this call. Matthew must have heard the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus Christ spoke to him that day, Matthew knew that there before him was a heart that was warm enough to woo him from his gold. Two elements in Christ’s methods of winning men are: He creates a dissatisfaction with things that are merely temporal, and offers a satisfaction which can meet the deep longings of the human soul.
III. His confession.—He invited to his house the other tax-gatherers of the town, and others with them. We note, in reading the account by Matthew himself, that he modestly omits to mention that he was the host on the occasion, or that the feast was a great one, as described by St. Luke. Why did he invite the tax-gatherers of Capernaum to meet our Lord Jesus Christ? First of all (a) for his own sake. There was to be a new life henceforth, and if a man is to follow Jesus Christ, he needs, with boldness and decision, make it known that he has taken this step. Matthew did it also (b) for his companions’ sake. He wanted his companions to know that the Heart of Jesus could receive such as they were. He desired to witness for Christ to his own set.
IV. Consequences of his obedience.—What were the consequences of Matthew’s obedience to the call of Christ? First of all the Gospel to Matthew, and then the Gospel from Matthew to the people. Though in many respects life is easier than it was, there is still the deep longing of the human soul which can only be met by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Has it come to you?
Rev. W. H. Stone.
Illustration‘Not many years ago one of the leaders, or at any rate one of the most welcome of men in London society, holding a high position, heard the call of Jesus Christ, and determined henceforth to follow Him. To do what He would have him do was to be the mainspring of life, and he invited to his table the leaders of the various sets in society in which he had mixed, and after dinner they were somewhat surprised to see him rise to his feet to make a brief speech to them. He desired to tell them what he had found since he had known Jesus Christ as his own personal Saviour. He desired to make them henceforth understand why his manner of life was to be different from what it had been. From that moment that man never turned back; he went on and on to a life of great usefulness and a glorious end.’
LEAVING ALL
I. When lie was called.—‘As Jesus passed forth from thence’ i.e. from the house where the palsy was cured. Our Lord must often have seen him before; perhaps he was already a secret disciple. St. Mark calls him Levi, and that was his earlier name. ‘Matthew,’ which means ‘the gift of God,’ was assumed after he had received God’s best gift, the loving call to Christ’s service.
II. Where he was called.—At the receipt of custom. Capernaum, a busy place by lake-side. Every boat of fish laded and every passenger who crossed lake had to pay a toll. Matthew was here at one of the toll-booths doing the work of the collector.
III. The words of the call.—Simple words, but it was not a mere request. It was a command; and it was a command, not merely to become a disciple, but like the call to Peter, Andrew, James, and John, a command to leave business, home, and friends, to become one of Christ’s own fellow-workers.
IV. Obedience to the call.—It was a willing, ready obedience. St. Luke says he left all—his books, his place, his chance of worldly ease and gain, his past life, everything—and followed Christ. He joined the little band whose daily privilege it was to be near Jesus Christ.
V. The call to us.—The obedience must be ready and willing, and we must be prepared to leave all. Are we?
—
W. Taylor.