Tell City Nazarene Church's Biblical Journey
With Pastor Charles Areson
Today's reading is Matthew 9-12
Matthew 9:9 we see the calling of Matthew. Matthew is sitting at the receipt of customs the place where the taxes were to be paid. John Wesley points out that he was “in the very height of his business,” when Jesus called him. We can assume that Matthew had heard and seen Jesus before but here in the middle of his workday Jesus gives Matthew a call. Many people would have said, sure as soon as I finish up here, and we do see some of that in the gospels, but Matthew seemed to realize this was his opportunity and left everything.
God doesn’t always call people in the middle of their work day and ask them to leave it all behind, but He does often call us out of our own ideas and plans to follow him. He calls us from the middle of our grudge to forgive. He calls out of the middle of our payday to remind us to be faithful to him. He calls us out of our sin to follow him. In this, there is always a “reason to say” not now. However, God isn’t looking to be put on hold. If we are seeking first the Kingdom of God then we don’t put God on hold, we act when he says. We are to respond like Matthew, rising and following.
However, there is another thing Matthew does, he has a party to invite all his friends to meet the person who called him to a new life. Are we singing the praises of God about what he has called us to or are we trying to slide quietly away so no one will notice?
Matthew’s actions do not leave much room for him to return to his old life, in truth it gives him none. He has let everyone know I am going a new way, this wasn’t a party like Matthew might have had in the past, this was a party to introduce everyone to Jesus.
So, are you following Jesus? Have you thrown your party to honor Jesus?
Photo by Marc Babin on Unsplash
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| A Party! |
Matthew 9:9 we see the calling of Matthew. Matthew is sitting at the receipt of customs the place where the taxes were to be paid. John Wesley points out that he was “in the very height of his business,” when Jesus called him. We can assume that Matthew had heard and seen Jesus before but here in the middle of his workday Jesus gives Matthew a call. Many people would have said, sure as soon as I finish up here, and we do see some of that in the gospels, but Matthew seemed to realize this was his opportunity and left everything.
God doesn’t always call people in the middle of their work day and ask them to leave it all behind, but He does often call us out of our own ideas and plans to follow him. He calls us from the middle of our grudge to forgive. He calls out of the middle of our payday to remind us to be faithful to him. He calls us out of our sin to follow him. In this, there is always a “reason to say” not now. However, God isn’t looking to be put on hold. If we are seeking first the Kingdom of God then we don’t put God on hold, we act when he says. We are to respond like Matthew, rising and following.
However, there is another thing Matthew does, he has a party to invite all his friends to meet the person who called him to a new life. Are we singing the praises of God about what he has called us to or are we trying to slide quietly away so no one will notice?
Matthew’s actions do not leave much room for him to return to his old life, in truth it gives him none. He has let everyone know I am going a new way, this wasn’t a party like Matthew might have had in the past, this was a party to introduce everyone to Jesus.
So, are you following Jesus? Have you thrown your party to honor Jesus?
Photo by Marc Babin on Unsplash
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