Post by Admin on Jan 31, 2019 8:05:32 GMT
What are some less than respectable jobs for Christians to pursue? The group tonight easily provided some samples: strippers, ambulance-chasing lawyers, pay-day loan operators, casino-dealers, actual mob enforcers – even process servers, like Buzz, can be disreputable in our eyes. Later, the group also mentioned our skepticism when a person who has openly defied the law or engaged in immoral or unethical behaviors suddenly claims to have reformed and accepted Christianity. Often, we are unconvinced until over time a reformed person proves himself.
All this led to tonight’s look at the disciple Matthew, by tradition the author of the gospel of Matthew. As author of that gospel, he mentions himself only twice, in the short story we read tonight, and in the list of disciples provided later. We had an interesting time building a picture of the encounter in which Jesus tells Matthew to follow Him, and then enjoys a dinner with Matthew and his crew of other tax collectors and ne’er-do-wells. We suspected that Matthew had heard Jesus or heard about Him, which served to prepare him for the moment of invitation; we were unsure if Matthew indeed dropped his tax collecting livelihood at that very moment as well, and how difficult it would have been to give up his authority and wealth to travel around living hand to mouth. Visualizing Jesus among the group of people who were probably disdained by Jesus’ other disciples suggested that the disciples themselves may have been struggling to understand why Jesus would hang out there. When the Pharisees challenged the disciples to explain Jesus’ behavior, it then makes sense that Jesus himself would explain, creating a teachable moment for all. He comes to heal the sick and call to sinners – those who believe they are healthy, and righteous, do not feel the need for Jesus.
Likely the Pharisees considered themselves healthy [spiritually] and righteous. Matthew and his tax-collecting friends may have been obvious sinners and spiritually sick people, so they might be readier to look to Jesus for help. However, acknowledging our need for Jesus is not always so easy. We spoke about the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus about salvation and claimed to have upheld the commandments his entire life. The Lord did not dispute that, only He asked the man to give up his riches and follow Jesus. The rich young man could not do that – since he had obeyed the Law, he did not see himself as sick and sinful, and thus could not give up to Jesus. Matthew, in contrast, evidently did comprehend his sickness and sin, and was able to give up the riches and power of his tax collecting status to go with Jesus.
What is most staggering for the disciples to observe was Jesus' ability to look inside to the potential of each person, and not judge the exterior mistakes and sinfulness. Jesus does not wait for a sinner to prove his or her transformation before He accepts the person but goes directly to trust and love.
All this led to tonight’s look at the disciple Matthew, by tradition the author of the gospel of Matthew. As author of that gospel, he mentions himself only twice, in the short story we read tonight, and in the list of disciples provided later. We had an interesting time building a picture of the encounter in which Jesus tells Matthew to follow Him, and then enjoys a dinner with Matthew and his crew of other tax collectors and ne’er-do-wells. We suspected that Matthew had heard Jesus or heard about Him, which served to prepare him for the moment of invitation; we were unsure if Matthew indeed dropped his tax collecting livelihood at that very moment as well, and how difficult it would have been to give up his authority and wealth to travel around living hand to mouth. Visualizing Jesus among the group of people who were probably disdained by Jesus’ other disciples suggested that the disciples themselves may have been struggling to understand why Jesus would hang out there. When the Pharisees challenged the disciples to explain Jesus’ behavior, it then makes sense that Jesus himself would explain, creating a teachable moment for all. He comes to heal the sick and call to sinners – those who believe they are healthy, and righteous, do not feel the need for Jesus.
Likely the Pharisees considered themselves healthy [spiritually] and righteous. Matthew and his tax-collecting friends may have been obvious sinners and spiritually sick people, so they might be readier to look to Jesus for help. However, acknowledging our need for Jesus is not always so easy. We spoke about the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus about salvation and claimed to have upheld the commandments his entire life. The Lord did not dispute that, only He asked the man to give up his riches and follow Jesus. The rich young man could not do that – since he had obeyed the Law, he did not see himself as sick and sinful, and thus could not give up to Jesus. Matthew, in contrast, evidently did comprehend his sickness and sin, and was able to give up the riches and power of his tax collecting status to go with Jesus.
What is most staggering for the disciples to observe was Jesus' ability to look inside to the potential of each person, and not judge the exterior mistakes and sinfulness. Jesus does not wait for a sinner to prove his or her transformation before He accepts the person but goes directly to trust and love.