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Follow Me
Matthew 9:9-13
“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…‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The tax collectors were hated by the Jews as collaborators with Romans. They were viewed as unclean sinners. Jesus’ call of Matthew (in whose gospel this story is recounted) was simply to ‘follow me’. It is in following Jesus in all of life that we experience salvation and transformation. While initially that means leaving a life of sin and selfishness living for ourselves, it doesn’t end there. We keep following Jesus in a life of discipleship and mission. Following Jesus is not static or stationary.
If we find ourselves spiritually empty and bored ten to fifteen years into our walk with Jesus, we have to ask ourselves, are we still following him?
Jesus calls ‘sinners’ who acknowledge their need of him for salvation, and their ongoing need of him for grace and even for the willingness to keep following.
Thank you Jesus for your invitation to follow you. Guide me today for your purposes and glory.
Matthew 9:9-13
“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…‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The tax collectors were hated by the Jews as collaborators with Romans. They were viewed as unclean sinners. Jesus’ call of Matthew (in whose gospel this story is recounted) was simply to ‘follow me’. It is in following Jesus in all of life that we experience salvation and transformation. While initially that means leaving a life of sin and selfishness living for ourselves, it doesn’t end there. We keep following Jesus in a life of discipleship and mission. Following Jesus is not static or stationary.
If we find ourselves spiritually empty and bored ten to fifteen years into our walk with Jesus, we have to ask ourselves, are we still following him?
Jesus calls ‘sinners’ who acknowledge their need of him for salvation, and their ongoing need of him for grace and even for the willingness to keep following.
Thank you Jesus for your invitation to follow you. Guide me today for your purposes and glory.
Scripture
About this Plan
Join Randy Friesen as he follows the Bible reading plan of the Life Journal and shares his reflections with you. Each entry includes three parts: a highlighted passage from the reading, a brief reflection, and a prayer. We trust that you will be inspired by the messages that God is speaking through his Word.
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We would like to thank Randy Friesen, VIce President for Leadership Development with Global Disciples, for providing this plan. For more information about Global Disciples, please visit www.globaldisciples.org
