Life Lessons From 25 New Testament CharactersSample

The Greatest Exchange

Matthew was a tax collector. In Biblical times, the job of being a tax collector meant that you were a shady individual. You were seen as the scum of society. You were known to be crooked. Tax collectors served the Romans and took advantage of the Jews. This meant, from the outside, that Matthew was not an ideal candidate to become a follower of God. Wouldn’t Jesus choose only the pastors or people who had a godly reputation? Jesus called out to Matthew, “Follow me and be my disciple!” Matthew followed Jesus and never looked back. It’s almost shocking how, in a moment, Matthew knew his need and responded to following Jesus instantly. He left his messed up way of making money and his old identity, exchanging it all for a new life and purpose with Jesus. He knew the One calling Him was worth the exchange.

THINK and PRAY:

What seat do you sit in? Sick or Blind?

Matthew knew his need for God. He heard and left it all to follow Him. The Religious people of Matthew’s day thought Jesus was crazy for making Matthew a disciple. They called him scum! They couldn’t believe Matthew was given a chance to be made new! Jesus cuts through their pride with two powerful statements:

"Healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do”, and "For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Jesus loves making people well when they humble themselves and follow Him. It’s incredible to think that Matthew went from being “the shady, scum of society” to the author of the Gospel we are reading now. God transforms whoever will follow Him! So what seat do you sit in? Are you like Matthew? Do you know your need for Jesus? OR are you a person like the Religious Leaders who were blinded to their need for Jesus because they thought they were so righteous already? It’s clear here in Matthew 9:9-13 that the people who admit they are spiritually sick as sinners and need Jesus' new life will receive forgiveness and a New Identity. The people who think they are well already, without Jesus' help, will remain in their self-righteous sick spiritual state.