Who Jesus Calls.
Reading Time: 5 min
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.
Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?”
When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Matthew 9:9-13
Yesterday, a couple of friends called to debrief on our days and pray together before bed. As we were talking, I felt compelled to tell my friend he should pray about going to seminary to get a master’s. Now he’s not a theology major, but he is called to minister and I feel like further education could really help sharpen his sword and build the vast gifts he already has. His answer was, “You know... I’d really love to but I just don’t feel good enough. I’d feel like a fraud.” We kept talking, but that concept stuck with me. What type of people does Jesus call to work for and with him?
I didn't think about the convo again until God reminded me to spend some time with Him and He led me to Matthew 9.
I think it’s very easy to feel like we have to have it all together or meet a certain standard to be used by God. But in this story, we see Matthew, one of the most famous close friends of Jesus and the writer of the book we are coming out of today. He is a tax collector. Tax collectors were considered lower-class Jews and were viewed as traitors. Have you seen the movie Judas and the Black Messiah? It's a movie where a guy infiltrates The Black Panthers and sells them out. The Romans had taken over and the Jewish tax collectors were like FBI informants during the civil rights era. They sold out their own people and worked for the oppressors. They were outcasts. They were professional snitches who were paid to cheat the Jewish people and be used as eyes and ears for the oppressive government. Although Matthew was an outcast, Jesus went up to him at his tax collector booth and called him. It's not like Matthew tried to sweep his past under the rug when Jesus came. There was no way Matthew could’ve changed out of his uniform real quick and tricked Jesus into thinking he was a regular upstanding jew. He basically wore a t-shirt that said, “I'm an enemy to my people.” It could've said: “Black men don't cheat but I do.” But Jesus in His infinite wisdom of Matthew’s situation didn’t hesitate to call him to be one of the closest to Him and most used by Him.
The story is just getting started. Matthew, still in his tax collector uniform, tells Jesus to come to his house, a place where the rest of the outcasts would be hanging out. It is the hub of his life and the center of his dirt and grime. He isn't trying to hide. And Jesus didn’t cringe. He didn’t hesitate.
Jesus saw Mattew’s past and current situation and still called him to follow. So why wouldn’t He call you? And why won't you love others who may sin differently from you, if He chose you before you “had it all together”?
To be honest, God has to reprimand me sometimes. I’ll be in a position to recommend or call people up to serve on things and sometimes I think they aren't good enough. But God quickly reminds me that He still used me for great things at Pine Forge Academy when I was just a kid running on passion. He still used me at Oakwood University before I took high-level theology classes. And He still uses me now while I'm still messed up, before I have my master's, Ph.D., and years of experience. We all have to be more humble. If God can (and has) used you, why can't He call others who may be different from you?
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 says this…
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
You may not have it all together. You may have made some mistakes. But God still wants to use you. His strength is made perfect in your weakness.
Weakness actually makes you rely on Him more because you are aware that you can't do the great things He has planned for you in your own power. Jesus didn't choose only the rich and powerful. He didn't choose only those deemed smart. He didn't choose people who had it all together… if He did there would be no followers of the Way. His first disciples were working-class fishermen. David was a kid with blood on his hands and sexual abuse on his record. Moses was a murderer with anger problems. Elijah dealt with mental health issues. But God made up more than the difference and still called and used them. So what more can He do with you? Try Him and find out.
“Let em use youuuu” *old church lady voice*
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Lots of love ✌🏽🤍
