Matthew 9: 9 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.
There are a couple of passages that reflect this same simplicity Jesus says, and people do. Hey you, get up and follow me…..and Matthew gets up and goes. Pretty simple huh? I mean it seems easy enough, Why not right? Christ shows up in your life, and you move….What? it’s not that easy? There is more to it than that? Life is more complicated today? There are more grey areas, life is not so black and white like it was back then? I might be inclined to go along with those thoughts, but Matthew was a tax collector. If you want to see a picture of someone living in the grey area, look at the life of a tax collector in the day of Jesus. These guys were crooks, by way of the law, they taxed more than they were supposed to and they kept the profits. It was common knowledge, no one liked the tax man (some things never change). Matthew was living a life that would rival Bernie Madoff! The difference is Matthew most likely never would have been caught, and prosecuted! Think about it, Matthew had a pretty good gig going on by worldly standards. He took what he wanted, lived as he pleased, did not want for anything. Matthew must of had a nice house, he threw a dinner party and a ton of folks showed up. If they had Maserati’s back then, you can bet Matthew would have had one. Yet, Matthew was called, and Matthew moved! That tells me one thing. Out of all the stuff that Matthew had, he still felt like he was missing something. He knew there was more to be had. I often wonder about the next few days after Matthew decided to follow Jesus. I can see him sort of looking around thinking, “wow, this cat does not have anything!” What am I doing here, why did I give up everything that I had? I am sure that all of those questions were answered as soon as Jesus raised that little dead girl. Oh, I can here Matthew say to himself, this guy gives life to those that are dead………OK, I am in!
That is the simplicity of Christ. Get out past the religion, the “right music” the “right rituals” “ the right prayers” the “right church” get down to the brass tacks, and you will see plain and simple, Jesus brings life where there was only death. That is what makes the choice so simple. It is that very thing that makes men and women leave their lives of comfort, and travel to faraway lands to tell the world this truth. It is why people turn from their old worldly lives, and follow Jesus when He calls. They realize that Christ brings them life…..Christ brings you life. It is this simple truth, Christ died for you, that can change a life, a family, a community, a country, and yes the entire world we live in. There is something more out there for you. I don’t care who you are, or where you are at in your journey with God. That empty feeling, that little empty feeling that shows up usually when you are at the height of your game. The celebration that falls a little short, the joy that somehow still feels a little lacking. That is the feeling of knowing there is more out there. That is the feeling of the call of Christ to do a little more than last time (even if last time was nothing). It is the feeling of making sure you make that simple choice, and follow when Christ calls. I am sure that Matthew knew exactly what feeling I am talking about. I would be willing to bet he had been living with that feeling for quite a while.
Knowing that Christ brought us life, and continues to guide us through that life. Knowing that He offers that life to you each and every day, and each and every day, He calls you to make that choice, and fill that empty feeling with the Love of Christ. There is always more to do, there is always something better out there, that something better is what Christ is calling you for. He is not calling me to it, He has me doing something else. He is not calling your neighbor to it, He has them tied up on another task. He is calling you. The work He has done, He did for you. The work He continues to do, He is doing for you. The call that you hear….yes, it is for you. Will you go as willingly as Matthew did? Even if it means that you might have to give up some of what you have to get what you are being called to? Christ is calling you today, will you follow? It really is just that easy. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
God Bless,
Brian Thetford
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