S- Matt: 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Mattew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," He told him, and Mattew got up and followed Him.
O- Jesus had just crossed the river back into his home town. People were already approaching him and bringing people for him to heal.
Upon arrival, he finds Mattew, sitting their collecting taxes, and say to him "follow me." So Mattew without hesitation followed. Mattew invited Jesus to dinner at his house, and he did not
hold back those friends and followers who were considered to be unclean and unfit by others, to eat with Jesus. When Jesus heard of this he asked "who needs a doctor the healthy or the sick?" "Go
and figure out what this means.
A- Mattew was a sinner, not someone who led his life as Jesus, or who was an example to others. He was a tax collector, one who scwandered money and cheated others, and charged outrages taxes, and
having known for not much grace & mercy. Mattew;s followers & friends were of the same kind. Yet, Jesus "chose" Mattew. He also "chose" to go to his house and eat, not only with Mattew but with those
that were considered the riff raf of the town. The Pharisee's could not understand why Jesus would allow himself to be with those that are unclean, and judged those that were Mattew followers, so they
also became unclean for judging. Jesus responds with "who needs the doctor, the healthy or the sick." Yet, Mattew was "chosen" to follow. Why is that? I think it is because Jesus saw the potential
in him, and saw that he could have a wonderful testimony of heart transformation, so he was chosen not for what he was but what Jesus saw he could be. Mattew went......so he was willing. I want to be
willing to go, and have my life be of a transformation for his glory.
P- Father, thank you for choosing us even though we are not all it and a bag of chips. You see our hearts, even past our mistakes, and you take us in and clean us up, and then send us back out to the
unclean world, and hopely we come home clean and not dirty. I believe Mattew was chosen because Jesus saw he was teachable........help us to be teachable, and to surrender to what you have for
our lives, right where we are at. Fill us with Grace & Mercy for those that are struggling, and not condemn or judge them, but rather lead them to you, and to glorify you with our actions & love. Amen
Wow! May we be like Jesus and see past the problem to the shining potential!
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