Matthew the tax collector [last two posts] sets up his booth beside the Sea of Galilee ready to collect. But on one particularly day, the teacher he has been watching comes face to face with him. “Follow me,” Jesus says. “Leave the weight of your sin. Hear the God’s call to repentance. Accept the love that you have never experienced.” And Matthew (hated Matthew) gets up, leaves his booth, and follows Jesus.

A question left unanswered from last week – Is his name Matthew or is he Levi son of Alphaeus? Probably both. (Remember Simon—Peter. Saul—Paul.) The word “Levi” means a wild cow or a person pledged for a debt or vow. Whereas, Matthew means gift of the Lord. I think I’d rather be a gift than a wild cow. No wonder he told his story with the name “Matthew.”

What happens next is very typical of new believers. Matthew is so excited about his new-found redemption and the load that has been lifted from his shoulders that he wants to share it. What better way than to have all his friends over for a dinner. In Matthew’s case, he gets to invite Jesus himself to the party!

Now who is on the guest list? Matthew’s friends, of course. Who are Matthew’s friends? Well, certainly not the upstanding members of Capernaum society. No, a tax collector’s friends will be other tax collectors, prostitutes maybe, and other shady characters of the community.

This reminds me of the years we spent struggling with our son. He had wandered in the wilderness making one bad choice after another. But one glorious day, he came to us to share how the Lord had completely turned him around. We were elated and relieved.

A few days later our son’s friends were having a party and he decided to go. Like Matthew, these were the only friends he had—the party crowd. My heart sank. But when he came home, he was so excited. He told us, “I got one of my friends over in the corner and began to tell him what had happened to me.” Instead of joining in, he was witnessing!

Here’s how it went for Matthew…

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. Matthew 9:10

Even Jesus’ disciples bought into this conversion and participated in the dinner along with the “sinners.” What a witnessing opportunity for them. BUT…

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Matthew 9:11

I wish we could hear their responses. Perhaps Jesus’ followers were still trying to figure everything out themselves—a perfect teaching moment for Jesus. He speaks up.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. For I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners [to repentance].” Matthew 9:12, 13b

This is the same way Mark and Luke record the incident, but Matthew adds one other line.

“But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Matthew 9:13a

The Pharisees knew all about sacrifices in the Temple. It was their duty. It was the law. It was their routine. Not so with “mercy.” In some ways this was a foreign word to them in terms of their experience. I’m wondering if, early on, maybe even the other apostles had a period of adjustment to Matthew. Was he worthy of being one of their special group of twelve?

Mercy. Perhaps we all need more lessons. We’re bombarded with being “tolerant” these days, but I believe showing mercy is quite different. Think on these things

Next week, a story from my childhood for Father’s Day.

 ~ Joyce ~