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Matthew's Profile
More than any other disciple,
Matthew had a clear idea of how much it would cost to follow Jesus, yet he did
not hesitate a moment. When he left his tax-collecting booth, he guaranteed
himself unemployment. For several of the other disciples, there was always
fishing to return to, but for Matthew, there was no turning back.
Two changes happened to Matthew when he decided to follow
Jesus. First, Jesus gave him a new life. He not only belonged to a new group; he
belonged to the Son of God. He was not just accepting a different way of life;
he was now an accepted person. For a despised tax collector, that change must
have been wonderful! Second, Jesus gave Matthew a new purpose for his skills.
When he followed Jesus, the only tool from his past job that he carried with him
was his pen. From the beginning, God had made him a record-keeper. Jesus' call
eventually allowed him to put his skills to their finest work. Matthew was a
keen observer, and he undoubtedly recorded what he saw going on around him. The
Gospel that bears his name came as a result.
Matthew's experience points out that each of us, from the
beginning, is one of God's works in progress. Much of what God has for us he
gives long before we are able to consciously respond to him. He trusts us with
skills and abilities ahead of schedule. He has made us each capable of being his
servant. When we trust him with what he has given us, we begin a life of real
adventure. Matthew couldn't have known that God would use the very skills he had
sharpened as a tax collector to record the greatest story ever lived. And God
has no less meaningful a purpose for each one of us. Have you recognized Jesus
saying to you, "Follow me"? What has been your response?
Matthew's Strengths and Accomplishments
1. Was one of Jesus' 12 disciples
2. Responded immediately to Jesus' call
3. Invited many friends to his home to meet Jesus
4. Compiled the Gospel of Matthew
5. Clarified for his Jewish audience Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament
prophecies
Lessons from Matthew's Life
1. Jesus consistently accepted people from every
level of society
2. Matthew was given a new life, and his God-given skills of record-keeping and
attention to details were given new purpose
3. Having been accepted by Jesus, Matthew immediately tried to bring others into
contact with Jesus
Matthew's Vital Statistics
1. Where: Capernaum
2. Occupations: Tax collector, disciple of Jesus
3. Relative: Father: Alphaeus
4. Contemporaries: Jesus, Pilate, Herod, other disciples
Key Verse
"As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus
sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow me,' Jesus told him, and Levi got
up and followed him" (Mark 2:14).
Matthew's story is told in the Gospels. He is
also mentioned in Acts 1:13.
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