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Matthew the tax collector was sitting at his custom post gathering in money for the occupying Roman force when Jesus Christ called him with these simple words, “Follow Me”. The response was immediate and positive.

What is your response?

Now, Matthew was not the most popular man in Israel. Most would keep their distance from him, as they were rogues and rascals, but not Jesus.

It gets interesting.

Matthew threw a party for Jesus at his home, inviting all his tax collector colleagues, who were not the most moral men in town, but Matthew wanted his friends to meet Jesus.

News of this party got around and in walked a group of religious leaders who were not at all pleased at Jesus.

You can feel the atmosphere suddenly becoming icy when they asked, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus rescues the situation by explaining, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance”.

Jesus comes to call those who know they are not good enough, and not those who think they are already all right.

Zacchaeus, another tax collector, was a blatant rogue, and Jesus called him. His life and lifestyle was totally changed, as he repaid those whom he had fleeced.

You don’t have to be a rascal to be called by Jesus, but if you know you are a rogue, with a bad reputation, that certainly does not exclude you, and you don’t have to stop liking your friends either.

Matthew ended up writing a book about Jesus and God published it in the Bible as part of His Word.

Never limit what God may want to do with you.

Sandy Shaw
Nairn Christian Fellowship

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

What's to be thankful for in this?