Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27-32
The Call That Changes Everything
Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13
Matthew had everything—at least, that’s what people thought. A steady job. A house. Security.
While some of the others, like Peter, found themselves in difficult personal situations (per the show, The Chosen), Matthew had it all.
Not only did he have wealth, but security. He was “THE MAN” with the government.
But his wealth came at a cost.
As a tax collector, he wasn’t just disliked—he was despised.
Seen as a traitor to his own people, a collaborator with Rome. No self-respecting rabbi would ever call someone like him.
And yet, Jesus did.
“Follow me.”
That was it. No long speech. No conditions. Just an invitation. And Matthew, of all people, got up and followed him.
The Risk of Saying Yes
The moment Matthew stepped away from his booth, everything changed. Unlike Peter or James, who could return to fishing if things went south, Matthew was burning a bridge. Rome didn’t hand out second chances. His life of stability—gone. His financial security—over. His identity, wrapped up in his ledger and coins, was suddenly uncertain.
But maybe that’s the point.
Matthew didn’t just leave a career. He left the labels that had defined him. Sinner. Outcast. Unworthy. Jesus saw something different. Something worth calling. Worth redeeming.
What have you been holding onto that feels secure but is actually keeping you from following Jesus fully?
The Table of the Unworthy
After saying yes to Jesus, Matthew did something radical: he threw a feast. And he invited the only people who would come—other tax collectors, the kind of people the Pharisees wouldn’t be caught dead with.
When the religious leaders saw Jesus reclining at Matthew’s table, their outrage boiled over. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11).
Because that’s exactly who Jesus came for.
Jesus responds: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick… I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)
This wasn’t just a meal. It was a declaration. The kingdom of God wasn’t coming for the powerful, the perfect, or the put-together. It was coming for them.
The people on the outside.
The ones who thought they were too far gone.
And it’s still coming for us.
What if you believed Jesus was willing to sit at your table, no matter what’s in your past?
The Beauty of Being Chosen
Matthew’s story is one of radical grace. He didn’t deserve to be called. He didn’t earn a spot among Jesus’ followers. He was chosen anyway. And he said yes.
His “yes” led to transformation—not just for him, but for the world. Because Matthew, the man once consumed by numbers, would one day write the gospel that would lead millions to Jesus.
We are never too far gone. Our past doesn’t disqualify us. Jesus calls us, just as we are, and when we say yes, we step into something bigger than we could have imagined.
Prayer
Jesus, you call me, not because I have it all together, but because you see something in me I cannot yet see in myself. Give me the courage to leave behind whatever is holding me back and say yes to your invitation. Let me trust that your table is open to me. Amen.
Daily Practice
Reflect on what you might be clinging to for security—your career, reputation, comfort, or past mistakes. What would it look like to trust Jesus enough to let go and follow?