Sermon Recap | June 8, 2025

When Jesus encounters Matthew, a despised tax collector, we see a powerful example of how God views us versus how the world labels us. Matthew's story reveals important truths about identity, purpose, and the transformative power of following Jesus.

Matthew was a tax collector - one of the most hated professions in Jesus' day. Tax collectors were seen as sellouts who collaborated with the Roman oppressors. They purchased "franchises" from the Roman government that allowed them to collect a certain quota of taxes, plus whatever additional amount they could extract from people for their own profit.

This system made tax collectors wealthy but despised. They were social outcasts, routinely grouped with "sinners" in the Gospels. Yet Jesus saw beyond this label.

Interestingly, the name "Matthew" means "gift of God." This creates a striking contrast between how society viewed him (as a despised tax collector) and how God viewed him (as a gift). This reveals an important truth: sometimes God's greatest gifts are found where we least expect them.

When Jesus approached Matthew at his tax booth and simply said, "Follow me," Matthew's response was immediate and decisive: "Matthew got up and followed him" (Matthew 9:9).
This simple phrase "got up" carries profound meaning. Behind those two words is a willingness to:

• Leave old ways behind
• Embrace a new identity
• Step into divine purpose

Matthew didn't hesitate or make excuses. He recognized the presence of God and responded with immediate obedience.

Jesus sees beyond surface appearances and societal labels. While everyone else saw a despised tax collector, Jesus saw a valued disciple who would become one of the twelve apostles and the author of the first Gospel.

The Gospel of Matthew itself bears the marks of its author's background:

• It contains more references to money than other Gospels
• Only Matthew records the story of the temple tax found in a fish's mouth
• Only Matthew shares the parable of laborers receiving different wages
• Only Matthew tells the story of the unforgiving debtor
• Only Matthew relates the parable of the pearl of great price

Jesus knew Matthew's meticulous nature as a tax collector would serve him well as a Gospel writer who would carefully document Jesus' lineage and teachings.

A paradigm shift is a fundamental change in how we see and interpret the world. Matthew experienced a dramatic paradigm shift - from seeing himself as a tax collector defined by his profession to seeing himself as a disciple defined by his relationship with Jesus.

How we perceive ourselves and others directly impacts how we live. Many of us are living with false paradigms:

• We define ourselves by our failures rather than God's love
• We accept labels others have placed on us
• We limit our potential based on past experiences

Jesus invites us to see ourselves as God sees us - fearfully and wonderfully made, with divine purpose and calling.

When we examine the Gospel of Matthew, we see how Jesus transformed the author's priorities. The former tax collector who once focused on extracting money from others now emphasized Jesus' teachings about caring for "the least of these" - the poor, hungry, naked, and imprisoned.

Matthew 25:35-40 records Jesus' powerful teaching that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him. This represents a complete reversal of Matthew's former values.

Studies on the "dechurched" reveal that many people opt out of church not because they reject God but because they're settling for lesser standards. They're choosing the path of least resistance rather than the transformative journey of discipleship.

Like Matthew, we need to make course adjustments and paradigm shifts to avoid spiritual autopilot. We must align our perceptions with God's truth rather than being limited by the influence of others.

John Maxwell wisely noted that "if you look at dysfunction long enough, it starts to seem normal." Breaking free from old patterns requires more than desire - it requires commitment to a process of transformation.

True change isn't about changing external circumstances (location, job, church, friends). It's about internal transformation - what the Bible calls "metamorphosis" (the Greek word that gives us "metamorphosis," like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly).

God is calling each of us to make paradigm shifts in how we see ourselves and others. Here are some practical steps to apply Matthew's story to your life:

• Identify false labels: What negative labels have you accepted about yourself? Are they from God or from other sources?
• Embrace your true identity: You are fearfully and wonderfully made, created in God's image, and deeply loved. Your identity is not in what you do but in whose you are.
• Rise up in faith: Like Matthew, when you sense God's presence and calling, respond with immediate obedience. Don't delay or make excuses.
• Examine your priorities: Has following Jesus transformed what you value? Are you still focused on worldly success, or have you embraced Jesus' concern for "the least of these"?
• Invite others: Matthew immediately hosted a dinner where other tax collectors and sinners could meet Jesus. Who in your life needs an introduction to Jesus?