A Man Named Matthew

Tv yf ATTHEW is here writing about himself. Note his modesty in the expression — “a man, named Matthew,” and his omission of the fact that the least mentioned in verse 10 was held i:i his own house.

The story is placed immediately after a miracle, as if to hint that Matthew’s conversion v.-.-is a miracle.

There are points of similarity between the miracle and the conversion.

Matthew was spiritually palsied by his sin, tMvdhis money-making; hence he needed the divin” command, “Arise, and walk.”

There may be points of likeness also between Matthew’s personal story and our own. These may be profitably considered.

I. IIlS CALL SEEMED ACCIDENTAL AND UNLIKELY.

Jesus had often been at Capernaum, which lie had selected to be “his own city;” and yet Matthew remained unsaved. Was it likely that he would now be called? Had not his day of grace closed?

36 MY SEEMON-JNOiES.

Jesus was about other business; for we read,” as

Jesus passed forth from thence.” Would

he now be likely to call Matthew? Jesus left many other persons uncalled; was it not

highly probable that the tax-gatherer would

be passed by? Yet Jesus called to himself this “man, named

Matthew,” while many another man had no

such special call. “Ho saw a man, named Matthew,” for he foresaw

him.

He knew him, for he foreknew him. In all which there is a parallel between Matthew

and ourselves.

II. HlS CALL WAS ALTOGETHER UNTHOUGHT OP AND UN SOUGHT.

1. He was in a degrading business. None but the

lowest of the Jews would care to gather taxes for the Roman conqueror. His discipleship would bring no honor to the Lord Jesus.

2. He was in an ensnaring business. The publicans usually made a personal profit by extorting more than was due. He was not paying away, but sitting” at the receipt of custom; and this is a pleasing exercise.K Money is bird-lime to the soul.

3. He would not have dared to follow Jesus, even

if he had wished to do so. He felt himself to be too unworthy.

4. He would have been repulsed by the other dig- “A MAN NAMED MATTHEW.” 37

ciples had he proposed to come without the Lord’s open invitation.

5. He Diade no sign in the direction of Jesus. No prayer was offered by him, nor wish expressed toward better things.

The call was of pure grace, as it is written, •’ I am found of them that sought mo not.”

III. HlS CALL WAS GIVEN’ IJY THE LORD, with FULL

KNOWLEDGE OF Hill.

Jesus “saw a man, named Matthew,” and he called him.

1. He saw all the evil that had been in him, and

was yet there.

2. He saw his adaptation for holy service, as a recorder and penman.

3. He saw all that he meant to make of him.

4. He saw in him his chosen, his redeemed, his

convert, his disciple, his apostle, his biographer.

The Lord calls as he pleases, but he sees what he is doing. Sovereignty is not blind: but acts with boundless wisdom.

IV. HlS CALL WAS GRACIOUSLY CONDESCENDING.

The Lord called “a man, named Matthew,” — that

was his best. He was a publican — that may not have been his

worst. He allowed such a sinner to be his personal attendant; yea, called him to that honor, saying, “Follow me.”

He allowed him to do this immediately, without putting him into quarantine. He was to follow the Lord there and then.

V. HlS CALL WAS SUBLIMELY SIMPLE.

1. Few were the words: “Follow me.”

It is very tersely recorded, “He saw ... he saith ... he arose.”

2. Clear was the direction: “Follow me.”

3. Personal was the address: “He saith untohim”

4. Royal was the command: “He saith.”

VI. HlS CALL WAS IMMEDIATELY EFFECTUAL.

1. Matthew followed at once. “He arose, and followed him.”

2. He followed spiritually as well as literally. He

became a sincere, devout, earnest, intelligent disciple.

3. He followed wholly: bringing his voice and

his pen with him.

4. He followed growingly, more and more.

5. He followed ever after, never deserting his

Leader.

What a call was this! None could have given it but the Lord.

VI I. IIlS CALL WAS A DOOR OF HOPE FOR OTHERS.

1. His salvation encouraged other publicans to

come to Jesus.

2. His open house gave opportunity to his friends

to hear Jesus.

“A MAN NAMED MATTHEW.’ 39

3. His personal ministry brought others to the

Saviour.

4. His written gospel has convinced many, and

will always do so.

Are you up to your neck in business? Are you “sitting at the receipt of custom?” Yet may a call come to you at once. It does come.

Hear it attentively, rise earnestly, and respond immediately.

GOOD WORDS.

God often calls men in strange places. Not in the house of prayer, not under the preaching of the Word; but when all these things have been absent, and all surrounding circumstances have seemed most adverse to the work of grace, that grace has put forth its power. The tavern, the theatre, the ball-room, the gaming-house, the race-course, and other similar haunts of worldiness and sin, have sometimes been the scenes of God’s converting grace. As an old writer says: “Our calling is uncertain in respect of place, for God calls some from their ships, and some from their shops; some from under the hedges, and others from the market; so that, if a man can but make out unto his own soul that he is certainly called, the time when and the place where, matter little.”

How I now loved those words that spake of a Christian’s calling! As when the Lord said to one, “Follow me;’ and to another, “Come after me.”

Oh! thought I, that he would say so to me: how gladly would I run after him! I could seldom read of any that Christ did call, but I presently wished, * Would I had been in their clothes! Would I had been born Peter, or John! “I often thought,” Would I had heard him when he called lliem, how would I have cried, ’ 0 Lord, call me also!” But I feared he would not call me. — John Bunyan.

We read in classic story how the lyre of Orpheus enchanted with its music, not only the wild beasts, but the very trees and rocks upon Olympus, so that they moved from their places to follow him; so Christ, our heavenly Orpheus, with the music of his gracious speech, draws after him those less susceptible to benign influences than beasts and trees and stones, even poor, hardened, senseless, sinful souls. Let him but strike his golden harp, and whisper in thy heart, “Come, follow me,” and thou, like another Matthew, shalt be won.