Our Savior Lutheran Church

Introduction

Last week we got acquainted with Nathanael Bartholomew, the man of integrity who was confounded when Jesus did not have a rules-oriented approach to spirituality. On their first encounter, Jesus commended him for being “a true Israelite; no deceit is in him” (John 1:47). It’s almost easy to imagine Jesus wanting this man to be an apostle. This week we turn our attention to Matthew, about whose integrity Jesus could pay no compliments. Matthew was a wealthy man in a corrupt profession. He extorted taxes. It can be hard for us to imagine Jesus wanting this man as an apostle.

To Get Us Started

Some people are good at making money. They have the charisma and drive to make the sale or to close the deal. Matthew was the apostle who grew up to be a highly motivated entrepreneur who accumulated wealth. But he was a dishonest businessman. His ethics violated truth and honesty. His scruples went unheeded by his deadened conscience. Roman tax gatherers bid for the right to collect taxes in a district. Then they extorted by threat and force the set tax rate, the amount they bid for the job, and the profit they felt entitled to. Roman law enforcement and judiciary looked the other way.

1. When you were a boy, what did you really enjoy doing to make money? What did you really dislike doing that you had to do to make money?

2. Which of these characters are you most like when it comes to making money? Why?

The Word

Matthew was another apostle with two names, but one of them dropped away. When he first appeared in Mark and Luke (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27), this tax collector went by Levi, the name of Jacob’s son whose descendants served as priests in Israel. By the time Levi was an apostle, everyone called him Matthew (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:17).

In his own Gospel, Matthew always referred to himself as Matthew, never as Levi. He did not, however, hide his past. In the list of apostles, Matthew alone identified himself as “Matthew the tax collector” (10:3). Mark identified Matthew as “the son of Alphaeus” (Mark 2:14). The other James among the apostles, whom we’ll consider in lesson 9, was also “the some of Alphaeus” (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). The Gospel writers all group Matthew with Thomas in their list of apostles. None suggest that Matthew and James were brothers, even though their fathers bore the same name.

An Apostle To the Up-and-Out – Luke 5:27-31

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. [28] And he left all, rose up, and followed him. [29] And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. [30] But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? [31] And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Matthew 9:9-13

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

[10] And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. [11] And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? [12] But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. [13] But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Faith And Money Don’t Mix – Luke 16:13-15

No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. [14] And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. [15] And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Luke 18:18-27

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [19] And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. [20] Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. [21] And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. [22] Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. [23] And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. [24] And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! [25] For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. [26] And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? [27] And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Observations

We can learn a lot from Matthew, even though we thankfully may not be able to identify with the extent of his dishonesty and greed. We all face the challenge to put Jesus Christ at the center of our lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply the lessons we can learn from this first-century materialist who became a dynamic witness for the Lord.

Observation 1

Jesus Christ wants all Christians to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.

Matthew had built his life around money and power. He swore allegiance to Rome, the hated world power of his day, in order to oppress his fellow countrymen for personal gain. For Matthew to turn his eyes toward righteousness and the kingdom of God required a shift of values that few men ever have to make to be Christ-followers.

Matthew probably didn’t realize the full implications of his initial decision to abandon tax collecting in favor of following Jesus. Certainly he knew he would lose his income for the time he followed the Master. Eventually, he realized there was no going back. To follow Jesus precluded greed and graft.

John the Baptist told tax collectors, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized” (Luke 3:13). Tax collecting could be done honorably, but Matthew had a calling to spread the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). For him, putting God’s kingdom and righteousness first involved fulltime ministry. For you it may involve professional ministry, or it may involve building the kingdom with your time or wealth as a layperson.

Observation 2

Jesus Christ is still looking for men of means who will faithfully use their resources to build the kingdom of God.

The first thing Matthew did as a new disciple was gather all his tax collector friends at a banquet so they could learn about Jesus, too. (Luke 5:29). Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who later came to faith in Jesus, distributed half his possessions among the poor and offered to pay quadruple restitution to anyone he had overcharged (Luke 19:8). There were potential disciples among Matthew’s cronies.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His disciples, “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Matthew is the Gospel writer who best remembered Jesus’ teaching about financial resources in relationship to the kingdom of God. He best understood what it means to invest everything where it would pay eternal dividends.

Observation 3

Jesus Christ wants generous Christian businessmen to become models and examples to other businessmen who in turn will become generous businessmen.

God used Matthew, a transformed materialist, to help us understand the biblical stewardship. Entrepreneurs who decide to use their resources, which belong to God in the first place, to the full to help build the kingdom of God are great models. We need these examples.

To Discuss

1. When you think of Matthew making the transition from tax collector to disciple, do you consider his experience with wealth an asset or a liability in learning to follow Jesus? Why?

2. Which of these is the greatest discipleship issue that money poses for you?

3. How did each of these feel about the “grand banquet” (Luke 5:29) for all the tax collectors? Matthew? The Pharisees and scribes? Jesus?

4. In Jesus’ opinion, what was wrong with the attitude of the Pharisees and scribes toward His associating with the tax collectors (Matthew 9:11-13; Luke 5:30-31?

5. Why, according to Jesus, does money make a bad master (Luke 16:13-15)?

6. What was wrong with the Pharisees’ philosophy about money (Luke 16:14-15)?

7. Why do you suppose Jesus let the rich young ruler affirm his moral accomplishments before He pointed out his crucial moral defect (Luke 18:19-21)?

8. Why do you think Jesus demanded that the rich young ruler sell everything he had and give the proceeds to the poor (Luke 16:22)?

9. According to Jesus, what is the special difficulty for a wealthy person concerning entering the kingdom of God (Luke 18:24-27)?

10. How can you use your money and your possessions to advance the kingdom of God?

11. How do your possessions try to own you?

12. How can your experiences (good and bad) with money make you a more effective witness for Christ?

Matthew’s initial ministry grew out of his background in finance. He had contacts with money people that none of the other apostles could have. He reached out to his friends and former associates. No doubt Matthew’s transformed values and lifestyle prepared the way for Jesus’ teaching in the hearts and lives of the assembled tax collectors.

13. What kind of people have your experiences with money prepared you to understand and empathize with?

14. How would you like your attitude toward money and possessions to change? How can this group help you with that?

15. How can we support you in prayer concerning your use of your possessions to advance the kingdom of God?

Next Week

Next week we shift from studying a materialist to examining a pessimist. Thomas possessed the temperament of a stubborn naysayer. It seems that most groups have a member who sees every glass as half empty. The Lord Jesus, however, was not content to leave Thomas’ pessimism alone. He challenged Thomas to concentrate his heart and soul on positive belief and action.