21 September 2013 - follow the leader

21 September 2013 - follow the leader

He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.

This is what it is all about.  He calls and we need to follow.  Matthew is able to respond immediately whereas most of us respond hesitantly and by degrees.  What is his secret?  He is as tied up in the world as any of us.  He is making good money is a tax collector.  Apparently he has plenty of tax collector friends in lieu of all of the other people from whom his profession has alienated him.  Yet, surprisingly, it is he and his friends who are able to fully grasp their need for Jesus whereas the Pharisees have trouble.

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

The implication isn't that the Pharisees are not sick, of course.  The implication is that it is the sinners and the tax collectors who realize it.  A lot of what the Pharisees do and are stems from a prideful sense of righteous entitlement.  They have themselves convinced that they don't actually need to repent.  They believe their own show which they put on for the world.  That is why Jesus calls them whitewashed tombs (cf. Mat 23:27).  They keep focused on that coat of paint lest they see what is inside.

The tax collectors have surely been at least comparably sinful to the Pharisees, but with less self delusion.  They see the barriers, division, and strife that their sin causes.  Their lack of fulfillment calls out for more than the this way of life.

The "sinners" desire a unity and peace which can only come through supernatural means.

bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:

Openness to the Spirit who gives this gift allows us to be transformed into people Jesus can use to spread his message.  He wants the world to know that he desires "mercy and not sacrifice."

Hence he gives us amazing gifts through his Holy Spirit which not only unite us be empower us to proclaim that same message of unity and peace.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ. 

The gospel is the message which the whole world needs.  Creation proclaims it, but that is insufficient.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

We ourselves must join in until our message "goes out through all the earth."