Tuesday, September 21, 2021

21 September 2021 - call and response

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus knew who Matthew was. Not only did he have a past as a sinner he was still sitting at the customs post. It wasn't as though Matthew had repented and made himself ready to be called. This was obvious to Matthew and obvious to Jesus. But Jesus knew Matthew even better than Matthew knew himself. Prior to the call of Jesus the idea of Matthew leaving his current way of life, much less embracing the life of a disciple, would not have been on his radar. However, the call by Jesus created this new possibility, this new hope within the mind and heart of Matthew. What he had been he need not remain. His whole world up to that point need not define his future.

And he got up and followed him.

The Pharisees were unwilling to entertain the idea that a holy man would welcome sinners. They probably doubted that someone like Matthew could ever change. Even if he could, they thought, that would need to come first. If he wanted to become holy, change his life, or draw near to God, he would need, they thought, to clean up his life, to use his own strength, to perfect himself in the same way that the Pharisees imagined they themselves had done. But Matthew, as a sinner, was more honest. He knew that he could not save himself. It was only in the calling of Jesus that he was able to entertain the idea of hope for a better future. A new paradigm was revealed to him at the moment. This is why the word used to state that he rose and followed Jesus was the same word that later ultimately described the resurrection of Jesus himself. Matthew experienced something very much akin to a resurrection to new life in the call of Jesus and in his response.

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

We still tend to imagine that we have to achieve saintliness by our own efforts and for that reason believe it to be impossible. We content ourselves with mediocrity and leave true holiness to the chosen few. But the point of Matthew's calling is that it is not all about us. It is available for anyone humble enough to entertain the possibility that Jesus is who he says he is and can do in us what he promises. It is available to all who are humble enough to view themselves as sick and Jesus as the divine physician. If Jesus could use Matthew he can use anyone, as Matthew would be the first to testify.

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,

The gifts come from Jesus himself, our part is to respond. The unity of the Spirit is a gift we are offered freely. Let us chose to live in a manner worthy of our call, just as Matthew did, and treasure that gift.

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